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Black women + body blues?

Black women experience body image blues, too. A recent interview in Harper’s Bazaar showed that tennis star Serena Williams, who helped bring stacked back to mainstream, wrestled with her shape. To an extent, it seems she still does. Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson, Tocarra and countless other women of color provide images which counter the wave of waifs that constantly bombard mostly overweight Americans.

Our society doesn’t know what it wants. Today the heroin chic rail thin bone structure might be the most sought after.

Tomorrow women might fly to Rio for butt implants and body contouring.

More than just having beauties in the media who don’t subscribe to thinner- than-thou looks, we must advocate health.

Minorities, especially the Black and Latino communities, are disproportionately affected by additional weight and the diseases it causes.

Even so, health often resides where statistical data does not. We often neglect mental health.

How many Americans (of any race) are comfortable in their skin? Who embraces their reflection?

Who acknowledges possible improvements, but appreciates the form-follows- function wonder of their physiques?

Celebs who are consistently in the spotlight often suffer from flexible self-image.

If anything, having high powered lenses zoom in on cellulite and avid bloggers comment on every pound gained or lost, must be difficult for paparazzi favorites.

Williams admitted in the Bazaar article that she struggled with wanting a thinner shape like her sister, Venus.

Beyonce, who remains on yearly best body lists, is no stranger to paralleling her weight’s ups and downs with her onstage gyrations up and down.

Jennifer Lopez is still shapely, but a far cry from her Fly Girl voluptuous days.
Tocarra and J. Hud lost substantial weight.

Caucasian supermodel Crystal Renn who overcame an eating disorder and became one of the industry’s go-to plus sized beauties, looks more runway than real life these days.

Ultimately, the sizes of these women is not nearly as important as their power to influence people who revere their talent and beauty.

But they remain human and flawed. Putting people on pedestals does not reverse their unspoken uncertainties.

Insecure people with entourages, thriving businesses, endorsements, personal assistants and international fans are oftentimes the most uncomfortable with who they are and how they should look.

The battle isn’t all bulge. It’s understanding personal value and internal beauty.

Here’s to health, happiness and celebrating bodies that continue to go, even when we do not honor and appreciate them.