It's good to be here

This post contains talk about anatomy,SH recovery and general discussion about acceptance of ones physical form. If this has the potential to trigger offend or upset you then please move on from this post and stay safe and have a lovely day.

Otherwise click “Keep reading” and I hope this post provides confidence and comfort.

BODY HAIR- It’s perfectly okay to have or not have body hair. Whether on your face, arms legs or below the belt, it is part of being human and your genetics and nothing to be ashamed of.

SKIN TONE- This one is one I do hear a lot but it’s one I struggle with due to light translucent skin due to illness although my actual tone is mid olive (I’m latinx). Fair skin is lovely, dark skin is lovely, freckled skin is lovely, skin with varying pigmentation if lovely, Mid toned skin is lovely, olive skin is lovely. Your skin is beautiful,unique, and amazing as is.

HAIR- YOUR NATURAL HAIR IS STUNNING AND COMPLETELY PERFECT AS IS. Whether curly, coily, straight, thick, thin, short, long or having none at all. That is fine and you are beautiful.

SCARS/SKIN TEXTURE- Our skin is not perfectly smooth and even, no one’s is. on a cellular level this is very clear to see. Your skin is a mosaic of color, texture, markings and features. 

              ~Your acne is nothing to be ashamed of

              ~ Your scars are nothing to hate or feel bad about

              ~ Your ecema is nothing to be ashamed of

              ~ The dark circles around your eyes are normal so are the puffiness                      underneath.

              ~ The lines on your face, body, lips, and any where else are natural,                      and they are part of you that deserves love and respect.

              ~ Visible veins on any part of your body are okay, you don’t need to                     hate or hide them.

              ~ Your stretch marks are normal natural and literally everyone has                        them somewhere, because we grow, our bodies change, are skin                      is stretchy. (I have a condition where they are all over (backs of my                    legs, thighs, hips, even my fingers) and I like to call them my Zebra                    stripes.)

               ~Moles and freckles are natural beautiful and nothing to be ashamed                   of.

BODY TYPE- Your body is living it is surviving it lets you be here and do the things you love. Asthetics are irrelevant and it deserves to be appreciated. Your health and happiness are so much more important than appearence

              ~ Haveing excess skin is fine

              ~ Having cellulite is healthy and normal

              ~ Having bones that show is okay

              ~ Weight/Body changes and shifts are normal and nothing to                                 feel ashamed of.

              ~ EVERY BODY TYPE IS VALID LOVELY AND WORTHY

              ~Your thighs are fine

              ~ Your hips are fine

              ~Your arms are fine

               ~ Your feet are fine

              ~ Your stomach is fine

               ~ Your hands are fine

              ~ Your nails are fine

              ~  Your calves/ ankles are fine (I struggle with this one)

              ~ YOUR BODY LOVES YOU AND DESERVES YOUR LOVE BACK

VOICE/LAUGH- Your voice is lovely, its comforting, it makes someone smile, it shows your love, your thoughts and your passion. Your laugh spreads joy, it’s infectious and it’s someones favorite sound.

YOUR INTERESTS- THE THINGS YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND ENJOY ARE LOVELY AND NOTHING TO HIDE OR FEEL SHAME ABOUT! Someone (probably lots of people) love them too. You aren’t weird, cringey, or annoying. You are you and that is beautiful! (From someone who loves Hello Kitty, Disney Movies, true crime documentaries, Squishmallows and gets very excited about rocks and medical facts)

YOUR TEETH/SMILE- YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SMILE REGARDLESS OF HOW YOUR TEETH LOOK. Braces, missing/chipped teeth, caps, retainers, crooked teeth and all others are normal and you always deserve to show joy.

MEDICAL/BODY DIFFERENCES- Okay, this one is one I stuggle with but I feel it is so important.

~Your ports, tubes and pumps are helping you and you never need to feel like you have to hide them if you don’t want to.

~ Your braces, mobility aids, mouth gaurds (I have one for seizures). Are part of you and that is just fine.

~ Your medical scarring/devices are valid, important, and parts of you that deserve love and respect. 

Thanks for sticking with me through this very long post. I hope this helps you feel safe, comfortable, confident and like yourself in every aspect of who you are. You are beautiful, you are handsome, you are strong, you are valid and you are deserving of happiness.

It sounded like he was making a point about toxic masculinity.

"Oh, if men open up about their feelings and are sensitive, they *have* to be gay!"

And about how damaging that is to both gay and straight people in general. (I mean, I'm sure there are plenty of gay men who struggle with being upfront about their emotions. Stereotypes help no one.)