Skinny Minnies
The first time I became aware of my body and its changes was around the fifth grade. As a young girl I was awkward and really skinny. The other girls around my age were already developing while I still had a boyish figure. I wore really thick glasses and wasn’t allowed to shave my legs until I was well into middle school. I still resent my mother for that because it forced me to wear jeans and long pants in the blazing Florida heat. I REFUSED to wear shorts. It wasn’t just because my legs were disgustingly hairy but also because I had scrawny chicken legs.
I related most to Alison’s story “Curve;” I was always the really thin girl who everyone believed didn’t eat enough (and trust me, I ate a lot). I come from a family consisting primarily of women. I am Hispanic and the “ideal” body type for my culture is that of a curvy, full figure. I often get criticized by my family for failing to achieve this “ideal.” Unlike the majority of the women in my family, I am thin with very few curves. I am underweight for my height and age, but I’ve always been that way. My grandmother has accused me of being anorexic in the past and that is so far from the truth. I eat just as much as the next person; I just have difficulty gaining weight because of my smaller build. It’s something that I’ve always struggled with and it contributed to my self-esteem issues as a young girl.
Often times, bigger women feel the pressures to be thin. For me, it is the complete opposite. I often feel pressured by my family and my peers to gain weight. A lot of my friends are either Hispanic or African American and their definition of beauty and ideal body types are very similar. I am the smallest of my friends and the smallest of my family. To deal with the pressure placed on me by those closest to me to gain weight, I started going to the gym everyday to lift weights. I didn’t want to gain weight in fat so I resorted to attempting to gain weight in muscle mass instead. After a few months, my trips to the gym became an obsession. Before long my body began to take on a really muscular figure which only led to more criticisms from family and friends. Currently, I am happy and content with my appearance but it took a while for that to happen. I eat healthy and still workout; however, I’ve changed my once rigorous routine to one that’s more casual and fun.
I remember my first period as if it were yesterday. I was in 11 years old and in the sixth grade. It wasn’t anything surprising for me. I grew up in a house full of women so I knew what it was and what to expect. My mom was always very open with me so I wasn’t afraid to approach her about it. I woke up one morning after spending the night at my aunt’s house, and found that this untimely visitor had graced its presence in my life. My aunt taught me how to use pads and actually let me stay home from school because I had really bad cramps. My mom didn’t allow me to wear tampons until I was in high school so I had to endure the horrors and lack of comfort provided by pads.
I think that society has learned to begin educating girls about their bodies at an earlier age. My cousin started learning about her bodily changes in the third grade. It seems as though the earlier they begin educating kids in school, the easier it is for parents to talk to their children.
I related most to Alison’s story “Curve;” I was always the really thin girl who everyone believed didn’t eat enough (and trust me, I ate a lot). I come from a family consisting primarily of women. I am Hispanic and the “ideal” body type for my culture is that of a curvy, full figure. I often get criticized by my family for failing to achieve this “ideal.” Unlike the majority of the women in my family, I am thin with very few curves. I am underweight for my height and age, but I’ve always been that way. My grandmother has accused me of being anorexic in the past and that is so far from the truth. I eat just as much as the next person; I just have difficulty gaining weight because of my smaller build. It’s something that I’ve always struggled with and it contributed to my self-esteem issues as a young girl.
Often times, bigger women feel the pressures to be thin. For me, it is the complete opposite. I often feel pressured by my family and my peers to gain weight. A lot of my friends are either Hispanic or African American and their definition of beauty and ideal body types are very similar. I am the smallest of my friends and the smallest of my family. To deal with the pressure placed on me by those closest to me to gain weight, I started going to the gym everyday to lift weights. I didn’t want to gain weight in fat so I resorted to attempting to gain weight in muscle mass instead. After a few months, my trips to the gym became an obsession. Before long my body began to take on a really muscular figure which only led to more criticisms from family and friends. Currently, I am happy and content with my appearance but it took a while for that to happen. I eat healthy and still workout; however, I’ve changed my once rigorous routine to one that’s more casual and fun.
I remember my first period as if it were yesterday. I was in 11 years old and in the sixth grade. It wasn’t anything surprising for me. I grew up in a house full of women so I knew what it was and what to expect. My mom was always very open with me so I wasn’t afraid to approach her about it. I woke up one morning after spending the night at my aunt’s house, and found that this untimely visitor had graced its presence in my life. My aunt taught me how to use pads and actually let me stay home from school because I had really bad cramps. My mom didn’t allow me to wear tampons until I was in high school so I had to endure the horrors and lack of comfort provided by pads.
I think that society has learned to begin educating girls about their bodies at an earlier age. My cousin started learning about her bodily changes in the third grade. It seems as though the earlier they begin educating kids in school, the easier it is for parents to talk to their children.
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