Body Insecurities with Delyse #4
Body insecurities, image, and positivity are unavoidable topics to tackle. We can never have enough conversations revolving around them.
Last month, I hosted a series on body insecurities in which both my male and female friends shared their own experiences.
I also shared my own experiences. You can check the series below.
1. My personal Body insecurities
2. Five men tell us about their body insecurities.
3. Women gets real about their Body Insecurities.
Following the series, I received numerous emails and inboxes from women who got open with me about their own experiences, and I understood how important this subject is, particularly among women. Allow me to proclaim and state that I have taken steps to make this a movement that will alter narratives and people’s perceptions of themselves. We are entering into the season of robustness. A season where a self-love is no longer an option, but a priority.
Body Insecurities.
When I was reading Delyse’s blog, Thick N Stylish , one of my fellow Afrobloggers, I noted that she had also been an advocate for body image and positivity. She got invited to share her experiences on various platforms to aid individuals battling, particularly women with body image positivity. I went straight to her inbox, urged her to join SOG series, and shared her own experiences. I am thrilled to have her on my blog. She is such a great force to reckon with.
She is a Zimbabwean plus-size model, body positivity advocate, and fashion blogger. She began her blog to share her experiences as a plus-size woman and to provide a safe space for women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their bodies without any reservations. Check out her work for some inspiration.
Let’s hear about her Body insecurities and how she overcame them.
Let’s go!!
Body insecurities with Delyse Gimani.
From a young age, I had body insecurities and low self-esteem. It stemmed from me being the different one in my family. Different how? I was dark and chubby, something my siblings didn’t look like. So from childhood, I was always conscious of my chubby cheeks, big tummy, and dark complexion. I remember being told to tuck in my tummy if we left the house so I can look normal. I was also told that the reason why I was dark, was because my mom drank black label beer when she was pregnant with me. This left me traumatized, to be honest.
For many years until I reached my mid-20s, I hated my body. I used to always hide my tummy by wearing uncomfortable shapewear or wearing jackets, even on a very hot day. I did not see my true worth because I felt my weight or appearance determined my value. This affected how I allowed myself to be treated in all types of relationships. Though I had people who hyped me up, I never quite listened to them until I started to see my worth and loved myself. If you don’t love yourself, nothing positive anyone says to you, or about you will stick and make any sense.
Fast forward to now, and I am an advocate of body positivity and confidence. I love my body and have accepted it because I am beautiful. I am more than my body. I am divine feminine energy!! My blog thicknstylish.wordpress.com helped me amplify my confidence, and I can confidently say my experiences helped me be a voice to many people who had similar experiences as mine.
Kind regards,
Delyse.
Delyse Gamini – Thick N Stylish blog
Instagram – Soy_Delyse
Facebook – Thick N Stylish
What a time to be alive. Gone are days when thick women represented ugly, thin ones represented malnutrition and paleness. Every woman of all body types is beautiful in their rights. Thank you sis Delyse, for your utmost honesty and vulnerability.
I told my other female friends that whether we have lisps in our teeth, little or large breasts, small or large thighs, curves or not, short or tall, dark or light-skinned, we should embrace the way we look and release the aura that has already been put on us. Nobody, even ourselves, should ever make us feel insecure about our appearance.
We are all gorgeous in our own right. And that’s exactly what you embody in your aura. May you continue empowering plus-size women to love themselves for they are stunning. Chile!!
I’m planning on doing programs that help teenagers to overcome body insecurities. I have realized that many of us started disliking our bodies from an early age, and it went on and on until it got out of hand that we could no longer control it.
Till today in our 20s, the 30s, and, even 40s, we are still struggling with insecurities that began when we were still in our teenage years. If you’d like to work on this program with me, please contact me at sanctuaryofgreatness@gmail.com. You are still welcome to contribute your thoughts and ideas on how we might proceed.
Drop a comment if you liked this post.
From my heart to yours
Cheers!!
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About The Author
Lebogang Shazzygal
Blogger | Magazine Editor | Creative Writer | Online publisher | Digital content creator | Speaker. A young vibrant lady who's passionate about women's well-being and empowerment, youth, and physically challenged people.
Great share! Have a nice day!
Thank you Elvira
I appreciate you for passing by here. Delyse is such a delight.❤❤
You are welcome, Lebogang.
It’s a pleasure. I can imagine.💖❤️
Love this series so so much!!! I relate so much with Delyse’s struggles. It’s crazy how across the globe we all have been made to feel different and ugly for just being bigger bodied. I’m glad we are moving towards a more body positive society, although a lot still needs to change!
Now tables have changed. Bigger figured woman are waslking the walkways with confidence and taking up space in the Fashion and Beauty Industry. What a time to be alive.
You are the most beautiful woman I know. Keep shining and being a great human that you are. I love you
Very inspiring words by Delyse, I especially liked this line, “I am more than my body. I am divine feminine energy!!”
She is a goddess. Such elegance is not found anywhere else. Thank you friend for passing by. Most appreciated
Thank you for sharing.. great message to all us of us!
Certainly
The event continues. We are changing the narrative concerning women’s bodies. We are all beautiful in our own rights. Thank you for passing by
Wow very inspiring.
Sometimes you thing you are alone but when people open up you will be stronger!
Great work
Absolutely true
We learn from each other daily and that’s how we grow when we see that someone had give through the same things I’m going through. It becomes easier to deal with matters.
I must say I have seen some changes lately. Magazines and TV ads have been featuring plus sized women and our beautiful chocolate sisters more frequently. There is still more to be done so keep up the good work.
Certainly true
One step in the right direction is still progress.❤❤
I’ve also experienced such issues when I was a child and I guess grew up with it until I got to a point that I started telling myself, no man…this is who I am and what I look like. Fast forward to dating in the 20’s…insecurities again, but hey, was too busy enjoying life. Recently, since last year I’ve gone thinner than I have been, always been a size 36, now I’m between 34/32…all due to illness and the transformation I was personally going through. I hated being seeing by people because they felt sorry for me. Still working through it, but I’ve accepted people are bullies and get satisfaction out of hurtful things. Anyone going through it out there, believe in yourself and LOVE yourself, I know it’s not easy, but dress for your body and look stunning.
Its not easy at all. I think the damage is usually when we are young, we believe the lies we made to ourselves that we are not good enough or not good looking enough. And that stays with us for the longest period even into adulthood.
So sorry you had to go through that. Weight loss through illness is very sad and heartbreaking. People can be mean and say all sorts of things, it’s really hard. But I’m glad you endured and all things worked out for you. You finally found your power and accepted yourself the way you are. That’s true power right there.
Wow! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for checking the post
Its alsways a pleasure. Much appreciated
Delyse’ letter is mouthful, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to even attach it to the most-read newspapers. Insecurities are vast, many dark-skinned people are now bleaching themselves because they think they are not pretty enough.
Absolutely agreed. And to think that it can go as far as bleaching our skin just to look a certain, it’s really sad. I wish we can all realize how unique and powerful we are🙏
Well said