Between uni essays, a family epidemic of gastro and The Husband being away for work, things have been (and still are) a tad hectic around here. Needless to say blogging hasn’t been up there with the list of things that have to be done. Want to be done, yes. Have to be done, no. That said, even though I have missed the boat a little I still have some comments I want to make about Love Your Body Day. Or the design that won the poster competition for Love Your Body Day to be more specific.

This is the design that won the competition -

Initially I looked at this poster and thought, yes. I like that. But then I had second thoughts. What is the measure of a woman? Apparently the measure of a woman is made up by personal character traits such as intelligence, strength, love, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness, humour, joy, compassion , grace and goodness. There are a few other contributing factors of womanhood which are age, soul, mind, heart, character etc but it is those previously mentioned qualities that bug me. Those characteristics that are particularly reminiscent of the “fruits of the spirit”.

Why does this bother me?

It bothers me because the premise being offered up here is that these qualities are what makes a woman thus, they are what makes a woman a woman. That a “real woman” is good and patient and faithful and all the rest. If she isn’t, then she isn’t a “real woman”. Just like “real women” have curves. I have issues with that adage as well. There is no such thing as a “real woman”. Women are all different. A thin, generous, unfunny, joyless woman is no less a woman than a fat, faithful, graceless, funny woman.  A woman without curves is as much of a woman as one with curves. A woman without a womb/children/husband etc is just as much a woman as one without any of those things. It is not a competition to determine who is more “real” and reality is a debateable concept at the best of times.

Love Your Body Campaign is a great concept but does the pay off have to be running the risk of a woman hating herself (as opposed to her body) because she doesn’t possess these qualities?