Jes Baker

This article originally appeared on The Militant Baker

The moral of these stories? #1: Let's start letting others define their bodies without feeling the need to challenge them.

If you want to talk to me about health, it’s essential that you know that we’re probably going to talk about mental health first.

The human brain is so easily conditioned and, without a word being spoken, the simple elimination of everything except for the “perfect body” in any form of media is enough to instill belief in our young ones that unless they have that desired body, they do not deserve to be seen.

REAL TALK — my body is going to keep changing for the rest of my life. If it's not weight gain, it will be aging. If not aging, it could be an illness. If not an illness, it could be any number of things that will cause inevitable change in which I will be required to learn to love the change.

Every once in a while, a brand new "body hate site" (a page dedicated to cruel commentary and bullying of a specific body demographic — often but not always fat bodies) will pop up in all its blazing glory and, well . . . the understandable horror is contagious.

I’ve compiled the BEST ways that I have found to ease the discomfort (physical and emotional) of flying while fat in hopes that you feel free to travel.

So yes, I’m fat now. But you know what else? I’m happy. Succesful. Fulfilled. On a career path that makes me feel whole. In a relationship that feels like it’s a dream. Mentally balanced in a way I’ve never experienced before, and no one gets to take this away from me by demanding I change my body for their comfort. I’m no longer willing to sacrifice my happiness for someone else’s approval.

Mainstream capitalization on male body image issues may be “new” in comparison to the historical obsession with policing women’s bodies, but I would have to say that it’s just as important.

Having the ability to homeschool your children is a gift wrapped in a ribbon of privilege with a bow of opportunity on top. There is no need to pretend like this isn’t the case, and while we sometimes struggled to make ends meet, my mom was still able to stay home and educate us.