curves

I am sometimes just a little bit irritated at the double standard in swimwear for men and women. Why is it that men get to be covered up and women are expected to have teeny-tiny triangles covering their boobs and walk around in, basically, panties? I was venting all this, once again, to my husband and he gently said something like, "Well, men wouldn't look near as good walking around in bikinis...they don't even look all that great in speedos. Your body, a woman's body, is simply more beautiful."

And it got me thinking. First of all, he's right. There is a reason the female form has been worshipped, adored, painted, sculpted all these hundreds upon hundreds of years. It is...we are something beautiful, intoxicating, breathtaking to behold.

Secondly, I am not talking about our culture's standard of beauty here, people. I am talking about the female form as a real, live woman. This means with curves, poochy tummy, wrinkles, cellulite, stretch marks, wide hips, narrow hips, breasts, barely breasts...I mean it all. I am talking about the imperfect female form that tells the story of where we've been, who we are, how we live, who we love.

And so this summer I have decided to wear my swimsuit proudly (as best I can) and embrace the things that make me an imperfect, yet beautiful, woman. And, fellow females, I hope you will too. I hope you will put on your swimsuits and walk with your head high, regardless of shape or size. For the love, we are all so freaking beautiful in our own way just by being a woman. And by illuminating the uniqueness each of us carries inside. We owe it to the world to not hide what we've got, to give off a little more confidence, and to re-teach our culture, and our daughters, the true definition of beauty.