If you have cellulite, you’re probably part of the 98% of women who have it, which means — congrats! — you're hella normal.
But in a world where magazines scream, "Hey! Your body is disgusting!!" at you on a daily basis, it certainly doesn't make you feel normal.
Let it be known: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "BAD BUTT." ALL BUTTS ARE GOOD BUTTS.
And when medical organizations like Mayo Clinic list cellulite as a "disease" and call it "embarrassing," that certainly doesn't help either.
Because we've been programmed to think a certain type of body fat is bad, we live in a constant cycle of cellulite shaming that we do to each other and ourselves, and — as a person that has lived with it their entire adult life — I went on a mission to start loving my cellulite once and for goddamn all.
View this video on YouTube
I spent the majority of adulthood hiding my body under long dresses, pants, and long sleeves — even if it meant sweating a shitload in the middle of summer — because, yes, unrealistic Photoshopped images of women and a lifetime of body shaming ruined me this much.
I've also ranged from a size 6 to a size 16, and — surprise! — even if you lose weight, the cellulite doesn't go away.
But recently, I had an awakening and realized covering up my cellulite only perpetuates the idea that women should be ashamed of their bodies so I said, "Fuck it," and decided to face my worst fear: putting my cellulite on blast for the world to see. Here's how it went down.
The first day showing my cellulite was fucking HARD. I wore this outfit to work and every time I looked down at my thighs I almost burst into tears despite my co-workers telling me I looked great. I couldn't truly believe I looked OK, and that was a problem.
Later in the evening, though, I went to a fashion party and, weirdly, showing off my cellulite to a room full of people who commonly dismiss it kind of felt like I was giving the middle finger to an entire industry, which was awesome.
The next day, I decided to — for the first time ever — wear shorts while walking through a super crowded mall during the weekend. After having an anxiety attack in a store, I left feeling incredibly upset and defeated because it meant there was a huge chance I'd leave this experience never learning to love myself.
I initially took two photos to show the huge difference lighting can make in the appearance of cellulite, but honestly the change of emotions in the photos between morning and afternoon is also super telling.