Body Image Issues

[Miss Scarlett]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Strutt

Thank you all so much for your posts...it is good to know I'm not alone in this.

I am a hair stylist, in an industry that promotes a lot of this "image." However, I deal almost exclusively with curly hair and teach women how to love, take care of and embrace their natural curls in a society that values bleached blonde, pin-straight, flat-ironed tresses as the beauty standard.

It's ironic to me that I can educate and carry this message with a vengeance, yet can't ignore the same societal standards about weight when it comes to myself.

How did I miss this post???

Oh how I wish you worked in NC! I have naturally curly hair and it is extremely difficult to find a stylist who knows how to work with it. I finally found one and she did a magnificent job...but I work in another town now and they don't have weekend or late hours. I hesitate to have anyone else touch my hair since Erin does such a wonderful job. So my hair is getting longer and I won't have it cut until I can take the time from work and money because I pay nearly $90(including tip and parking). Every 6 weeks this gets expensive. It took the talent of this stylist to get me to embrace my curls after fighting them for 47 years. She helped me realize that I have a huge advantage over folks with straight hair that lacks body. I can do anything with mine - in the same week I can have glorious, springy curls, soft waves or use the iron and wear it sleek and straight.

Back in the 80s when I was in therapy for my Bulimarexia my therapist was far from thin. Actually she would be considered morbidly obese. At our first meeting she asked me if I had a problem with her size and my answer was no...and I meant it. Her size was never an issue for me even though her body type was how I perceived mine. We never talked about it again.