“Body Language” by Emma Seybert spoke out to me the way sunflowers yearn for the sun. The moment my eyes landed on her page, I knew I’d stay for a while. At first glance, I assumed the story would be about bullying or being left out. Instead, I was taken on a ride where Seybert delved into her insecurities about her body. Symbolism aids in her self-discovery by transforming the word, “fat,” into a knife in her abdomen. The new girl looks Seybert up and down in an effort to judge her intelligence based on her appearance. That girl proceeded to call the narrator fat, refusing to partner with her for a shallow reason.

Body issues has, I'm sure, dominated every teen’s mind at least once. From the jokes about menstruation to girls feeling like they’re not thin enough, society has structured our minds into prioritizing looks over all other traits. The double standard that comes with being “skinny” and being “fat” is finally being fought down, a hopeful attempt to break down our mental barriers. Then again, popular fashion magazines often preach body positivity in one article, but will poke at every minor detail on a celebrity’s body in another article. When will this vicious cycle stop? Will we just develop another “perfect body” in the coming years for later generations to yearn for? Emma Seybert’s piece encourages young readers like me to take a step back and think about the clouds of hypocrisy and forced ideas of perfection bearing down on us as we walk by every day. Her beautiful story of learning to accept her body should be read like a nursery rhyme at bedtime, enforcing the idea that kids should love themselves despite the twisted lies thrown at them.