Carrie Bickmore has voiced her distress and feeling of hopelessness at raising her two-year-old daughter Evie to have a healthy body image.
The mum-of-two described feeling like improving women’s views of their bodies was a “lost cause” after a segment on The Project discussing Taryn Brumfitt’s body positivity documentary Embrace.
Bickmore alluded to her own doubts when it came to body image despite growing up with positive role models.
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“When I think about growing up, I didn’t grow up in a family that focused on body image, weight, or anything,” the 36-year-old said.
“Yet I still have days, hours, moments, where I look in the mirror and know how I think and feel about myself – let alone my daughter, who’s growing up in this world.
“I actually feel… What is that world going to – how are they going to feel about themselves?”
Bickmore said she felt that rather than getting better, the problem was only getting worse.
“What can I do as a mum to make sure she grows up with a good body image? I don’t know. I feel like it’s a lost cause.”
Co-host Waleed Aly agreed, adding “I feel like it’s a real problem that’s spinning out of control, getting worse and worse.”
However, we truly believe women’s body image can change for the better – but they’re not going to without women like Brumfitt pushing for it.
Brumfitt’s documentary Embrace shines a light on the damaging effects of low self-esteem, but also the wondrous results of women learning to embrace their bodies, regardless of shape and size.
Mia Freedman, who features in the documentary, has made it her mission to promote healthy self-views, by turning body-shaming of her “confronting” stomach on its head.
Whether it’s sharing images of actual vaginas, or ditching the stomach-suckers once and for all – there are things we can all do to make the world a kinder place for our kids and ourselves. Baby steps.
What do you think should be done to promote a healthy body image in kids?
