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Belenen — Body Confidence
Published: 2006-03-22 13:54:14 +0000 UTC; Views: 25139; Favourites: 211; Downloads: 408
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Description
This is the first of a series of glamour-type photos taken to show off my curves and my pride/delight in them.This is pretty heavily photoshopped, but only as far as lighting, levels and coloring -- no changes to my body or skin. I won't be doing that, because I don't believe that my body contains 'flaws' that need to be edited out; even more passionately, I believe that altering the form of a person in a photo is a horrible kind of dishonesty. I think it's a large part of the reason that people think of themselves as malformed or unattractive, because the media perpetuates the lie that there is an ideal form and that it is possible to adhere to that ideal. Want an example? Here ya go: [link] (because apparently even she isn't 'good enough') and another: [link] and here is a step-by-step example -- [link] These people spend most of their time working on their appearance, and even they can't measure up to the ridiculous 'ideal' that the media worships.
The Bodylove Glamour series:
Body Confidence
Cynosure
Statuesque
Emerging
Model & Photo Editor: Belenen
Photographer: Bruce Garlick
Related content
Comments: 170
No wonder you're confident. You're actually beautiful. I don't see anything wrong with your body and I don't see why you should be shamed for your body. You're just fine. Not like me.
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Beautiful. This is what pin ups should have more of. :3
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You know what? If you're happy, if you are confident, if you feel great, then show what you like. I take my hat off to you, you're an inspiration to all. I am sick of seeing those overly thin waists and what not, its just...who cares? Be who you want to be and have YOUR body not some cheap, plastic, idiots body but your own
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Holy shit, you are fine as fuck. Ignore all the idiots.
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Thanks!
Privilege-poisoned folk love to tell people how they should change *rolls eyes*
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I'm going to be frank; this isn't healthy. You are clinically overweight. Really, the only excuse is if you have a chronic disorder, say, in your thyroid gland. Those with a genetic predisposition to unhealthy levels of body fat shouldn't see it as something to be proud of, but a challenge to overcome. I don't idolize freakish thinness, but I don't support unfounded pride in one's body. My ideal woman is a healthy woman, and you don't represent that.
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well said mate well said
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You should read this [link]
As my counter argument. You don't have to accept her body type, however, please stop acting as if you're concerned about her. Being thin isn't a sign of being healthy. And being overweight isn't a sign that someone is going to keel over. It seems as if you searched WebMD and copy-pasted a bunch of things that are supposedly linked to obesity. It would not surprise me if you repeat such speeches to other people with a similar body just so you can have a sense of being right.
To me, you're telling her "You're only allowed happiness when I approve it."
Also, unless she is actually experiencing any of your founded symptoms, I am not sure what your deep issue with her pride is. This post isn't a flame, it is just a debate. I don't plan to carry it on.
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Exactly. Body policing is some bullshit! and I love lovelivegrow, amazing source of info.
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...That kind of defeats the point of a debate, no? Anyway, I'm not acting concerned about her, I'm just saying there's nothing to be proud of here. It's great to be happy, or at least content, with one's body type--stress can be just as detrimental to one's health as being overweight or obese (or, conversely, under a healthy weight)--but having pride in it is only reasonable if it's healthy and took work to achieve. Otherwise, it's the equivalent of having pride in having a chronic disease or being born with brown hair.
You said "being overweight isn't a sign that someone is going to keel over." Unfortunately, you're quite wrong. Every symptom I listed has a boatload of peer-reviewed evidence to support it. I'm not trying to dictate the terms of her happiness, I'm trying to discourage setting an example of pride in unhealthy weight. There is a genetic basis for it, because it used to be beneficial; in times of scarcity or extreme cold, extra fat could save one from starvation or pneumonia. Now, however, those genes are a challenge to overcome. Studies in epigenetics even suggest that doing so might lower the risk for obesity in one's children.
I agreed with several points in the link you provided, but others were downright incorrect. Encouraging the view of "fat" as a body type rather than a condition, for instance, is fallacious. Every person has a genetically programmed, healthy weight. For some, that weight might lead them to be described as "curvy", for others, "lean", but it exists. Going significantly beyond that weigh--in the positive or negative--is a problem. Suggesting that people stop suggesting diets or exercise unless they are trained professionals is reasonable, though. If you'd note, I haven't suggested any changes in diet or behavior, because I'm neither well-versed in nutrition, nor familiar with the way Belenen's body works. The one point I will concede is that I have a tendency to rant. This is the internet, though.
Two closing points:
1) I don't use WebMD. It's a hypochondriac's heaven, but self-diagnosis is usually next to useless.
2) I don't attack people "with a similar body" for a sense of self-righteousness. I was actually curious to see what DeviantArt would give me in response to the search, "dream girl", and found this on accident. I wouldn't have posted were it just the picture, but the tone of the Belenen's description set me off.
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you show a good example for many women 
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You are a great inspiration to me. I struggle with my weight, a lot, and this shows me that you can be a larger girl/woman and still be and feel beautiful in your own skin. You look absolutely gorgeous and are very beautiful, despite being what some might call 'fat'. Great job!
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thanks! I'm glad this was helpful. You might also find the Fat FAQs [link] and danceswithfat (a fat-positive dancer's blog [link] ) to be encouraging *hugs* good luck!
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You're welcome! Thank you so much, this is all really awesome! Thank you!
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You're beautiful 
More girls out there should be proud of their bodies just like you are ! INSPIRATIONAL!
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As a former fat person: life is SO MUCH BETTER when you're on the THIN side of the fat fence.
Stairs? What stairs? Stairs no problem.
Dance for an hour? Love to!!
