Are You Good Enough Yet?

by Rebecca Ephraim

photo by Jaime Kowal

When did you realize that your body didn’t make the grade? I was a fleshy teenager, but what did that mean? Yes, my hips were ample, but would I have noticed if not for all the media images telling me I wasn’t thin enough nor hence, good enough? In fact, two decades earlier, Marilyn Monroe’s voluptuous figure would have been my body image role model. I was 20 years too late. And, hence, I was 20 pounds “too imperfect.”

Today, it’s a rare woman of any age who can say she has not fallen under the spell of the unrelenting drumbeat that tells us our bodies are not good enough.
If you are a woman, you might have gotten beyond the brainwashing by now—or are still in the throes of the struggle. In our feature story, “Growing Up Beautiful,” CBC reporter Pamela Post tells us what it’s like to be a parent who longs to raise a daughter with a healthy self-image.

Possessing healthy self-esteem is the ultimate in sustainable living. After all, how can we contribute to a more healthy and peaceful planet when, inside of us, we ourselves are neither? As evolving humans sharing the same space, it’s up to each of us to cultivate our own sense of self-acceptance… and to do whatever it takes to get there.

One of this month’s Visionaries, Janice Abbott, makes it possible for women to begin this journey by creating safe refuge for them . And writer Alicia Priest, in her usual incisive manner, weighs in on the anti-aging craze.

Naked Canine
On another matter of body image, our canine cover model last month, Mr. Piddles, stirred up a small tempest of controversy. Piddles, a wee male member of our SharedVISION office staff, was shown in all his natural frontal glory. Curiously, some readers got offended; others were more reflective (see opposite page).

SharedVISION & EPIC
Meet the SharedVISION team at EPIC, the Sustainable Living Expo in mid-March. EPIC, the first event of its kind in Canada, showcases all aspects of earth-friendly lifestyles. Please join me for my talks over that weekend (Be a Green Goddess in High Heels), along with other speakers for the latest and greatest ideas that will change our lives. Check out the EPIC centre-page pullout for highlights.

In April, get on board for our 20th Anniversary event featuring the new hybrid cars. We’re calling it our Ride and Drive… and you really can—with no pressure to buy.

Thank you to all the readers who participated in our 20th Anniversary “Ethical Evening” of RRSP info. Kudos to Ethical Funds for their fine presentation, Ethical Bean for serving delicious fair trade organic coffee, and Ten Thousand Villages for hosting the event. It’s all good. It’s all a SharedVISION.