Planet Manola: Nutritional Mammaries

Random news, commentary and photographs. Updated at least once every menstrual cycle, if not more frequently.

Thanks for the Mammaries

March 8th International Women's Day! If you've got tits and ovaries, here's your chance to flaunt them, along with your heart, mind and soul. (And no, silicon implants DO NOT COUNT.) Take time on this day to consider how far women have come in history and what more we need to do to make this world a better place.

Feast Not Famine

Speaking of making the world a better place ... at the turn of the year, Stephanie from Back in Skinny Jeans tagged me for beauty predictions. Here's what I think (and hope) will happen:

In 2007, those of us who have been misguided in obsessing over this


instead of this

... will realize how ridiculous it is to starve our bodies and souls for the illusory promise of happiness based wholly on looks and not action. Instead, we will take good care of our bodies and most importantly, we will be more selfless in aiding those who are in need. A few humanitarian celebrities who have already paved the way -- Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Mia Farrow -- will continue to outshine the morons of Hollywood -- Posh, Britney and Paris, to name a few.

Legions of smart women who know better abound but so do thousands who suffer from eating disorders and are literally starving themselves to achieve unrealistic standards of beauty. Whole spirits are being broken over appearances when on the other side of the world, children and their families go for days without food.

It boggles the mind, even as the stomach grumbles.

Eat Food, Not Bullshit

The greatest disservice the world can do to womankind -- apart from violence and abuse, of course -- is to blindly support a culture that turns women against their own bodies. Chronic dissatisfaction with your body IS a real "illness" in my book, even if you don't suffer from an eating disorder.

If you're old enough to read this, take heed: don't buy into this crap. Love yourself exactly as you are before the world sucks you dry of precious self-esteem. Don't waste another minute of your blessed life letting the fashion industry manipulate your ego into thinking it's nothing but a helpless victim begging for attention. Don't let your spirit shrink along with your waist.

YOU are in control and the moment to be happy is NOW, not five pounds less than now. You are a spiritual being on a human journey, not a stupid floozy who measures her self-worth by the size tag on her jeans.

Speak Out

In the true spirit of International Women's Day, women in England who love fashion but are sick and tired of the industry's nonsense are speaking up with positive activism! Take a moment to sign the petition at AnyBody.

Here stateside, Stephanie and fellow blogger Mamavision have put together their own petition at Fashion Slam. Stop by, voice your thoughts and then go listen to their podcasts on Chasing Beauty.

tags: international women's day, anorexia, bulimia, eating disorders, famine