Up until the 1960’s, women who were deemed beautiful were very voluptuous. Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were considered Hollywood bombshells, and they were certainly not stick figures.

There used to be a saying that a woman was a perfect size 10. A woman who wears a size ten now is dieting down so she can be a six.

Have you ever thought about the fact that our obsession with losing weight began in the decade of the women’s liberation movement? As we made strides to be seen and heard as equal to men, our culture became obsessed with diminishing us physically. If they couldn’t tame our spirits, they would make us physically smaller to keep us in our place.

I believe this happened very subconsciously because the male dominance model has permeated our culture so completely that we aren’t even aware when we’re following it. If we’re taught and believe that the males are born to be the leaders, the big strong man who rescues us, this bleeds into every area of life. Even females are conditioned to believe the male should be stronger and dominant. So we paid for the freeing of our spirits with the diminishing of our bodies.

I also think it is a way of keeping us focused on the false belief that our value lies in our looks.

When was the last time you went out with a group of females and there was no mention of weight, workouts or diets? When was the last time you ate something you really enjoyed without guilt? When was the last time you looked in the mirror and felt perfectly beautiful, without criticizing any part of your body?

There are approximately 3.5 billion women on the planet, and we’re buying into the belief that there is a perfect little size we’re all supposed to be? All 3.5 billion of us?

Do something radical today; refuse to conform.