It’s no secret women care about their boobs. We think about the size and shape, we compare them to the lingerie models and the woman sitting next to us on the beach.
Some of us are born with boobs that hang lower than we would like. When you throw having kids into the mix, whether you breastfeed or not, it means our breasts will sag a bit more. The gaining and losing of weight is a factor, nursing is a factor, aging is a factor. The truth is, over time, our breasts lose their resilience and I’ve never talked to a woman who loved this.
We begin to feel ashamed that gravity takes a hold of this body part and we feel less than because the perkiness of our breasts has been replaced by boobs that slide under our armpits when we lie down. We feel self-conscious when we are braless, and need a bathing suit and bra with a ton of support in order to feel comfortable.
We mourn our old boobs so much we begin to feel vain about it, and there clearly aren’t enough positive messages out there about accepting them just as they are.
Sure, we hear so many words about stretch marks, cellulite, and carrying the extra baby weight but you don’t often see a woman publicly embracing her boobs, until now.
If you have not heard of the #saggyboobsmattermovement you should at least listen to what Chidera Eggerue, a 23-year old who started a movement for all woman to accept their boobs regardless of sag or size, has to say.
She’s an award-winning British blogger and has used her platform on The Slumflower to help break the mold of what we think our breast should look like by sharing pictures and videos of her braless.
Eggerue realized at a young age the way she felt about her body, especially her breasts, was all wrong.
She’s received several messages since she started sharing her journey over a year ago, hearing from breastfeeding women about how she has made them look at their own bodies differently, as well teenagers telling her pictures and videos have changed her mind about getting their breasts fixed.
Eggerue now feels comfortable in her own skin, loves her boobs, and wants to spread the self-acceptance to other women and tells Buzzfeed “saggy boobs are underrepresented. Being underrepresented makes you feel alien to society. This fosters insecurities in people who don’t have the mental strength to see the value in themselves beyond other people’s standards,” she says.
While she’s made other women feel strong and comfortable in their bodies, there has been some backlash, including hurtful comments from men and women. But the important thing to remember here is she is taking a stand and making a difference.
Even if you can make a handful of women feel better about themselves, and their bodies, you are doing something extraordinary.
Women of all ages need more messages like this. It is a positive way to let us feel like we aren’t alone and can make the difference between acceptance and self-loathing.
