Beauty Standards

Erin and I took a good chunk of our time in Museum Island and at other museums admiring the bodies. 

We stopped to look at this painting...

...and stood in silence.

She leans over and whispers to me, "You know, I used to think that boobs were not that far apart... and I did not think that it was natural to have a tummy like that."

And then a whole dialogue that ran through my mind:

A: "Shit, Erin you are right. For a good amount of time in my life, I did not know that bodies were shaped like that too. I didn't know that boobs were that far apart. I did not know that all of us had tummies. I totally did not know that it was natural to have lumps and bumps around arms and legs..."

B: "Why was it beautiful then to be curvy?"

A: "Curvy was beautiful because it probably meant you could bear children."

B:: "Beauty standards were waaaay different back then than it is right now."

A: "But here do these beauty standards come from?"

B: "Who decides to create these rules?"

Stares at painting.

A: " You know what? Fuck the rules" 

B: "Yea, fuck the rules. Why the fuck do I give a damn?"

A: "Yea fuck beauty standards."

B: "Fuck em all."

Walks away from painting

A: Have you found peace within yourself yet?

B: No. Not yet, but I do feel better.

A: That's fair.