A recent viral post sheds light on the absurdity of clothing sizes, highlighting their impact on body image. Many of us have wardrobes filled with garments of varying sizes that somehow all fit, which can be incredibly frustrating and even damaging for women and girls alike.
When youth mentor Lisa Harper shared a collage on Facebook showcasing her pants ranging from sizes 6 to 12, she never anticipated the widespread response it would receive. Her intention was to connect with the young girls she has mentored in her role as a counselor, aiming to demonstrate how clothing sizes can differ drastically across brands. However, her post has since been shared over 55,000 times, resonating with countless individuals.
In her post, Harper expressed, “For the past several years, I have worked with pre-teen and teenage girls as a mentor and counselor. I’ve listened to so many of them discuss their latest diets and weight loss trends. I’ve comforted girls in tears, asking me if they would have been more loved if they were thinner. I’ve seen some skip meals, and others have resorted to extreme measures after eating.”
This realization led her to a moment of frustration. “While sorting through my clothes, I noticed how drastically different the sizes of my pants are. It’s infuriating that my size 5 pants fit just as well as my size 12 ones.”
Harper’s collage starkly illustrates that clothing sizes are largely arbitrary, and they shouldn’t dictate a woman’s self-worth. She emphasizes that many girls she mentors struggle with body image issues and eating disorders, and the fashion industry’s messages about sizing only add to their burdens. “When society tells them they aren’t good enough because of their size, it compounds the stress they’re already facing. They deserve to know their true value.”
Many of us allow these size labels to influence our self-esteem. Harper recalls hearing girls label themselves as “fat” simply for going up a size or obsessing over diets. “I’ve told them it’s not true, but they often don’t believe me. The realization hit me when I saw my own varying sizes; the deceptive messages they internalize stem from something as commonplace as clothing sizes.”
While it’s relatively straightforward to explain the role of photo editing in media, Harper grapples with how to convey that the size on a tag doesn’t define worth. “When a girl’s pants jump from a size 9 to a 16 and are labeled ‘plus size,’ how can I convince her the number is misleading? How do I tell her she doesn’t need to skip meals because her size ‘increased’?”
Even as an adult, it’s easy to feel disheartened when faced with vanity sizing. I, too, have a closet filled with sizes 4-10, just as Harper does, and though I understand it’s absurd to link my value to a number, it can be hard to shake that feeling.
Harper concludes her post with a powerful affirmation for all girls, regardless of their size: “To my lovely girls, whether you’re a size 2 or an 18, your worth is not determined by the number on your clothing tag; it’s about who you are as a person. Remember, these numbers are subjective and fluctuate. Don’t let societal standards dictate your self-worth. You are beautiful and deserving of love just as you are.”
This is a crucial message we all need to embrace. If you’re interested in learning more about the process of home insemination, check out this blog for additional insights. For authoritative information, visit Cryobaby, a resource that offers valuable tools for home insemination. You can also explore this excellent resource for more information on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, clothing sizes are arbitrary and should not define one’s self-worth. Lisa Harper’s viral post serves as a reminder to reject societal pressures and embrace our true selves, regardless of the numbers on clothing tags.