A friend of mine recently posted a link to this blog on my Facebook (thanks Marne!) and it triggered a memory of something that I had totally forgotten.
When I was 12? 13? I was a junior lifeguard at the pool by my house. A few of us were sitting outside the break room in our swimming suits one day, all girls, and someone started in on her body. It grew, and soon everyone was talking about how ugly/fat/etc. they were. I had never heard people talk like that before (not peers any way). It was just like that scene from Mean Girls when all the girls are dissing specific body parts they wish they could change and they all look at Katy expecting her to join in. When it was 'my turn' I didn't know what to say. Before I had a chance to come up with something, a lady who had overheard walked over. She told us all, rather sternly, that we were healthy, strong girls and that we should stop being ridiculous and be grateful that our bodies worked so well.
It was a really brief encounter, but it left an impression on me. Looking back now, I can pinpoint that as the time when advertisements and the way women's bodies are discussed began to bother me. She was absolutely right: we all were physically fit, healthy, and strong. The fact that we were already, at age 12, so concerned with appearances speaks volumes about where we teach women and girls to get their self-value from.
So, random stranger, Thank You. You probably didn't realize it (I didn't even realize it), but you shaped my worldview for the better. And you have my gratitude.
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