Jenny Trout is a blogger, a comedian and a big, beautiful woman!
But she decided to make a crazy New Year’s resolution: she was gonna wear a bikini to the beach this summer!
She found that after telling people, most conversations went like this, with her writing:
“Me: “Next summer, I’m going to wear a bikini.”
Them: “What a great goal! What are you doing? Weight Watchers? Jenny Craig? Are you going vegan? Paleo? Are you having the surgery?”
Me: “I said I was going to wear a bikini. I didn’t say I was going to lose weight.”
Them: Face melts off like they’re staring into the Arc of The Covenant.”
Ha!
But she really did have to fight some adversity from ignorant people.
She said some people were actually worried about her health or that she’d be somehow glorifying obesity.
“Blood pressure, heart problems, joint problems and cholesterol were all brought up, but I didn’t see any kind of warning label anywhere on the suit that suggested the Surgeon General had investigated these claims. I remain skeptical as to the health problems bikinis cause.
The secondary concern seemed to be that I would be “glorifying obesity.” I was going to look so good in my bikini, I would make others question their perceptions of beauty and body size?
A third type of person only worried about my comfort: “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in a one piece?” Or perhaps I would be more comfortable if I didn’t go to the beach at all. If I venture into the water in a bikini, the sight of my melanin-deficient Michigan belly might attract beluga whales. Sure, I could secretly live among them and learn their ancient ways, but I couldn’t keep that kind of ruse up forever. One day, they would learn of my betrayal, sparking tense conflict between humans and those gentle giants of the sea.”
LOLz! She makes such good points!
Best part about all of this?
She went to the beach, in a two-piece bikini and guess what… the world didn’t end!
She looked great and made some incredible points, saying:
“The reason these people do not want to see a fat body in a bikini is because traditionally, that garment is something a woman earns by proving herself attractive enough to exist. If fat women begin wearing them without shame or fear, what’s next? Will they have self-esteem? Will they demand respect? Then what will keep them in their proper place? How would conventionally attractive people judge them?
As a society, we need to be more honest in our discussions of other’s bodies. If we can’t avoid those totally unnecessary conversations, then we should at least admit the truth to ourselves: That this has nothing to do with health, and everything to do with the control we believe is our right to exert over others.”
Society really needs to rethink our opinions on body image and health.
We need to realize that no matter what, everyone is truly beautiful!!
[Image via Bronwyn Green/Jenny Trout.]
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