Guest Blog Written By: Julie Cole of Mabels Labels
I’m going to say something that may be wildly unpopular.
I want to see fewer photos of moms’ bodies on social media. Moms’ bodies doing nothing. Moms’ bodies just being bodies.
There, I said it.
I’m so happy that you lost weight if that was your goal. I’m so happy that you’re comfortable with your leftover baby belly. I’m so here for all the body positivity and the celebration of differences.
But I’m tired of seeing it all, because there’s SO MUCH MORE TO YOU than your bodies. Can’t we change the conversation?
I want to see pictures of you laughing with your baby, tobogganing with your kids, having a nice dinner, running with your friends, reading a book, pushing that stroller or trying a new activity. I don’t want to see pictures of your body just because it’s your body.
I get that we’re trying to inspire other people. I get that we’re proud of ourselves. I get that we’ve embraced our muffin tops and come to love our looser skin. But all these body pictures that are filling up my social media feeds have me wondering: Are we moving backwards?
Mamas, if we’re happy with our bodies, why do we still need to talk about them and show them so much? Ultimately, they’re just capsules for all our amazing qualities: our strength, our courage, our resilience, our selflessness, our playfulness, our beauty. So, why are THEY getting all of the attention?
The fact that women’s bodies have been the target of so much criticism is not lost on me. I get ALL of that. I see the images my daughters are facing, I see the unrealistic expectations, I see all the totally screwed up messages we’re being fed daily.
I’m just not sure all these pictures we’re posting are helping any of that. By putting so much focus ON our bodies, aren’t we contributing to it all?
When I think about my daughters, I don’t want them remembering a mother who was fixated on her body, for whatever reason. Yes, I want them to feel confident, no matter what. But mostly, I want my girls to appreciate all the amazing things their female bodies can do, not how they look.
What am I missing? Moms, let’s talk. I’m listening….