My hair is long enough to have to tie back now. But it’s at that stage where you still need a bunch of clips to pin up the back bottom layers so I feel like a four year old struttin’ my stuff at the gym. However, that’s not what makes me a smidge annoyed today.

Well not really a smidge. I’m monstrously annoyed today.

We all know my stand on body image and the body wars pushed on to women (and men) by the media. I hate it. I hate that us human beings live in societies where we feel we have to tear someone else down to build ourselves up. It frustrates me to no end.

So obviously, I hate the whole “thigh gap” thing. It’s insane, it’s ridiculous, and it’s also genetics. Our general body shape is something that is completely out of our control. That shape has come down from the many generations in your family, melded together with each side, mom and dad, on the way down. There’s just no way around it. What you do with that shape is a different story. But that’s a different blog for a different day.

Let’s talk the “bikini bridge”.

What started as a “hoax” (as sick as that is) has become some sort of internet monster. Pinterest has pins that you can add to your fitness boards, letting the world know that you’re striving for that bikini bridge. Tumblr has taken off with “inspirational” quotes over photos of these bikini bridges. And subsequently, all of my lovely friends, male and female, on Facebook are posting this shit.

What exactly is this bikini bridge I speak of? Well, for starters, it’s nonsense. Insanity at it’s best. Sure it was started as a hoax, but come on now people, let’s be real… obviously in this twisted view of self-image, this was going to take off.

The bikini bridge, by the most basic of definitions is when a woman’s hip bones lift up the front of her bikini. Henceforth creating a “bridge” of types with the material of her bathing suit, skivvies, etc.

I first heard of the bridge via a Facebook post from the amazing Jen Sinkler. She encouraged us strongly to not fall for the hoax. Unfortunately, that’s not the nature of the beast. Within a week, social media sites were blowing up with the beauty *cough*insanity*cough* that is the bridge. I actually had a few friends shoot me emails with questions on diet plans and workouts that could help them achieve the bridge.

I sat there, scratching my head, literally asking aloud “What the ever loving fuck?” Seriously? As if the thigh gap wasn’t enough. As if the whole “Real Women” campaign wasn’t enough. Strong is the New Skinny has it’s faults too (but again, different blog for a different day).

It’s all just nonsense and it needs to stop. Let the HOAX that is the bridge, die. Do no encourage it. We want self-image to rise evenly amongst the ranks. We want self-image to flourish and grow, become strong and almighty. We’re all beautiful in our own way, shape, form, whatever. At the risk of cliches, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Stop the ridiculousness of putting down others to make yourself feel beautiful, because all that’s doing is making you look hideous. And that’s clearly not what you’re striving for, you’re striving for beauty. Well, beauty is kindness. It’s caring. Loving. Instilling positive image among the younger women (and men) is what we should all be working for.

We can all shit talk and slam on Barbie all we want, claiming she promotes negative self-image. What we really need to do is take a look in the mirror, recognize that no, it’s not Barbie, but us as a society damaging that self-image, that self-worth. And with that, we need to dig deep and reach for that power to stop it.