The "F" Word

The F word. There’s no escaping it. Perhaps not the word you may be thinking of, but I’m talking about fat. This is a reflection of how the media affects young women. I’ve grown up in a place and time where the adjective, fat, is a dirty and undesired word. From a young age, a fear of being fat has been instilled in me. My young and sponge-like brain has soaked up the headlines screaming “quick fixes” to get “bikini-ready”. Being told how my body should look, skinny equals sexy, and how to please others has destroyed my self-worth. These magazine clippings are not printed across my skin, but the physical and mental damage they have on many young women and I, is just as legible.