This is a story turned upside down about how Rihanna literally helped me with my body acceptance journey.

Now, I must admit I wasn’t always a Rihanna fan. But as I got older I realised how important she was to the culture and got over my initial indifference.

Back to the body acceptance topic. I’ve blogged about my struggles with ED and how hard it’s been since I gained post-25 weight. I think one of the things I failed to realise is how accepting your body will never be some quick-fix journey.

I won’t be able to flick a switch and suddenly, things are all okay again.

I also had to reconsider my position in the whole #bodyposi movement because of the way other marginalised bodies were being treated.  As my #internet #fren Bethany Rutter put so eloquently, “In 2017, however, body positivity is the easiest way for corporations to sell stuff to women, and the easiest label for influencers to claim in the search of moral kudos.”

Read her article here

A lot has happened in my life, both professionally and personally. And in that, I had a bit of a mid-year slump. My body didn’t look the way it used to and although most of my friends couldn’t tell, I knew. Some of my clothes no longer fit and I started to feel really shitty about myself.

Yet, it’s amazing how I could be kind to other people who were struggling with body issues – but so unbelievable cruel (once again) to myself. My skin was flaring up bc stress, my whole life was a mess, sis.

And then Rihanna happened. Now, I’m on the Rih bandwagon, she’s the epitome of that cool girl sexiness. She wears whatever the hell she wants and it ONLY looks good on her. Like, people have tried and failed but Rihanna is literally otherworldly, shame. *stares at Kylie Jenner*

I saw this photo and my world stopped.

Seeing a woman I admire with some thighs? Looking hot as shit? Hello. I was shook. Seeing Rih affirmed a lot for me and certainly shifted the way I view myself. She’s always been skinny and now was kinda filling out. I was like, “Well, if Rihanna feels confident right now then I should too?”

And then the Wild Thoughts video came out. Rihanna was thriving with no bra, boobs flailing about and maybe a bit of stomach peeking over those lime green Balenciaga pants.

I died and was reborn because this is the mood tbh:

 

And while one moment isn’t enough to change 15+ years of my own body bullshit, it’s definitely a start in the right direction. I’m not magically thriving but I’m so open to just accepting how wobbly my thighs are now.

I don’t view my body as this long-term improvement project where I have to fit into my W27, L30 jeans or else.

And to 15 year old me, that in itself is a wild thought.

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