LEARN TO LOVE YOUR BODY It's easier than you think, but don't tell the media that.
	Since we do not generally see many real, naked female bodies (besides a quick glance  in the locker room), women often do not know how they measure up. Thus, we tend to rely on media-fed images and notions of ideal beauty and body shape. Women have been the subjects of imagery for centuries for painters, such as Gauguin and Picasso. These images are based with a male viewer in mind, and even today, airbrushed, bikini-clad models stare back at us from the covers of Cosmopolitan and Playboy. Most of the women we see in the media are tall, thin and white, lacking images of middle-aged women. Airbrushing makes sure that we will not see a celebrity's pimple, and plastic surgery reassures us that all we need to stay young and fit is liposuction and a bottomless checking account. In popular culture, women are supposed to be sexy yet maternal. We are supposed to dress provacatively to attract men, yet not be sexual beings.  Women with bulges, disabilities or years under their belt are viewed as flawed or deviating from the so-called norm. With so many mixed messages, it's no wonder many young women feel confused and frustrated with their own bodies.  I recently did an Art History project on the male gaze. The camera's eye is generally thought of as white and male, which continues into modern advertising. This media eye objectifies women, focusing on suboordinate traits in women (wearing revealing clothing while smiling sweetly, for example) and often the result is women following this trend. Many times our own body insecurities are simply us objectifying our own appearance and comparing it to a false norm. Do you honestly think you'd be happier five pounds lighter? Would it alleviate your work stress or relationship difficulties? Probably not. Since the media places such emphasis on the physical aspects of womanhood, it is easy to only value ourselves based on the printed size on the back of our jeans. To be happier with our own bodies, we need to recognize that we are strong, independent individuals, not Barbies wearing three-inch heels. This does not mean we cannot wear make-up or high heels, it just means to remember that we should sport them for ourselves, not to impress others or satisfy a male-dominated opinion of what a "typical" woman should look like. As any hip chick is well-aware, there is no "typical!"
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