It's Time to Embrace Your Latina Curves

If you're anything like me, you're tired of the never-ending mixed messages girls (and sometimes boys even) get about their bodies. You know it starts young and we grow up feeling insecure about our bodies because of media, childhood experiences with bullies, and shaping beauty standards in our heads.

We believe that all bodies are beautiful, but there's one body type that gets less love than others: the curvy Latina body, with its full hips and soft arms. And we're here to tell you something: it's time to embrace your curves!

The truth is, there are plenty of people out there who don't feel as good about their curves as they could. We want to change that! We want every single person who reads this blog post to feel proud of their body because in our opinion, everybody is perfect exactly as it is—so why not celebrate yours?

Here are some ways you can begin to embrace your curves:

1. Dress like the goddess you are.

If you've got curves, then let them show! A flowy top or a skirt will make any woman feel more feminine and powerful than ever before—and if you've never felt confident in your clothes before (or if you're worried about what other people might think), we have some advice for that too.

2. Buy that outfit you think you cannot pull off, because YOU CAN!

Have you ever been shopping at the mall or browsing your favorite store's website, coming across an outfit and immediately telling yourself, "You cannot pull off that outfit?" Mijita, I've been there so many times that it wasn't until recently that I started purchasing outfits that were outside of my comfort zone. You are stunning! Purchase that outfit! You're going to look stunning!

3. Never let societal expectations prevent you from being your lovely self. Mama, flaunt your curves!

Since I was a little girl, society has taught me that only skinny girls with long brown hair are beautiful. I've struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. I was called many things, including fatty patty, fatso, ugly, and chubby. Being called these derogatory names had a negative impact on my self-esteem, especially as an adult. I encourage you to "tirale esas palabras al leon," because you are spectacular! It makes no difference what size you are. Every part of your body is lovely, and I want you to look in the mirror and say to yourself, "I am GORGEOUS."

4. Detach yourself from childhood nicknames

When it comes to anything in life, we are our harshest critics. We learn about our family's expectations of us, but this needs to change. I grew up hearing from a family member that I was fat and ugly. Children begin to believe negative things about themselves every time they hear something negative about themselves. The "fat culture" that is embedded in Latino culture must be ended. We go from our abuelas telling us we're "too skinny" and need to eat more to our parents telling us "don't eat that... that will make you fat and no one will love you." It is heartbreaking to see how many Latines's suffer.

We need to work on rewriting our narratives. This will be the most difficult because it has been ingrained in our minds for years or generations that we are not good enough or pretty enough. As I write this, I can see my ten-year-old self looking out the window, wanting to end my life because my "so-called friends" told me I was fat and ugly and that I should stop eating, and emotional abuse from a loved one convinced me that everything was true. At the time, I felt like I'd never be good enough. Nobody should ever believe they are not good enough. Latinos worldwide get nicknames from family members, such as flaca, flaco, gordis, or gordo. These nicknames are harmful because they describe the person based on their weight and appearance. So many aspects of our culture are based on our body types and physical appearances.

If you have been emotionally abused by loved ones because of your weight, or if you believe your nickname causes more harm than good. I recommend that you change your nickname to something more fitting for you. You should be proud of who you are. Your family nickname does not define you. Because their words are untrue, I am sending you all my love and hugs. They are not to be believed. Don't give them the satisfaction of dominating you. You are one-of-a-kind, beautiful, and intelligent, and you have so much to offer the world. Nobody compares to you! You are needed in this world. Be kind to yourself. Try not to judge yourself. Our bodies are all different in shape and size. Everything is based on our genetics and where we come from.

Final Thoughts

We hope that the Latina women who read our blog find it encouraging and feel empowered by the realization that while we all make mistakes, we should not let them define or demoralize us. We hope that the Latinas who read this feel empowered to celebrate their curves and understand that you are beautiful regardless of what anyone says because it's damn hard to do sometimes.