Will I ever have a booty like Beyonce?

When I think back to the first images of women in the media that impacted my own body image, I'm brought back to a time of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. More specifically, fourth or fifth grade. That's a really young age to be thinking your thighs are too thick, your stomach is too chunky, and to be comparing yourself to your friends. When you're ten years old and believe that only a perfectly flat stomach and toned thighs are the key to happiness, you have a problem. This type of thinking only grows during teenage years and beyond. I believe that the way mass media and popular culture display both women and men makes it very difficult to be comfortable in your own skin and accept your body.

I believe for women in particular, society goes through phases of what type of beauty is widely accepted. The sought after body type has varied through time; women wanting to look like Marilyn Monroe (said to be a size 8-10), or aspiring to be a stick. Nowadays it seems that the ideal body that women wish for, is that perfectly thin one; somehow equipped with big boobs, an ass, and curves. And no fat or cellulite, of course. Also known as, the Victoria Secret model. Although blessed, I think it's safe to say these women are an anomaly; they are not the norm.

In magazines and on TV, there are plenty of men and women who we see with seemingly flawless bodies. We have programs like Photoshop to thank for having us believe they come natural. Take a look at Kim K, for example. On the left, pretty much everything is a little bigger and it's clear she has some cellulite, along with a darker skin tone. After some retouching however, we see perfect curves, dimple free legs, and a lighter skin complexion (a whole other issue). Obviously, magazines don't show us the before; just the close-to-perfect after. So we're made to believe this is the real deal; that we should be able to obtain this kind of body, too.

If you've never seen it before, I encourage you to check out this Evolution of Beauty video. In just a few minutes, it goes through the process of retouching and how drastic changes can be made.

Most upsetting about this video, and the image of KK, is simply that both of these women are beautiful to begin with. Neither of them, nor society, needs to see the "perfected" version. The real thing works just fine.

On top of all that, when magazines aren't capturing (and retouching) the wonders of some famous men and women out there, they're constantly scrutinizing those who fall a few steps off the path. Jessica Simpson, for example, has put on too much baby weight. Women like Julia Roberts and Mischa Barton need to work on that cellulite. And Jennifer Love Hewitt better not be caught dead in another bikini before she loses some lbs.

It seems this conversation is a hot one right now and that more companies are joining in the effort to stress a wider and deeper definition of beauty. Dove has their Campaign for Real Beauty, and Bare Minerals has a campaign for women to be a "Force of Beauty." It's definitely a start! I think what is really important is reaching girls (and boys!) at a younger age. It probably shouldn't have taken 23 years to come to terms with the fact that I just may never acquire a body that society deems "perfect;" and that in reality, happy should equate to healthy. It is so important that we get to that point where we're comfortable in our own skin; where we can say, eff perfection. So instead of longing for Jennifer Aniston's legs..or Beyonce's booty...use them as inspiration! Because really, we're blessed with just one body. You might as well love it, keep it healthy, and own it. Work for your best body, not someone else's.