Unable to sleep and thinking on things....

It's 12:30 and I can't sleep. So I'm up and thinking and writing. Because that's what we insomniac types do. 


Anyway. There has been this great picture going around on Facebook. It shows several modern day stick thing celebs over famous women from the past including Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe. Women who were healthy normal sized. It has text that says "When did this become hotter than this?"


I mean it's a bit trite. But it's thought provoking. And it brought to my mind the resurgence of burlesque. 


Not that movie with Cher and Christina Aguilera. I'm talking about actual burlesque as in striptease. 


I think it's awesome. 
"What?" some of you might be saying. 
"Aren't you a feminist? How can you be in favor of striping?"


Here's the thing. Burlesque is so much different than a shady strip club. It's an art form. And it gives a woman ownership of her  body. 


I mean, is it a sexual thing? Yes sure. Does that make it a bad thing? Nope. Does that make it degrading to women? Not at all.


For me the most empowering thing about burlesque is that most women who perform are healthy normal sized ladies. And when I say normal sized I mean that ALL sizes are represented because here's the thing. THERE IS NO "NORMAL" SIZE. 


There are so many different body types. Some girls are naturally rail thin. And some have curves. Some carry more weight. Some are skinny AND curvy. Some have big thighs and no boobs. And a woman who is over or under weight is no less beautiful than one who is at a "acceptable BMI" or whatever judgement you feel like using. 


I have a history of eating disorder so I by no means claim to be someone you should go to for advice on this. I struggle with body image. Especially because the medication I take for my bipolar causes my weight to fluctuate rapidly. In the course of a few months I have gone from 110 pounds and a size 1 to 160 and a size 10.  But I am working on seeing that I am beautiful. I have some friends who are helping me learn that. Some of the most inspiring words I have received to help me grow in this area have been from Veronica Varlow, a burlesque performer and a woman I am blessed to call a friend. 


This is basically me rambling and not a researched or planned post or anything. I may go back and do a more thorough post about burlesque and why I love it so much at a later time. But right now I'm just a bit sleepy and contemplative. On a final note I want to add that one of my goals in life is to learn burlesque. Not necessarily to perform or anything. But to experience something that gives me a healthy way to be in charge of my body. Because that's what my eating disorder was about at the end of the day. Control. But their are healthy empowering ways to do that. Because I want to learn to love my body. I think we all have the right to love ourselves.