This Video Gave Me the Unexpected Reminder I Needed to Love My Body
Every Body celebrates inclusivity and the representation of human beings in every shape and form.
Body-positivity can be a tricky thing. On the one hand, it’s amazing to recognize that all bodies are beautiful, but on the other, it can be hard to come to terms with our own bodies and our perceived flaws. As a woman in my mid-30s, I’ve had many ups and downs in terms of my health, my size, and how I feel about my body. Long gone are the days that I believed that getting to the smallest physical size meant that I looked my best, but it’s hard to be proud of where I’ve come when we’re still bombarded with images of the “ideal” woman (who is gorgeous, but totally not me).
Now that the youngest of my three kids is two, I’ve been able to take more time for myself and focus on my mind and body. With summer coming up, I’ve felt both excited about the warm weather and mortified at the state of my “imperfections.” It’s as if the season change suddenly reminded me that I’m not the size six I used to be. So when Brooklyn rapper Miss Eaves released the video for her song, “Thunder Thighs” yesterday, it was just the reminder I needed to love every inch of myself all year round.
With lyrics that include an ode to everyone’s favorite bod-flaunting summer garment, the sundress (“Thick thighs, sundress, I’m looking good”), Miss Eaves even opens the song talking about her “chub rub.” This ode to women’s bodies is genuine and catchy, with a love-yourself attitude that comes through in the video too.
Women of all ages and skin types are represented in “Thunder Thighs,” from the video’s pint-sized, sassy tween (Brianna, who Miss Eaves found through the video’s director) to the senior women rocking their leggings and crop tops. Every single woman in this video is inspiring me with her outfit and attitude, and it was exactly what I needed to see.
I know it seems ridiculous to say that one three-minute song was all it took, but it was. Last summer, still enjoying the first year (and beyond) of my baby’s life, I was proud of the body I had: It made my three perfect children and forever changed the way I see the world. But between then and now, with my baby in preschool and my eldest going into first grade, my self-image took a 180. For some reason, I’d developed the unrealistic expectation that my body would be smaller or more “presentable” this summer. But it was always presentable, and its physical size has no bearing on what it can do.
Just hearing the refrain, “Mom jeans all day, why you mad, tho?” made me realize that the body I’m in is perfect. The fact that I can ride my bike for 20 miles, swim in the lake, and eat half a tub of ice cream should each be celebrated. While I know that all bodies (including my own) are flawless, sometimes we can all forget that we’re great just the way we are. Listening to Miss Eaves’ “Thunder Thighs” was just the reminder I needed.
How are you celebrating your body this summer? Tell us @BritandCo!