Curvy Girls vs Skinny Girls

I saw a heading today that read "Curvy girls are better than skinny girls." As a "curvy girl" this bothered me. Why does one have to be better than the other? Why does one side have to pick on the other in order to feel better? Better yet, why do there have to be sides at all?

My sister and I are completely different physically and our parents taught us that we are both beautiful. She is skinny; I am curvy. She has a square face and jaw like our mother; I have an oval face like our father. While she may have a long torso and flat stomach which is appealing to many, I have long legs and nice 'back side.' (Let me pause and giggle at myself for trying to find a polite way to say that.) No one would ever guess we are sisters since the only physical feature we share is our blond hair!

Typical sibling rivalry gets the best of both of us when we wish we had something the other has. There have been countless times we've tried to convince each other that what the other has is actually better. I can't imagine trying to convince her that what I've got is better. She is a beautiful skinny woman; I am a beautiful curvy woman.

As a woman, I completely understand the desire to change your body. We tend to compare our physical appearance to every one else and in the process wish we were different. For example, I don't like that when I'm smiling really big my gums show; I don't like that my hair is extremely thin; I don't like that extra weight accumulates around my mid section; I don't like that I have broad shoulders...

What I don't understand is the effort to put people that are different down in order to feel better. 

Because I am blond I could say blond girls are better than dark haired girls. Because I am tall I could say tall girls are better than short girls. Because I have light colored eyes I could say girls with light eyes are better than girls with dark eyes.

There is no logic in any of those statements.

Is this not the same thought process that is found at the root of racism, prejudice, sexism, bigotry, discrimination, etc.? In case you are now thinking 'whoa, Jennifer, is it really necessary to take it that far'... what about bullying?

With bullying being a hot topic, it is imperative that we set good examples for our children. What matters is not if someone is short or tall, male or female, curvy or skinny, but if they are kind, loving, giving, truthful, dependable...

There are so many women that turn to eating disorders, engage in self-harm behaviors, and stay in abusive relationships because they lack self-worth. Let's help each other find what's beautiful in each of us!

I am sure this statement was not made with any kind of intended malice. But we live in a society that already spends too much time tearing each other down. When these thoughts creep into our mind, we just need to be aware. The more aware we are of the negative thoughts we have towards people, the quicker we can change them. As the thoughts change, prejudice of any kind can change.

Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in His sight.
Male and female, young and old; they are precious in His sight.
Tall and short, underweight and overweight; they are precious in His sight.
Round and oval shaped, square and triangle shaped; they are precious in His sight.

Let's exhort each other. Let's compliment our differences. And let's embrace the body we have. Not because the curvy body is better than the skinny body; not because the skinny body is better than the curvy body; but because God created all of us in His image.