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Is body image inherited? Watch this moving video.

body image

Do you struggle with body image issues? Did your mother or grandmothers do the same? In this moving video, a teenager talks about the roots of her own issues with food.

Star Vartan shared this video last week at EcoSalon, and I found it incredibly moving. Poet Lily Myers performs her spoken word piece “Shrinking Woman,” where she explores her own body image issues in the context of her mother’s. It’s powerful, and I think it’s something everyone needs to watch.

This video spoke to me in a different way than it would have eight months or a year ago. Instead of hitting on my own body image, I connected with Myers as a mom. I have an eight month old baby boy, and I never want him to see me the way this woman sees her mother.

As a teen and through my 20s, I definitely had body image issues, though I’m not sure I can trace them so directly to my mother the way Myers can. One thing is for sure: I am determined not to pass this on to my little boy in any way.

I think that as moms we have a responsibility to our sons and daughters alike to model body-positive behavior. More women than men struggle with body image, but boys pick up on these cues too. For girls, I think these messages shape how we see ourselves. For boys, I think it shapes how they see women, and I want my little boy to grow up knowing that women are strong, capable, and as deserving of respect and space as men.

What were your thoughts about this young woman’s body image poem? Did any of her sentiments hit home for you?

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[image via screenshot from video]

Written by Becky Striepe

My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”), and I am a crafts and food writer from Atlanta, Georgia with a passion for making our planet a healthier, happier, and more compassionate place to live. My mission is to make vegan food and crafts accessible to everyone!. If you like my work, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and .

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