Although it’s hard to admit, I must confess that even at nearly 50 years old, I still struggle with having a flat butt! I’m sure I’m not alone, many of you may have learned to accept it, deem it unimportant, or simply move on. I, on the other hand, haven’t… but I’d like to try. I think it’s about time.
As a child and preteen, I never really noticed my flat butt. I’ve always had nice wide hips, Latina curves, a flat tummy, and an athletic build, thanks to my commitment to eating well and exercising. It wasn’t until my grandfather publicly commented on my flat butt at a family gathering that I realized it was something to “fix.” I felt ashamed, as if there was something wrong with me, something defective. My discomfort grew when I noticed my sister’s butt was exactly how I wished mine could be, round, full, and voluptuous.
Latinas are often stereotyped as having lush bodies, curvy, with big breasts, wide hips, and darker features. After that embarrassing moment with my grandfather, I started noticing other differences between my siblings and myself: my unruly curly hair, my tan, Spaniard-like skin, and smaller breasts. Yet nothing bothered me as much as the shape of my buttocks.
Since then, I developed habits to “fix” it. I obsessively searched for the right pants, wore longer shirts to hide my flatness, tried butt-lifting underwear, and even considered augmentation surgery. That single comment from my grandfather had taken over my thoughts about my body.
This is a clear example of how influential people in your childhood can shape insecurities, if you allow them to. Over the years, I’ve learned to make peace with many aspects of myself: cellulite, emotional scars from childhood, and a divorce. But my flat butt? I had never addressed it.
Today, I choose to let go of this fixation. It matters to no one but my insecure self. My husband thinks I’m sexy and beautiful, big Latina butt or not. I will no longer let this negative habit rule how I see myself in the mirror. Instead, I’ll focus on what truly matters: being healthy and appreciating the many blessings I have.
Changing my thoughts about body image may seem trivial, but it isn’t. This insecurity stemmed from someone I trusted pointing out a flaw, and I simply wouldn’t let it go, until now.
