I ask the girls about fat. "It's just a word," they tell me. "People have attached such a negative stereotype to it. But being fat doesn't mean not being beautiful." It's a lightbulb moment for me, a girl who has wrestled with body issues since grade school. The voice in my head that absolutely loathes by my curves is suddenly silenced by the girls' conviction and in that moment I understand what exactly these two girls mean to those who follow their blog.
Of course, things weren't always this way for them.
Years ago, when the media was whispering thin into their ears everyday, there was a mounting battle that resulted in calorie counting, bulimia and, ultimately, Stacy's hospitalization. "I had to stay in the hospital for one week," she shares. "I regressed thrice until I eventually understood the word ACCEPTANCE. I had to accept my body. I just had to. There was no point in forcing my body to become something that it just wasn't made to be. I realized that beauty truly is from the inside and feeling good about your body is the key to looking beautiful."
The recovery process ended at the foot of a cross in Calvary. "Friends would invite us to church events," says Danah. "And slowly, we began to know more about what Jesus did on the cross." The joy they have now, the contentment and peace, comes not only from beating an internal struggle but from finding their worth in a God who epitomizes beauty. Danah states: "It's realizing that we are Princesses of a King that changed things."
It makes sense that only upon encountering Real Love did the real love for self begin. Today, the twins pioneer a revolution that aims to reach out to girls who struggle with their self-image. It is the dream that God has put in their hearts. They aspire to put up a clothing line that will cater to women of every size and, hopefully, later on, a magazine. They are currently the brand ambassadors of F21 (+).
Stacy and Danah prove that it takes a few good curves to change society's twisted way of seeing beauty. All over the metro, girls are breathing a sigh of relief. The internet is all the better because of The Plump Pinay. The numbers are growing: 1,000+ people are grateful, this writer included. Stacy and Danah, let me throw it back at you, from one plumpy to another: You two are remarkable. Stay beautiful.
-♥-
Now let's meet the writer herself, the beautiful, intelligent and adorable Isa.
---
- Large. US 10-12, for both tops and bottoms, depending how full I am on that day. :)
- Zooey Deschanel. Natalie Portman. My mom. Oh, and Stacy & Danah Gutierrez, no kidding.
- Forever 21. H&M. I'm not a big fan of brands and to be honest, I don't really like shopping. These days, I actually like having my clothes made by friend and fashion designer, Meli Bantug.
- I keep it simple. I love jeans, leggings, tops that are colorful and fun, cardigans, printed dresses, ballet flats or Keds.
- I want my personality to shine through: a little bit edgy, a little bit fun, a little bit happy, a little bit daring, a whole lot of woman and 100% me.
- I have a stepper at home so I've been getting into the habit of exercising 20-30 minutes each day. I do crunches, too. (When I remember to. Hehe.)
- I think confidence comes with age. At 22, I know myself better. I know what I like and who I am and the beautiful thing is, I'm still learning. As I go through life, it's wonderful to discover who God made me to be and to revel in being that person. My confidence also comes from a family that loves me no matter what, best friends who are in it for the long haul, writers who speak truth and people like you two, who remind me what beauty truly is when I'm tempted to forget. Most of all, the confidence I have today was born from knowing (and constantly re-knowing) that God loves me. When the psalmist wrote The King is enthralled by your beauty, he was talking about me. (And you!) Knowing God loves me gives me the confidence to be me without any inhibitions.
- The opinons that really matter to me belong to people I respect, admire and love, who I am confident have my best interest at heart. Everything else is just noise because I know who I am in God (and because I know that I'm still a work in progress!)
Message to other Plump Pinays
- You honor beauty when you love yourself. So don't be afraid to because you are remarkable. :) True beauty shines bright in people who are happy with who they are, where they are and what they are doing. And it's all-natural; the kind that can't be bought, manufactured or reproduced. Loving yourself lights up all your features. It's hard to do but so worth it. Lay the judgmental voices in your head to rest. Be brave and take a step towards acceptance. Trust me: love looks good on you. :)
Plump ♥,
Danah