In today’s OH PRAISE BE news: Demi Lovato takes it all off. No, seriously, ALL of it. In her recent shoot for Vanity Fair magazine, Demi bares it all — where all = her bare face and her bare butt — and we all rejoice. Thank you Jesus/Allah/Mother Earth/Buddha/Oprah. And not just because she has a fine ass.
But seriously. If you don't recall, Demi has suffered with bulimia and anorexia. I recall, because when Demi was initially hospitalized my first thought was not another one. I was mothering a teenage daughter at the time, and every time another young, conventionally beautiful star made headlines because she couldn't eat, my heart sank; for her, and for my own children, and for a world where thinness is prized over all, including health.
Another thing you might not know about Demi? She has bipolar disorder. This might not mean much to most folks, but to me, it means solidarity. Mental illness, eating disorders, addiction –– all the things no one wants to talk about. Shame, embarrassment, fear, they lurk. They keep us from authenticity, from embracing each other in acceptance.
BACK TO HER BUTT. It's incredible. Obviously. And first glance, we might all be thinking, oh, of course she can pose naked and without makeup, she's GORGEOUS. Hello? No one wants to see my saggy-pasty-cellulite-y ass.
But we should remember a couple of things:
1. Demi's struggle is relevant, to HER. Body image issues, eating disorders, poor self-confidence don't care who you are. They don't care if you were a Disney star. They don't care if you're rich or gorgeous. They have no idea if you have a fantastic ass, or a completely average one.
2. The world actually DOES want to see your saggy-pasty-cellulite-y ass. Because most of the world has a saggy-pasty-cellulite-y ass. And we all like to feel like we aren't alone in the daily struggle we call life.
Thanks, Demi for sharing your struggle with us.
Here's mine. It was dark so you can't see the cellulite but there is a LOT.
