We weren't around in the 1950's and early 1960's when Marilyn Monroe rocked an hourglass figure. She had all sorts of curves, and fuller was definitely considered sexier. Now stick thin—think Kate Moss—is the new trend, and “curvy” is the new word for fat.

Yes, there are a few full-bodied exceptions to the “skinnier is better” rule, like Beyoncé. (Any girl would be lucky to have an apple bottom like hers; I know I would!) But in spite of a few exceptions, we girls are used to seeing celebrities photoshopped from a size eight down to a size two. So, it's easy to forget that we're the real girls.

Real girls are different shapes and sizes. And feeling healthy should be way more important than just looking good. But in a world where judgments are made based on looks, real girls can turn to 26-year-old Nancy Redd's new book, Body Drama, for some reassurance that they’re beautiful just the way they are. Nancy accurately and honestly addresses real girls' questions about their bodies, using real-life, young women as models. I spoke with Nancy about girls and body image, and here’s what she had to say:

 

Sex, Etc.: What were some of your concerns about your body as a teenager?

Nancy: I thought that I was the only girl who grew hair in strange places, found yucky stuff in my underwear and had deep dents on my thighs. And as a teen, I had no way of knowing if the day-to-day worries like bad breath, embarrassing nipple hair, ashy skin or heavy cramps were normal. So, I assumed I was the only one doomed to suffer from them.

To me, if none of the body books talked about dandruff (which I had), period stains (always a concern) or showed me how my growing body was supposed to look naked (which I really wanted to know), then other girls must not have these same issues, problems and curiosities. None of my issues were ever publicly discussed, so I thought that my original assumption was correct: I was a gross girl with lots of odd problems.

Sex, Etc.: My favorite part of the book is the spread of all the women standing naked and accepting their bodies. It made me feel good. What was your favorite part of the book?

Nancy: I love that part, too! But I also love all the stuff I wrote about back pimples, vaginal smells and information on safe tanning, tattooing and piercing. These are all things that I REALLY wanted to know about growing up, and until Body Drama there was no resource for my concerns!

Sex, Etc.: Was there anything you learned in your research that surprised you?

Nancy: Did you know that 10 percent of people have inverted nipples and that you expel about a teaspoon of vaginal discharge daily? Neither did I, until I started researching for Body Drama!

Sex, Etc.: Do you think young women today have more pressure on them to fit some physical ideal than their mothers’ generation?

Nancy: Our moms had pressure, but we have a bit more, because we’re expected to look like supermodels in magazines from the age of twelve. Pushup bras, thongs, bikini waxing and makeup are being marketed to younger and younger American girls, and it’s not fair. And it’s expensive!

Sex, Etc.: Do you think women from earlier generations, who grew up with more voluptuous images of the female body, felt better about their bodies as young women?

Nancy: Well, in my mom’s generation, being super skinny was super embarrassing. My mom weighed less than 100 pounds no matter how much she ate and to this day, no matter how many times I tell her that her arms and legs look great, she refuses to wear shorts or anything sleeveless. I’ve actually never seen her arms in public; she’s that self-conscious of them! It goes to show you that society’s beauty ideals change frequently and really do dictate how we feel about ourselves. 

Sex, Etc.: Do you think there’s anything girls and young women can do to stop the media from idealizing unhealthy, super-skinny images of women?

Nancy: It’s up to us to believe in ourselves despite what others say. It’s also up to us to fight against these airbrushed bodies representing us in advertising! The more we complain as a united front, the better our chances are of seeing bodies like ours, not only in Body Drama, but on billboards, television and in catalogs!

Girls, if you’ve got questions about your body, we’ve got answers! You can also pick up a copy of Nancy Redd’s Body Drama at your local bookstore.