We need to have a talk.  A real talk.

This is me.  No make up, no corset, no "shape flattering" styling. (Whatever the fuck that means???)  Stretch marks and cellulite and zits and (lets face it) terrible lighting.

This is also me.  Painted up, cinched in, styled and curled and primped and filtered.

Both of these bodies are real.

Both of them are me, in the most essential sense of being.  Neither of them is hiding anything.  These aren't different versions of myself.  I am this dichotomy of self at all times, no matter which one I present outwardly to the world.

I don't need to wear less makeup.  I don't need to wear more.  I don't need to do anything other than love myself as I am, in whatever form that takes at any given moment.  It ispossible to love yourself and to still want to change your body's physical form or appearance.

We see so much about these people who change themselves drastically; body modification, tattoos, piercings, hair dye, fake nails, fake boobs, botox... take your pick.  It's always addressed with this assumption that the only reason a person would want to change the way they look is because they aren't happy with themselves.  That they're just looking for attention, or that they must need help.  Someone get them some therapy, cause they obviously have issues, right?

Maybe the only issue is that we've fallen into this idea that you can't have it both ways.  But we aren't a light switch.  There are so many more settings between "on" and "off" that trying to define them is impossible.  It's not even a sliding scale.  It isn't something that can be mapped.  Our sense of self exists on a range that is beyond science and math and poetry, and it is fucking beautiful.

Body dysmorphia is a real thing, and it's a terrible thing.  Depression, low self esteem, eating disorders, health discrimination... the list goes on and on. But maybe if we start letting people be themselves and learn to love themselves for who they are (all of their parts and their weirdness) and stop putting conditions on that love, we could make a greater difference.  And it starts with getting rid of the conditions we put on ourselves.  You're not fake unless you're doing something you don't want to do because you care what other people will think.