You deserve

Dear You,

Yes you, who were made to feel uncomfortable by your peers.

You deserve to be here.

You, with all your curves.

And you, without curves.

You deserve to be here.

You deserve to take up space.

You deserve to take up as much space as you want-- as much as you can. A whole stage's worth, even.

Shame on our society,
our mothers,
our leaders,
our friends
for telling you any differently.

You deserve to take up space.

You, healthy and growing,
you deserve to embrace, even LOVE, the body you're in.

I hope you love it. It has given you so much.

Least, not of which, is your brilliant mind and your brave spirit.

You have created art.

You have created beautiful art with your beautiful body, and you deserve to share it with the world.

How dare they call you,
your costume,
your body,
or your art inappropriate while simultaneously ogling over social media riddled with fake ideologies.

Since when were curves inappropriate?

Were it not curves that brought you into this world?

Curves that nourished you; curves that soothed you in the middle of the night?

How dare they comment on your body, like it is nothing more than an object to be critiqued.

Your body is telling a story.

Your body has created art.

Your body IS art.

A resilient, magnificent, and perfect work of art.

You, yes you.

You deserve to be seen. For all that you are. Spirit, mind, AND body.

And you, yes you, you deserve to be reminded of this

every

single

day.

Love,

The person who wishes these words were spoken over her when she was your age.