Head to toe

Flat, shapeless hair in monotonous black,

Uneven skin tone with pimples that come back.

Eyebrows missing half, that were reluctantly tattooed,

Slanted, monolid eyes that lack latitude.

A bulbous nose tip, that droops just a bit,

And a canine snaggletooth, that’s sad it couldn’t fit.

***

Breasts I wish were fuller, and deserve no recognition,

Abs which are flat but lack in definition.

A waist that could be thinner from what I do observe,

Hip dips that just won’t fill, for a smooth, seamless curve.

Thighs that always jiggle, despite my gruff rebuff,

Legs that are not short, but still not long enough.

***

The world carves a mould I simply cannot fill,

Yet we try, try, try, wishing for an easy pill.

You can try nips and tucks to fit a cookie cutter,

But the thought of going under, only makes me shudder.

My flaws are mine and they can help me truly shine,

I need not be another soul to know that I’m damn fine.

***

Body image. Here we go, a topic that has been endlessly discussed in the media and something everyone has been insecure about at some point in their lives. I, like most female millennials, spend a lot of time on social platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, where I am continuously bombarded with heavily edited and meticulously planned images of beautiful people. Who then serve as a harsh reminder of every blemish and centimetre I am away from perfection. Yes, it can be demoralising and I am probably too harsh and criticising towards myself. But do know what else annoys me? Being told I should see myself as perfect and judged for not loving and embracing every flaw, because then I’m a vain person who is giving in to societal pressures. But the truth of the matter is I am far from perfection and there are parts of me I’d slightly change if I had a magic wand. And that should be okay. I should be allowed to admit that without being seen as weak or shallow. Because acknowledging flaws is the first step to accepting them, and believe me when I say I have no intention of becoming someone else. Sure, I’ll diligently do my ab exercises and optimise my makeup to make my eyes look brighter, but I personally would never go any further than that. I cannot speak for anyone else and I think everyone is allowed to make informed decisions for themselves, but that’s just my two cents on my body image. Hence, I’ve decided to list all my physical insecurities as a cathartic way of addressing them. I’m not perfect, but I am beautiful.