Lessons from Barbie

When I was a little girl, I had the whole Barbie sha-bang! Ken, Midge, and Barbie were my best friends. Because I was so young, I do not remember the instant affect Barbie and her posse had on my youthful mind. However, I assume the later effect was great, as I now speak up against prejudice regarding overweight individuals and personal fitness. In my eyes: no girl is flawless, yet every girl is flawless. That may seem confusing, but it truly isn't if you think of it in literal terms: no girl is without her flaws, but every girl is perfect in her own way.

When I was a young girl, I had the thinnest little body I have ever seen. Long, little legs and arms, and flowingly long, wavy, dirty blonde hair. I had a smile that would light up the room, and a loud laugh that was contagious. I was a happy girl, running around the yard and climbing trees. Now, I am curvy, developed, and have thicker thighs and thicker arms, topped off with shoulder-length, thick, mildly-wavy, deep brown hair. I still have a smile that lights up the room, and a loud laugh that is contagious. I am a happy young woman, busy blogging, writing, learning, discovering.

While learning and discovering, I have realized something very important: it is not the weight or appearance you are that defines you, but more so the heart you have and what you do for your community. Some parents or educational advisers may say that Barbie is the misrepresentation of the female body. To some degree, but let us not forget that Barbie had curvy hips, bigger breasts, and big cheeks--typically not traits of a "hot blonde" in the idealistic, young society. Scientifically, by majority: Caucasian women have smaller breasts and the "stick-like" figures come easier to many. It is, in fact, more often than not, the Hispanic or deeper skinned heritages that have the voluptuous body types. However, plastic surgery has blurred our vision of scientific truth in recent years.

I would much rather be with a partner who was overweight, than without a heart. I would much rather be overweight, than dangerously skinny and on the verge of anorexia. I would rather be loving, filled-to-the-brim with happiness and confident in my body, than afraid to show skin because of my bones, or feeling physically ill due to malnourishment. These are the lessons I took from Barbie and her friends 11 years ago.