Hey friends, I try to not judge, but lately, I’ve seen a few things I think we need to change. I know, it’s tough, but let’s see if we can do this. It is running-related, I promise.
I am lucky that I have gotten rid of most of my shame.
I was the girl that put on a bra at 10 years old and didn’t take it off for many years. I was seriously proud that I even slept in those wire-padded-mounstrosities. Yes, wires. I have small (A) chest so the point was to make them look bigger or hide them, right???? Yes, I really did sleep on those things.
Time went by, and a few years ago, when I realized that in NYC you can walk around bare-breasted (yeap, it’s LEGAL!) my brain started to rebel. My nipples did too. Of course, it’s obvious that I don’t need any sort of support, so if you do, that’s a quite different thing. But, you can literally walk out in NYC with your boobs out and it’s ok. I started seeing it in the park, girls sunbathing, or in the randomest places and started wondering WHY oh WHY so many of us go through so much to hide them. WHY??? And I was one of them for the longest time. Yes, we all try hide them OR only use them to get stuff (for you that have some!).
No, you can’t say you don’t hide them because sometimes when you are trying to be provocative and show cleavage, you’re sexualizing them boobs! But, can we be ok with our boobs not being a sexual object? We’re either hiding them or using them to get attention!!! WTF! I am ok now not wearing any wires or padding or OR cleavage. My boobs are there, for no reason apparently as I don’t plan on having children, so until I figure what they’re good for, I am gonna leave them alone just like my elbows or my chin (though those two are good for supporting me in some positions). My boobs have no purpose -besides Juan’s amusement, of course.
Now, you know me, when I go running I will wear as little as possible. I just like it better that way. For a while, I tried to wear extra layers, even if I didn’t need them, because as I was falling so often, the extra layers would pad my skin a bit.It didn’t stick, I don’t like it. Ugh clothes.
So, many of you have seen way too much of my nipples on my bras. In pictures all over the internet. Everywhere. Oh well, get over it. Think of them as my elbows if you like. I started this a long time ago when not many people (no one really!!!) in Central Park were running in a just bra. My friends can tell you how I forced them. Once, a team-mate said how she was going to try to run shirtless “next year, when I have abs and a good body to show“, looking straight at my pouchy stomach. Honey, THAT is not the point. AT ALL.
I really don’t care what I look like. My stomach can be big, bloated, full, gross. It’s mine. I own that. If you don’t like it, you can just look away. Same goes for my boobs. They’re small, they’re sweaty, they’re cold and they point, there’s two of them. They’re mine (and probably Juan’s). They are okay. Ps: my eyes are up here.
Anyway, how about we all stop making women a sexual object that needs to look perfect and skinny or be ashamed of their bodies? Yeah? Can we? How about we let the hairy men run shirtless without weird looks? how about we let everyone enjoy running freely the way they were born?
This all came to mind because, in the hot weather, this past weekend, I saw two lovely ladies, on two separate places, working hard on a run out there, and they were so hot, so hot, they had lifted their top to put it under their bra, or folded over their bra, and were also wearing long tights. I wanted to go over, hug her, and tell her it was ok if she wanted to get rid of her top. And that she didn’t need to hide her legs in long tights, I DON’T CARE WHAT SIZE YOU ARE!!!! There is no need to be ashamed. It’s not about how you look. After all, we’re all quite insecure. It might be hard the first few times, but you’ll get used to it. The more you put what you are out there, the more you’ll get to know it, and the more you’ll love it. And if someone has a problem with it, just send them my way.
Why is it that men can run shirtless and we can’t feel ok with it? Why is it they sometimes wear shorts so short, or tights or tight we can see everything yet WE are supposed to be ashamed? EH? My husband the Ironman only wears tights and is often embarrassed about how the tights profile “everything”. SO WHAT? NO ONE needs shorts over the tights!!! Let’s stop the body shaming.
Come on people!!! this is 2014. I think it’s time we all start being more supportive of each other’s bodies, whatever they look like. Just think all our bodies have helped us accomplish, slow or fast, or even that first glorious mile. This is how we were born, and it’s OK. We don’t all need to look the same, or cover some bits that are not illegal! Free the nipples. Free Yourself.
Okay… I know need to hear it… what do you think? Are you with me on this??????
runningandthecity 
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