The Story behind The Poem:

My Friend: Undefinable by weight or any other means.

I am a 17 year old fat girl, with a love of fashion and food.
My Friend is an 18 year old slim girl, with a love of fashion and a hate for food.

Between us their are striking similarities, we like the same books, films, bands. we enjoy shopping and getting our nails done and we both work hard at college and laugh about silly thing that aren't really that funny.

But really the biggest similarity we have is our weight issues. We both hate ourselves, inside and out.  I hate my massive tits and matching thighs and she hates her pointed chin and dominant collar bones.

However, this poem isn't about mine and my friends issue with weight its about societies issue with it.

Covers of magazines scream 'how to shape up for summer' 'how to get a bum like Beyonce' 'how to do this and that' 'how to change you're whole fucking body just so society feels it acceptable'

These magazines make most women insecure, make most women feel inadequate and make most women want to turn the lights of during sex. But why?  Just so some girl who starved herself or worked so hard in the gym that she passed out, gets to feel like an elite.

Every time i see a 'how to get summer ready' front cover, it just makes me want to eat 30 packets of crisps as I know I will never be able to meet societies requirements. And my friend well she just wants to stop eating and  never eat again.
 
I have had to listen to my friend being sick on countless times and she has supported me on many failed attempts at a diet. Why? Because society made me, yes i take a lot of the blame for my weight just  as my friend does. But I know that I will never be able to accept or embrace my body  un till society can.

Do i think this  will happen? No, Why? Because it sells!!  Millions  of  magazines with skinny  unrealistic and AIRBRUSHED models on the front are sold everyday and that's  why  the  media carries on.

And this needs to stop! Because whatever shape or size you are, you  are beautiful and you  will not  believe me just as I dont believe the many people who tell me daily. But one day you will and so will I and so will my friend because one day society and the  media  and  the  government will stop telling us  what  to  do or  be  or  wear or say.

But until then make a stand, look in the mirror and smile tell yourself something positive not about your appearance but about your personality.

Say I am... intelligent, funny, ambitious, caring, helpful, charitable, a great sister, a great mother, an amazing friend, anything at all, because any of these adjectives are  better than slim.

Thanks

Mollie xx