Saturday Stories - Perfectly Normal

I've been thinking about cellulite recently. I know, my brain is weird, just the way I like it.

 

Anyhow, cellulite. We're constantly bombarded with ads telling us that cellulite is not normal, it's something we should hate and eliminate. 

We don't see anyone on tv, Instagram, in magazines etc with cellulite, they're all airbrushed perfection. 

 

Here's the thing though. Over 90% of women have cellulite. Therefore cellulite is normal. If it's normal then we shouldn't hate it and we should not be shamed for having it, because it's normal. We don't shame men for having chest hair, it's normal for men to have chest hair. 

 

Cellulite is the same. It's normal for women to have cellulite. That doesn't make money though does it? So instead, we'll shame women and make them feel bad about their perfectly normal bodies so that a whole industry can make money off them.

 

I've had cellulite since I was in my early 20's. No matter what my weight (even medically anorexic when my Crohn's was bad), I still have cellulite, because cellulite is normal. 

 

A few weeks ago I did something I thought I'd never do. I bought bike shorts and short shorts to wear to the gym. I haven't worn them in the past because I have cellulite and spider veins that I usually cover up. But, it's getting warmer and I hate overheating at the gym. Last summer I eased up my workouts to deal with the heat but this year I don't want to do that, I want to get stronger. So, I got shorts and I'm going to rock those shorts even though my spider veins and cellulite will be on display.

 

Maybe by doing that I'll make another woman feel better about her perfectly normal, beautiful body. 

 

When I was buying the shorts the lady at Lorna Jane said to me (when I mentioned spider veins and cellulite) "So what, we all have those." She's right. We do. It's normal. 

 

It shouldn't even be called cellulite. I read a comment by a women who's Dad told her that cellulite is just a name that someone made up for the skin on women's legs. He's right. So instead of calling it cellulite from now on I'll just call it what it is, leg skin. 

 

You're all beautiful. Wear the shorts, they look amazing on you.