Shapes and Sizes.

The beginning of a new year marks one of my favorite times of year -- Awards Season!  I thoroughly enjoy seeing everything from the parade of dresses and jewels float down the red carpet to the witty banter of various hosts as they attempt to deliver a strong punch line to the true personalities that will shine through in the form of an acceptance speech.

Looking back, I have typically associated the images of Awards Season with statuesque figures of actresses -- tall, slender, flawless in the face.  And then, this year, I started to see a different image populate the television screen.  It is the image of a more curvy and confidant woman. 

Amy Poehler is full of charisma and, in my opinion, did a wonderful job of providing comedic commentary with class and wit for the Golden Globes.  Amy Poehler is not a size 2.  Lena Dunham is a rising star with a clear dedication and motivation for her craft.  She features herself, and others of a more curvy shape, in her show Girls.  Lena is probably not typically described as a 'skinny starlet'.  And then, last night, as I watched the Grammy Awards I was in awe of the talent on stage from women like Miranda Lambert and Kelly Clarkson.  These award winning songstresses are confident, curvy, and successful.

I am not looking to pin the two ends of the spectrum against one another 'thin versus not-so-thin' and I certainly can't imagine describing any of the aforementioned women as overweight.  However, I do find it notable that women of various shapes and sizes stand as strong examples of confidence, success, and beauty.

I, for one, am relieved to see young girls looking up to such success stories for inspiration because what is most important is to remember that redefining normal is what has allowed our society to grow and evolve decade after decade.  Just maybe, this time around, we might decide that normal is entirely overrated and simply being an individual is the only normal that matters.