Why You Don't Have to Choose Between Muscles and Femininity, According to Kelsey Wells
Instagram/@kelseywells
When it comes to women's bodies, people can't seem to hold back their criticism. Whether it's fat-shaming, skinny-shaming, or sexualizing women, a steady flow of negative commentary continues.
Athletic women are no exception—a point Kelsey Wells made in a powerful Instagram post. (Related: Kelsey Wells Is Keeping It Real About Not Being Too Hard On Yourself)
"You do not have to choose between being strong OR vulnerable. Humble OR confident. Muscular OR feminine. Conservative OR sexy. Accepting OR firm in your values," the SWEAT trainer wrote. "Life is not easy OR hard, positive OR challenging and your heart is not always full OR aching." (Related: Kelsey Wells Shares What It Really Means to Feel Empowered By Fitness)
Wells shared this important reminder alongside two side-by-side photos of herself. In one picture, she's wearing workout clothes, holding a dumbbell, and flexing her muscles. In the other, she's glammed up and dressed in a gorgeous floor-length gown. Her point? She's equally feminine in both photos, even though some people might think otherwise.
"If you are a female, your body is intrinsically beautiful and feminine irrelevant of muscle mass or body shape or size simply because YOU ARE A WOMAN," she wrote. "Cease struggling to fit into the mold the world set forth for you made from the opinions of others and the ever-fluctuating standards of society. In fact, take that mold and SHATTER IT."
It's natural to want to compartmentalize things in the way Wells is describing. But true beauty is often found in the gray areas of life, which is exactly what Wells is encouraging you to embrace. You decide what's beautiful, and femininity is what you make of it.
"You are AND, not OR," Wells wrote, concluding her post. "You are ALL parts of you. You are perfectly, YOU. Embrace your truth and participate in your own unfolding. STEP INTO YOUR POWER."
