It can be easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, especially when it comes to your body. What if instead of trying to confine ourselves to fit an imaginary and ever shifting ideal, we celebrated (and decorated) what makes us unique? This is what Wolverine Minds Matter & the Beautiful Me club of West Potomac High School in Alexandria, VA sought to do when collaborating for an event on November 17th, 2022

At the event, students discussed how – much like jeans – our genes vary, and therefore present uniquely. As one of the students said, “I bet everyone here has multiple pairs of jeans, and not one of the sizes are the exact same fit. I have 3 pairs of jeans that all claim to be a certain size, but are all different! For example, I have a pair of jeans that are size X, but are too loose. I have a pair of jeans that are size Y, but are too tight, and I also have a pair of size Y jeans that fit perfectly.

 Size X is a lower number than Size Y, and yet all of these Size Y jeans fit tighter, despite being the higher size. Jeans don’t fit universally according to their documented “size”, and neither do our bodies.”.

 Another part of their presentation mentioned that, “People look different based on their genetic makeup, and that’s truly a beautiful thing. My body will not be the same as another person’s, even if I feel envious of how their body may be different from mine.”.

In a show of celebrating their genes, these students decorated their jeans to acknowledge their own individual and unique characteristics. As students continue beyond this event, they’ll be reminded that body diversity is empowering, and that their bodies are worthy, valid, and powerful just as they are 🌞