Women, our bellies are not naturally intended to be completely flat. My lower stomach almost always has a slight curve to it. This is something I used to criticize myself for, and then I read this article.
It wasn’t until recently that society started expecting women to have flat bellies. It’s not a natural state for most women, and until recently, a rounded belly was one of the ideals of beauty.
The top two images are statues of Nike, the goddess of victory. Look at her belly, it is rounded and it is beautiful. This wasn’t a stylistic ideal that was short lived, oh no, (we can go back as far as the Venus of Willendorf, essentially the beginning of time, to see this beauty ideal).
But even much later, the lower image is Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. Isn’t she absolutely stunning? And look at those thighs and that belly. I can almost hear my art history professor screaming “FECUNDITY!!” in the most positive way possible.
All bodies are beautiful, flat bellies, small thighs, rounded bellys, shapely thighs, and each and every other classification you could add.
Stop letting society try to force your body into impossible things. Embrace it in all the amazing beauty it is already.
Isn’t art history cool?
(Source: oraclesaidwander, via entitledklainer)
