Have you ever felt like your body wasn’t good enough? Spent hours examining your imperfections in the mirror, unable to block out the negative voices in your head? Looked at food or exercise as forms of punishment or sources of guilt and shame? 

 

You’re not alone. Too many people are going through these struggles because of unrealistic beauty standards. Maybe you’ve grown up looking at one type of man or woman on the cover of magazines or on social media. They all have airbrushed, perfect skin. Tall and thin bodies, muscular forms. White. Not a day over 25. 

 

The thing is: there is nothing wrong with the images described above. The problem is that this has been the only acceptable “standard” for far too long. What about all of the other beautiful bodies? The curvy, short, Black, old, and real. People with scars, acne, body hair, stretch marks, wrinkles, dimples, cellulite, freckles, and beauty marks. 

 

It’s time to be inclusive. We all know that beauty is subjective. So why are we so hard on ourselves? Sometimes it’s because we are comparing ourselves to perfected images that flash across our screens. Sometimes it’s because we need to work on learning to love (or just be okay with) those things that bother us. 

 

No matter where you’re at in life, or how you’re feeling about your body and your confidence, you are welcome here. This is a space for everyone, created in the hopes for us to realize that we’re all struggling (and we’re all beautiful, too.) It’s okay to have bad days, or even bad moments during the good days. Confidence and self-love are not linear. 

 

The inspiration for this zine transpired upon hearing a saying from Ava Jules, one of my favorite YouTubers. As I sat down to watch her video about bikini body confidence and self-love, I was taken aback by one simple phrase: “We weren’t made to be perfect, we were made to be real.” Somehow, this saying instantly boosted my confidence. As I thought about it more, I started to feel an appreciation for the things that make me different. I realized that the goal shouldn’t be perfection. Being real is enough. 

 

This is how “Made to be Real” was born. I am someone that enjoys writing to help people and to express myself. My main goal is always to create something that will leave a positive mark on the world, so deciding to start a conversation about body image and confidence was an easy (and exciting) decision. After trying out different genres and modes of expression during my Minor in Writing gateway course at the University of Michigan, I chose to create this zine for my fully-realized project. 

 

As you flip through the pages, remember that you are not alone. The stories, images, and voices that mark up this zine are from a variety of unique and talented people. All of which have struggled, or are struggling. All of which are also very strong, beautiful, and worthy. YOU are one of those people! No matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like, how you dress, who you know, or what you believe about yourself, you are undoubtedly worthy of love, acceptance, and happiness.