I drew this image in the summer of 2021 when I was having a lot of trouble with my body image and eating in general. I had a lot of trouble getting myself to eat and thought that the only way to lose weight was by starving myself. Although I still have trouble with that today, I’ve learned healthier ways to achieve my goals. The image in the center shows the ideal body shape that women are expected to have according to societal norms and around it are the words that us women are accustomed to hearing. We hear these words no matter what kind of body we have, demonstrating that no matter what our body type is, it will never be perfect enough for society and those around us. I want those who see my painting to know that no matter who they are and what they look like, that they are perfect no matter what. Society doesn’t determine how beautiful you are, only you have the power to control that. It’s what’s on the inside that matters, weight, and numbers don’t define who you are.