A dear friend sent me this picture and message she saw via a Facebook group called Humans of New York.
I was blown away looking at this. I admire any woman who is brave enough to show her body in a bikini — and especially one whose figure isn’t model-perfect.
Bravo to Stella for baring it all and for coming to terms with her beautiful shape — uniquely hers. I don’t know that I’d ever be brave enough to do what she did, but we can all learn a lot from Stella.
Truly, confidence comes from within. And it exudes — no, radiates! — on the outside. You’re an inspiration, Stella!
Theo Barnard: Today I met an NYU student named Stella. I took a photo of her. Afterwards, she told me about a self-portrait she recently posted on Tumblr. So, instead of the photo I took, here is her self-portrait. Along with the words she wrote:
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WARNING: Picture might be considered obscene because subject is not thin. And we all know that only skinny people can show their stomachs and celebrate themselves. Well I’m not going to stand for that. This is my body. Not yours. MINE. Meaning the choices I make about it, are none of your fucking business. Meaning my size, IS NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS.
This picture is for my horseback riding trainer telling me I was too fat when I was nine.
This picture is for the girl from summer camp who told me I’d be really pretty if I just lost a few pounds
This picture is for all the fucking stupid advertising agents who are selling us cream to get rid of our stretch marks, a perfectly normal thing most people have (I got mine during puberty)
This picture is for the boy at the party who told me I looked like a beached whale.
This picture is for Emily from middle school, who bullied me incessantly, made mocking videos about me, sent me nasty emails, and called me “lard”. She made me feel like I didn’t deserve to exist. Just because I happened to be bigger than her. I was 12. And she continued to bully me via social media into high school.
MOST OF ALL, this picture is for me. For the girl who hated her body so much she took extreme measures to try to change it. Who cried for hours over the fact she would never be thin. Who was teased and tormented and hurt just for being who she was.
I’m so over that.
THIS IS MY BODY, DEAL WITH IT.”
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You can see Stella’s blog here: http://thebodyloveblog.tumblr.com/
Let There Be Light 
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