Why Women Shouldn’t Apologize for Their Bodies

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Own yours.

Hey, let’s talk about this for a second. It’s crazy how we still expect curvy women to apologize for existing. Like, seriously? We’re supposed to hide our bodies under baggy clothes just because someone else thinks it’s “modest”? That’s a load of BS. Clothes fit different on different people. It’s not a woman’s job to make sure she’s not showing too much skin to satisfy everyone else. And if we’re all about body positivity, why do we think every woman should dress the same way? Take cleavage, for example. Why is it such a big deal? Women shouldn’t have to worry about how others think their clothes should fit. If you can wear a V-neck and not show any cleavage, awesome for you. But don’t expect every woman to be able to do the same. It’s just not fair.

Curvy women shouldn’t have to shrink themselves to fit into someone else’s idea of “professional” or “modest. So, let’s talk about this whole ‘professionalism’ thing. People love to say that showing too much skin is unprofessional. But here’s the problem: what’s considered “too much” can change depending on who’s looking. And let’s not forget that there are a million different body types out there.

Do we think skinny women are automatically more professional than curvy women? That’s crazy, right? But if we put the same outfit on two different women, it’s going to look different. The skinny woman might get away with it, but the curvy woman might be under more scrutiny. And let’s think about what this says about how we see women. Why do we always sexualize women’s bodies? Why can’t a woman feel sexy or confident without being seen as an object? It’s like women can’t just be themselves. Even when she’s not thinking about her looks, she’s still judged on how she dresses. It’s unfair. You know, there’s been a lot of talk lately about how dress codes can be sexist. Take spaghetti straps, for example. Some schools still ban them! It’s like they think women’s bodies are a distraction.

Growing up, I always had to wear thicker bra straps. It was supposed to be more “supportive.” But that meant I couldn’t wear those cute tank tops. And guess what? Some people would get mad if my bra strap showed. Like, it was my problem. I remember feeling bad about wearing bikinis or certain dresses. People would say they were too revealing. But for me, they weren’t. It’s just that my body shape makes things fit differently.

I have a hard time finding clothes that fit right anyway. I’m petite but also curvy. So when I find something I feel good in, that’s what matters. I was completely unprepared for how my body would change. It was like a rollercoaster of sizes and shapes. And no matter what I wore, someone always had something to say. People would ask when I was due, or comment on my belly. It was like fair game. Now, we’re all dealing with the “pandemic pounds.” Everyone’s got an opinion on how much weight people have gained or lost. It’s exhausting. But here’s the thing: as women, we’re always judged on our bodies. When we’re young, people comment on how fast or slow we hit puberty. Then it’s about school dress codes and work attire. College students gain weight, and then there’s the whole postpartum body thing.

You’d think after all that, people would stop. But nope. Next comes comments about dressing for your age. I’m in my 40s and I still wear short shorts and whatever else I want. Who cares? So the next time you feel like saying something about someone’s body, just don’t. And if someone says something to you, don’t let it get to you. Body shaming is never okay. We shouldn’t expect curvy women to change themselves to fit someone else’s idea of what’s “professional” or “modest.