Cassandra, fabulous article! I am passing it on to several older women that I know and a couple of young women.
As a large woman, my size is my first impression for many people. The ones who judge me by size alone, will always discount me and my various talents. Size is a great winnowing tool; people who can't see beyond it are not destined to be a part of my life.
I remember a friend of my sister-in-law. Every time that we met, she was cold and condescending. She would look at my husband and me, and the thoughts would practically scream from her head. "What in the world does he see in her?" After more than thirty years together, my husband and I are still in a deeply committed relationship. What we have is more precious than jewels. It transcends body size, shape, and saggy-baggyness. Rather than being based on the ephemeral, it is based on respect and caring.
Thank you for writing this article. In our age of surface glitz, it goes deeper.
Connie