Since her performance, Britney Spears has been challenged for many things -- her talent, her dance skills, her lip-synching, and her possible drug use -- all of which might be valid points of concern. However, Britney has also been challenged for her so-called weight gain. Her outfit -- a bra and panties -- left little to the imagination, and viewers and critics alike have responded with dismay. Even eminent news sources such as CNN have spoken out against Britney's body, decrying "the paunch in place of Spears' once-taut belly." E! Online stated, "The bulging belly [Britney] was flaunting was SO not hot."
Bulging belly? Paunch? Have we all gone mad? Britney Spears --who just had two babies within the span of three years, mind you! -- is a perfectly healthy and beautiful weight. At 5'4" and approximately 130 pounds, Britney has an enviable and attractive body. Despite this, everyone has jumped on the "Britney is fat" bandwagon. Forget her lackluster performance, all anyone cares about is her so-called extra poundage!
While I don't expect anyone to have pity for Britney, I must point out that condemning her body as "fat" and "nasty" is not just doing her harm -- it is doing harm to every young girl in this country! Imagine all of the young girls watching her performance who have now been told by the media that Britney is overweight. Some of these girls will certainly wonder, "If Britney is fat, what does that make me? Obese?!" Critics who disparage Britney's body are not only ruthless and thoughtless; they are also potentially spawning a whole new generation of women with eating disorders. The Hollywood standard for "beauty" is becoming more and more insane and unhealthy, and celebrities aren't the only ones who are paying the price.
As a country, we have to reject these false ideals of beauty. Believe it or not, we have the power to decide if "thin is in" or not. New mothers, such as Britney Spears, will inevitably experience a change in body shape -- their bodies will expand, their muscles will stretch, and their breasts will enlarge. Over time, the muscles will return to their normal elasticity, but those oft-maligned badges of courage, stretch marks and fuller tummies, will always serve as a reminder of a woman's pregnancy.
Let's celebrate fuller bodies, saggier breasts, and stretch marks -- the signs of the beauty and magnificence of which a woman's body is capable!
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