Clothes shopping? Hmm. I don't like that shirt. Good thing there are 400 other shirts I can pick from instead of 12 in the 'fat' section of the mall... (I was right on that edge where no skinny clothes fit, and clothes at fat stores were all too big)
Then there's this: you might love your fat self. You might think it's the best thing that's ever happened to you, but try losing 30 pounds and seeing how people treat you. Then decide if you want to pack on pounds or not.
We're not talking friends and family here. We're talking complete strangers. People sit by you on the bus. People apologize for stuff. Job interviews before this were hell. After this, I'm calling the shots.
Here's another weird one: people apologize for stinking instead of thinking you can 'handle' it (seriously. I *never* got that before dropping thirty pounds. For anybody that says that fat people don't stink, they may or may not actually stink, but apparently, we *look* like we stink.
Throw in this bit: I've noticed that people who go "respect my fat!!!" have generally tried everything under the sun to lose weight and just haven't found what works for them yet. Diets? Riiiight. Exercise? Didn't actually do anything for me. Turns out I personally was allergic to gluten, which as soon as I dropped that, I dropped 30 pounds, but that's just me.
I would *never* want to be that fat again. Ever. Been there. Done that. It sucks. It's not worth it. Really, it's not. You're cute, but drop the pounds. You won't miss them.
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stairs? I prefer to take them to the elevator. I live upstairs and use them many times per day.
dancing? I've danced for three hours nonstop when I was heavier than I am now. check out danceswithfat [link]
clothes shopping? I buy second-hand, it's super easy to find stuff I like that fits me.
I'm not interested in "dropping the pounds" and I'd far rather have a hard time finding a job than have an easy time and end up with a horribly looksist job atmosphere. I get to be around people who have changed their attitudes about what beauty is and I know that they aren't judging me if my weight fluctuates or if I flout beauty standards in some other way. I'd far rather fat-haters out themselves by hating me than me think that my friend is nice and then hear them bash someone else.
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You really should. Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. People with type II diabetes are half again as likely to develop Alzheimer's as an otherwise healthy person. You're at higher risk to form gallstones, suffer from sleep apnea, and various coronary diseases, as well as stroke. Life is better for people who maintain a healthy weight.
The word "looksist" is new to me, though I can certainly see the problems such a view would pose. Applying the concept to the overweight, however, is ridiculous. Excess body fat IS unhealthy, and while consideration should be made for potentially untreatable causes, it is a viable basis for judging both character and probable productivity.
As for you signature, from a purely biological standpoint, body flaws not only exist, but exist in all members of every population. Any physically expressed trait that makes one less likely to survive, lead a healthy life, or reproduce is a biological flaw.
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Are you some kind of doctor or personal trainer? How is being fat a viable way to determine character and productivity? I am overweight, but I can guarantee you that I am as strong, tough, and as healthy as anyone in the normal weight range of someone of my height and age; hell, my doctor has said that it is unnecessary for me to lose weight because I've been consistent and stay in a lower overweight range. Life is better from a health perspective (I know people smaller than me who have all sorts of problems but are healthy; however they are screwed up and no amount of body fat, high or low that they have, or weight gain/loss is going to change that), so you may want to reword that. It is not as if she is obese or even morbidly at that. If weight is all you care about, that is pretty superficial.
Overweight is not really a bad thing, but obesity is. If you are guy, having up to 20% to 25% body fat would be considered excessive, but it is not a bad build. Girls having up to 30% to 40% body fat is not a bad build either. You can be overweight without being fat too. I've been lifting weights for half a year, and have seen some HUGE guys in the gym that you would consider fat, overweight, and unhealthy if you just saw them on the street without a shirt but they're lifting hundreds of pounds.
As for her having pride in her body, you are correct, she didn't do anything to earn it. Pride is something you have in achievements; BUT, too many people in the world are so unhappy with their bodies that they are willing to do anything to get the "ideal" body they think they deserve and your insulting her is not helping anyone. She has confidence and she is a very pretty girl and that gives inspiration to others because you don't need to be that impossible figure in the media to be beautiful.
I'm not saying that you are wrong in information, but your intentions are misplaced. There are so many people that workout and lose weight for others and that is wrong. If she was to ever want to lose weight, it would have to be for herself, not you or me or any other random person on the internet. It would be fruitless if she wanted to be fit because someone other than herself or a medical professional told her to be.
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dude, I really don't care about your uninformed opinion.
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I have provided quantifiable, reproducible information. In return, you've given no information, provided insult, meaninglessly dismissed valid points, and relegated fact to opinion. You project discriminatory opinions onto me simply because you disagree with well-founded scientific points I've made.
I've said before that the difference between a debate and an argument is that the former is won by reason, the latter by stubbornness. Some endeavors will never bear fruit. Conversing with you is one of them.
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feel free to click right off as I never asked for your opinion and have not the slightest bit of interest in "debating" with you.
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Well, y'know, you're beautiful in the first place. But your confidence and self-acceptance increases your beauty tenfold! <3 Keep it up, girl! It's an inspiration to see you able to do this.
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This is a beautiful photo! (: Really happy for you. I'm getting there myself. Really nicely done.
You're gorgeous!
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thank you! and I'm glad you're getting there too!
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Bravo
Also, I looked through the rest of your bodylove glamour series and you have gorgeous eyes! Just thought you should know
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Well, miss, I think you really are very pretty. <3
inside and out.
I'm glad that someone finally doesn't get all upset about how they look. I'm the same way. I find it stupid that girls have to always be concerned by how much they weigh, or the way they look.
Y'know...?
I actually think that, yeah, there needs to be more people out there like you. I like girls better when they aren't sticks.
Girls...er, women, I think look better with more weight on 'em.
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