I discovered something sad and confusing this weekend. For those of you who don't know, I'm a mom. I have two little ones, and I spend my time at home with them. Over the weekend I had my first break in four years. I went to visit a friend far away from diapers and sippy cups. The weekend was great, this post isn't really about that, but I had so much fun that I think that should be stated.
After our first night of drinking the three of us girls piled onto a bed and gabbed for hours. We talked about sex, boys, girls… Basically what you'd expect. Eventually the talk came around to our bodies. The features that we liked and didn't. And here is where I was surprised. One friend admitted that she was ashamed of her long (and completely gorgeous by the way) legs. She said she hated it when people gave her the “Legs for miles” line. I complained about my large breasts, I feel at times they make me look cheap. And I hate it 90% of the time people comment on them. Later when we were doing make up (again GIRLS weekend remember) my friend commented on how great my eyelashes are. They're crazy long, but blond so you can't tell without mascara. I don't like wearing mascara because I think my eyelashes are too long. Like I think my tits are too big, and my friend thinks her legs are too long. What is going on? These are all things that society tells us we're supposed to want. I know that I've wished I had longer more shapely legs myself. But once we get closer to these physical ideals there is just as much shame as having undesirable features. It begs the question, how can we ever be satisfied? Who made us this way that we dislike the “good” parts of are bodies as much as the “bad”?
Is it society? Our parents? Other women? Men? Ourselves? I'm not sure, but it sure makes me sad.