Beach Body

Tue, 02/25/2014 - 19:19 -- Emily H

My girlfriends and I were in the gym.
I lifted five pound dumbbells. 
They went on the most intense machines
at the highest speeds.
Sweat poured out of their pores
until they were panting on the floor. 
I asked them,
"Why do you push yourselves so hard?"
Between their heavy breaths,
they managed to say,
"To have a perfect beach body like yours.
How did you get so skinny?"


A perfect beach body like mine?
The body with skin tight to the bones
more like a skeleton than a living being.
A body that strikes me with fear
when I look into a mirror
wearing a bikini.

I was born skinny,
but it wasn't a blessing.
For years,
I have tried to pack on the pounds
however I still fit into the training bra
from when I was twelve.
I covered myself from head to toe
with the loosest clothings
however in the locker room
head turned to stare.
Mouths moved to whisper "ewww"
or "look at the anorexic girl."

It sickens me to see girls starving themselves,
abusing themselves
so people will find them "pretty"
and men will find them "sexy" enough to screw.

If Society was a person,
it would reek like shit
and look like it too,
but everyone will love it
because everyone else does too. 

 

 

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