“I see you. Scrolling through your phone, measuring yourself to the highlight reel of friends and family. Looking at the other mamas in school drop off and at work wondering how they make it look so easy. Can I be honest with you? It’s an illusion.”
‘That ‘perfect’ mom, she’s a myth. The one you’re comparing yourself to? She doesn’t have it all together either. She might just be better at hiding it.’ Woman encourages moms to embrace their imperfections
‘I’ve given birth. The world is gonna get whatever’s in THIS swimsuit. I have a swimsuit and a body. So YES, I already have a swimsuit body!’ Mom has ‘99 problems and a summer body ain’t one’
“Is there any part of the year that puts more pressure on us women to be ‘snatched’ than summer? After giving birth, swimsuits fit weird and my belly is CLEARLY visible. My rapidly changing size made me doubt what was appropriate for a ‘bigger woman’ at the pool.”
‘I can do this, right?’ I scanned the faces around me, absolutely mortified. ‘Of course. Just take your shirt off!’ Peopled waved, said hello. Where were the looks of disgust?!’ Mom embraces plus-size beach body to set example for daughter
“I spent years trying to sabotage my marriage in hopes he’d leave me for someone skinny. Day after day, I’d tell myself how nasty, disgusting, fat I was. I had no idea my gorgeous daughter was listening. She started saying how fat she was. How ugly. I was HORRIFIED. I knew I needed to make a change.”
‘Are you married? Children?’ Their faces fall. They question what’s wrong with me. Come up with creative ideas to fix my situation. Not ONE person offers a congratulations.’ 33-year-old woman explains why it’s okay to be single and childless
“I had 2 weeks to shove my belongings into trash bags and move out. While my breakup was still fresh, I met friends for dinner. They raised their glasses. ‘Here’s to being 30 and married!’ I noticed whispering, glances my way. They finished with a hurried cheers. ‘Lisa! Do you have any funny dating stories?!’ I drove home in tears, humiliated.”
‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ My daughter responded with the craziest look on her face. ‘I’m a girl!’ I knew she was gay. I always knew she was ‘different.’
“By the time she was 4, her tomboy phase became something different. I remember getting her ready for school. ‘Mom, I want to dress like a girl today!,’ she said. I went out to the living room and told my husband to ‘not make a big deal about what she was wearing.’ He was her protector.”
‘I came out during my valedictorian speech. For years, I kept my secret hidden until it ate away at my conscience. I cut everyone off, paranoid they’d notice.’
“I was taught that men do not cry, so all of my emotions were kept inside. When the day came, I was extremely nervous. I changed my mind over 15 times. I was sweating and told myself I couldn’t do it. But I knew I had to.”
‘I no longer speak to my mom. Every day, I wonder about her. I look in the mirror and see her staring back. But I have to choose me over her.’
“Every day, I’m reminded that I’ve never felt the love of a mom. I know if I open the door to her, she’ll destroy me and all the progress I’ve made. I’m hurt and sad, but I’m also better off. You do not need to have a toxic person in your life just because you share DNA.”
‘I removed my breast implants. Within minutes, I was attacked by a man. ‘You look like a little boy. Where did your breasts go?’ It felt like a punch in my gut.’
“He proceeded to tell me that smaller chests were meant for middle school and that real women had ‘grown up’ bodies. Ouch.”
‘I wanted to be sterilized. ‘You need your husband’s permission,’ I was told. I was stunned. As an adult woman, why did I need my husband’s blessing to make decisions about MY body?’
“I begged for years, but was quickly refused. I didn’t feel maternal, but everyone told me I’d change my mind about not wanting kids. I felt constant worry if my period was even a little bit late. I knew I had to take a stand before I lost my health insurance.”
‘I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m too loud. Too quiet. A mom who could lose a few pounds. We try so hard to bend 50 different ways to fit a mold. But, why? For what?’
“We worry what others think. Why we didn’t get the invite. We over-analyze texts. We see glances, hear whispers, and assume they’re directed at us. People aren’t always going to agree with you. In fact, some people aren’t going to like you for no other reason than because they can.”
