What do you weigh? No not in kgs. But as a person, if you added up your worth, what would you weigh? Hang on, let me explain.
There’s been a definite shift recently in being body positive online. Hell I should know, I have even done it myself over the past few weeks. Posting far more selfies in a fortnight than I have in the past eight years combined. Embracing #BeMoreWitWitWoo in honour of Kate, but what if there was more to this positivity on line than just with our bodies. What if really stopped focussing our bodies when talking about how positive we are, and looked at the slightly bigger picture?
I will be honest, I am not body confident. I might be able to post a selfie, but I am not confident about posting photos of my body online. Yes, I know I did the swimsuit photo but that doesn’t mean I am comfortable with doing it. And I am okay with that. I don’t hate my body, I am just not particularly comfortable with it or about posting it online. Which is fine. It is absolutely fine. I will be the first person in the queue to tell somebody they look amazing or incredible, or fierce but I can’t do it myself without squirming.
As I say, I am fine with that. It doesn’t make me a failure, or any less worthy of a presence in a small corner of Instagram or mean I wont be championing those that are front and centre of the body positive movement. I adore the women I follow on instagram who are posting pics of themselves in bikinis, showing that real bodies have cellulite, dropping boobs, hairy arms etc I just won’t really be that person online. Please don’t take this post as a dig at any of them or me saying that the body positive movement is <insert negative comment>. This is not me saying that at all. Being body positive and fighting for that is a very important, we must keep doing it. We must #BeMoreWitWitWoo but at the same time I think there is definitely space for championing the other stuff too.
Which is why I was so drawn to the #iweigh campaign that I read about this week. It was like a lightbulb going off. It was started by Jameela Jamil after she read an article in February about how much a Kardashian weighed. Appalled that a woman can be judged on what she weighs she decided to do something about it. To start a movement of people sharing what their weight is, without talking about their bodies.
By how they feel about themselves and the people they are, and the lives they live and change and save. Rather than by our media’s absurd standards women are expected to uphold.
Standards that are airbrushed, surgically enhanced and starved and relentlessly trained for by those perpetuating this dangerous stereotype
A recognition of who we are and what we have achieved that goes beyond the outer layer. Life positivity, not just body positivity.
There is more in this Independent article about Emmy Rossum sharing her pic: Emmy Rossum joins the iweigh movement
So here is mine. The weight I bring to the table that aren’t about my body.
The fact I have three incredible children who are all amazing human beings. Holding down jobs, relationships and friendships and making their way in the world. Opinionated, strong and determined, I couldn’t be more proud of them.
I am married to a man who is always the first to say “do it” when I come up with some crazy idea. Have been offered an opportunity that means I will be away from home for a week. Africa? “Go”. (Three times). Jordan, close to the Syrian border? “You have to, T”. Yoga retreat in France when I have never done yoga properly? “You should go and do this”. Every single time, without fail.
Parents who might not be at the end of the road but are always at the end of the phone / email. Who also support me and tell me there is a solution to everything.
A mildly successful blog that has allowed me to travel the world, support my family, share opportunities and products I have been sent to review. To have the FA Cup in our lounge for the day and invite the local town football team to hold it aloft like they’d actually won it. Drive cars we could never afford to buy. Raise money that has changed lives here and in Africa.
Make friendships that I would never have made had it not been for this blog. Friendships I cherish. Introduced me to people I would never have known if it hadn’t been for this crazy job.
I like to think I have made a bit of a difference to a few people’s lives so does it really matter that I can’t really post a full length body shot on Instagram?
Does it matter what I weigh when I weigh up who I actually am? What I have achieved in 49 years?
No, I don’t think it does.