The dark side of ‘shrinking girl summer’ | Letters

Readers respond to an article on the end of body positivity and a renewed focus on thinness as weight-loss drugs proliferate on social mediaI read Rose Stokes’ article with great sadness (I thought we’d entered the age of body positivity. Then came ‘shrinking girl summer’ – is everyone getting smaller except me?, 10 August). Once again, a healthy, intelligent woman is made to feel not good enough by society because she is larger than a size 10.Then came anger, not with Stokes but with the media and brands that propagate a culture of skinny worship. I was born with a rare physical disability and have spent years coming to terms with the way my body is. I look disabled, I have scars from operations and a spinal curve surgeons couldn’t straighten, and I use mobility aids. To me, Stokes presents as an attractive, successful, healthy woman who is non-disabled (although this is her private business) with the good fortune to have two children. I wish Stokes and others could see themselves in that vein. Granted, it took me years to be happy in my own skin and see the strengths of my body, everything I’ve been through and the pleasure it can give and receive, but it’s doable. Continue reading...

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