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Me, Myself, and I 27
Bodies come in different sizes. You may not be the same size as your friend or the fashion
models, but this doesn’t mean there’s something “wrong” with you. In fact, you may be
healthier than your friend, because we all need to eat food to be healthy and, as you say, you
actually eat and she doesn’t! (Is there a chance that your friend has an eating disorder? If so,
she needs help. Talk to her or a trusted adult about the situation.)
Do yourself a favor: put away the fashion magazines and pick up a book about body
image and health. This will help you understand your relationship with your body and feel
more positive about who you are. When you feel good about yourself, your confidence
increases and people want to get to know you. Learning to accept yourself and showing
others what you have to offer is definitely a worthwhile goal. Thanks for writing.
In friendship,
Terra
The Invisible Woman by W. Charisse Goodman (Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books,
1995). The author explores cultural discrimination against fat women. She
shatters stereotypes, raises awareness about fat phobia and harassment, and
states that no one has the right to discriminate against anyone based on their
size and shape.
The Right Moves: A Girl’s Guide to Getting Fit and Feeling Good by Tina Schwager,
P.T.A., A.T.,C., and Michele Schuerger (Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.,
1998). This book covers what teen girls need to know about eating right, exer-
cising safely and effectively, and feeling good about themselves.
When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies: Freeing Yourself from Food and Weight
Obsession by Jane R. Hirschmann and Carol H. Munter (New York: Fawcett
Books, 1997). The authors explain how “bad body thoughts” are clues to your
emotions, plus how to accept your body and treat it well.