Tamar Braxton Shares Her Struggle With Body Dysmorphia
We all have minor insecurities that make us feel inferior in some way, shape, or form. No matter how much praise or fame we acquire, our tiny imperfections always tend to take center stage. There are women who think that their self-image will change by gaining or losing weight, or maybe just fixing that one flaw about them that they can't seem to ignore, but the truth is, beauty starts from within.
Body dysmorphia is a psychological illness that causes a person to obsess about a minor or imagined physical imperfection that can cause extreme emotional distress, anxiety, and depression and affects roughly 200,000 people every year. In the age of social media, where our entire lives are dictated by appearances, it's understandable that more and more people would shift their focus to their flaws, but body dysmorphia had been an issue among black women long before now.
Tamar Braxton recently shared a picture from the 90's and revealed her own experience with the illness. She said:
"There is nothing like going to your Parents house and finding old 1996 HORRIBLE pictures of yourself!! Can you believe I thought I was FAT??!? (I'd sure like to be that size now lord) this was back in the day when I shot the "so many ways" video with my then skinner sisters @trinabraxton1 @itowandabraxton❤️"
The Braxton Family Values star said that she had begun developing her physical insecurities when she was 11 and had a disheartening conversation with an industry professional.
"it's so funny how you see yourself then,and how it parallels to now. (🙋🏽♀️ confession) I STILL struggle with body dysmorphia to THIS DAY all because a record executive told me I was too fat at 11 to be more of a "commercial " artist.. only to end up having BIG R&B hits TODAY!!!"
Tamar didn't share exactly how she overcame her negative self-image, but I think I have an idea.
I was always a fairly chunky child, and a pretty "thick" adolescent. I hit puberty at an early age so I was the kid in class who had to start wearing a bra in the 3rd grade. I developed a negative self-image of myself that carried on into my high school years, when I was diagnosed with gallbladder stones and had to have a surgery that left me nearly 30 to 40 pounds lighter. Despite my dramatic weight loss, I was obsessive about the size of my breasts and the irrational need to shed even more pounds.
Since college, my weight has fluctuated. When I gained an addiction to prescription pills, I weighed less than I had in high school and still wasn't happy. It was then that I realized it didn't matter what I looked like, because I was never really happy with me. I still suffer from a number of insecurities, but had to understand that underneath everything physical, I had to love me first.
No matter what you change about yourself, until you can truly find happiness in your own skin, you will never feel beautiful.
This year, 1 in 50 people will experience dysmorphia and you are not immune. Tamar is proof that black women suffer from body dysmorphia too, and if you feel like it's time to find help, you can check here for resources and tips on how to manage your illness.
Featured image via Tamar Braxton/Instagram
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy