Love Your Boobs, Love Yourself

Courtney, bra educator extraordinaire, at Fry Sauce and Grits invited me to be a part of her Breast Cancer Awareness project LOVE YOUR BOOBS, LOVE YOURSELF to inspire women to believe that we are not defined by our breast size, like most of our modern culture tells us, that we are defined by something greater. “I find that most women have a hate relationship with their breasts and that makes me really sad. They’re either small, large, lopsided, saggy, or too wide, and it made me realize that we need to stop this breast and body shaming because our bodies are beautiful and powerful. I hope to inspire women with this Love Your Boobs, Love Yourself video that to completely love ourselves as women, we need to love and accept our boobs. There’s a direct relationship between our self image of and the relationship we have with our breasts. Breasts don’t define us but they are definitely a part of us. I want to bring awareness that this dysfunctional relationship we as women have with our breasts and with our bodies are directly stemmed from what the media portrays to be what is perfect and the ideal of beauty. I want to push the message that we aren’t defined by our breast size and how we as women are defined by something greater.”

Here’s my perspective…

Boobs are everywhere.

As a kid, I remember snickering when I came across naked breasts in grandpa’s National Geographic magazines (I don’t remember breasts being a big part of 1970’s print). Sure I was looking through them for the amazing photographs of far away lands, exotic creatures, and strangely marked/pierced people, but it was the beaded jungle women doing their chores topless that caught my eye every time.

How would it be to wander through society without the seemingly constant focus on breasts?

My love/hate relationship with my boobs began in 8th grade when they were significantly larger than most girls. Instead of knowing me by name, I would be described by raised eyebrows and hand gestures indicating my giant rack.

Their notoriety, as if they were a separate entity, gave me a false sense of positive self-esteem. At the same time I was adored by some guys for them (yes, for the wrong reasons; I didn’t realize that as a teenager), behind my back I was labeled a tramp and a slut by the girls who weren’t getting the same kind of attention and guys whose advances I shut down. [For the record, I didn’t go past 1st base with anyone until well after high school, thankyouverymuch.]

I was taunted by classmates for something I had no control over.

In my early 20’s, before I was married or had kids, I endured a bilateral reduction mammoplasty (breast reduction) to relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain caused by my size E’s (as in elephant) and decrease my breast size (3 pounds were taken out of each side; my dog weighed 3 lbs.) to fit my body shape (ended up with C’s). My doctor kept as many mammary glands and nerves intact as he could, giving me the best chance to breastfeed; the main purpose of women’s boobs. Many thought I was crazy to risk my life to go under the knife and get rid of my enviable largeness.

That surgery helped me emotionally as much as physically. Clothes fit better, outdoor activities were easier, and I felt like I was being seen for who I was instead of what was hanging from my chest.

Every woman has their own story about their boobs. Not everyone with giant breasts feels the way I do. Smaller chested women can have as many concerns about theirs as larger chested women. Whatever your story, figure out a way to love your boobs without outside objectifications. When you love yourself, you’ll be happier, feel better, and spread happiness to those around you. Who couldn’t use a little more happy in the world?

Thank you vendors,

Jenner Brown, Lumineux Films, for professionally filming us with a fun attitude.

Gingers Garden Cafe in Springville, Utah for the freshly made from scratch lunch goodness.

Raw Melissa of MelissaChappell.com for bringing deliciously healthy, organic, vegan treats. Check out her video with guest Mindy Gledhill to learn how to make her Chocolate Covered Macaroons!

Click below for some more boob stories and Pin if you think more people should know about this message…

1. Fry Sauce & Grits 2. Allred Design 3. Ashlee Marie 4. A Ruffled Life 5. Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl
6. Tara Dara Made It 7. Dreaming About Someday 8. MOMentity 9. Dana Ohlsen Photography
10. Utah Mom Connection 11. Lionesses at the Gate 12. Feel Great in 8 13. Life in My Heels

Share your boob story by tagging#LoveYourBoobsLoveYourself and @courtney_frysauceandgrits on Instagram (my username is @LuckyBlogs).