It only took 56 years but Barbie has finally made a body image change. Not only is this a huge step in the toy world but it also resonates with young girls and their confidence. For years Barbie has had an unrealistic and disproportionate body when compared to real life women. Her body measurements are extreme and if Barbie wasn’t just a doll she would have to walk on all fours, definitely not what we want young girls wishing they looked like. The body shaming that our world portrays is so unfortunate. It is inspiring that there are so many campaigns and celebrities out now to show girls that they need to love themselves how they are. Every body is unique and beautiful in its own way.
I was always small framed and thin due to my genetics so I never had to worry about gaining weight. Even though many people told me how lucky and blessed I was, I never thought that was the case. Our world shows that tall and thin is what every girl should look like but it isn’t all sunshine and daisies. I always had a hard time finding cute clothes to fit me like all the other girls I went to school with. (thank goodness I went private schools and wore a uniform so I didn’t have to worry about this much) I didn’t experience bullying until I was in high school when people thought that I was anorexic which I definitely wasn’t. I played sports and ate pizza but I would still get made fun of for being skinny. I didn’t start to appreciate my genetics until I was in college and became more comfortable in my own skin. I decided that I shouldn’t care if my chest didn’t fill out my bikini tops as much as the other women. I was happy with my body and if felt great!! Now that I’m out of college and have turned 25 my metabolism has started to slow and I have had to be more conscious about what I eat and add daily exercise into my routine. At first, I hated this new transition but now have welcomed it because it has helped me adopt a healthier lifestyle.
So thank you to everyone out there fighting for what God has given them and showing the world that it is okay to be more than a size 2. Thank you to the companies that have accepted every woman for their size and expanded their fashion lines to adapt to our world today. The time is now to stop body-shaming and we can thank Barbie for being a part of the movement.