Who is the fairest of them all?

Courtesy of DeviantArt.

Everywhere I turn, I am bombarded by images. As the days get hotter, clothes get scarcer. In New York City, people could very well go naked.

What happened to modesty? What happened to dignity?

Listen, I’m no prude, but lately, exposure of body parts have gone to another level. Is this what we want for our sons and daughters?

Sorry, it’s not cool, it’s disgusting.

What is the point of seeing Beyonce’s nipples? The woman has talent, does she really need to be exposing herself to the extent that she does? I wonder how she is going to feel years later when her baby daughter is a teenager? How will she feel about her daughter walking around strutting her goods for all the world to see?

Our society is getting sicker by the minute. You can’t even turn on the television without seeing it. You can’t walk down the street without avoiding it.

What hope do our children have of growing up in a world that respects purity and dignity?

Years ago, I remember falling into this particular nonsense. I would spend hours in the gym to meet some man’s approval of a “perfect” body. I was thin at the time, but my nickname became “meatballs with legs”.

I wish I could go back in time and be the way I am now. I am at a different place and I’m grateful to be married to someone who isn’t obsessed with my physicality and image.

In the past, I could not walk out into the street without looking like I’ve stepped out of a magazine. Those days are over, thank God.

The pressure to live up to other people’s physical expectations or man’s approval of me, to validate me, to say I was beautiful, sexy, desirable or worthy to be loved was absolute bondage.

There was even a time I became anorexic because I had heard so many lies of how fat and imperfect I was, I became obsessed with trying to silence my distorted reflection in the mirror.

The only word I heard vibrating in my head was fat… fat… fat.  All I saw myself as was fat… fat… fat…

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who is the fairest of them all?

Oh please, oh please say it’s me, my restless heart would exclaim.

I fear for our youth that has more pressure placed on them now. With celebrities and magazines having no scruples. What awaits the next generation at the rate we are going?

What are we worth? Aren’t we worth more than exploiting our body parts like meat on a window display?

Ladies, you are worth more than that. Don’t sell yourself short! You were fearfully and wonderfully made. You are the apple of God’s eye. Please don’t fall for the lie.

I implore parents, please teach your children to value and respect themselves. There is another way. A better way. God’s way.

If we each do our part to educate our children differently, we can stop this perverse cycle. Won’t you join me?