I have what is commonly referred to in my family as the “Moeller nose.” Some have described it as angular, distinct even. My father once commented that bump at the bridge was regal—I am sure he meant well as he has “the nose” as well. I have always just thought of it as large. Definitely not small. Far from being a cute button nose that so many of the cheerleaders had at my school. I always despised those charts that depict the “perfect” facial feature measurements. I end up with the question—what about the rest of us? Should we be bred out of the stock? If I were to have offspring, I would be doing my part to perpetuate the Moeller nose. The thing about noses too is that apparently they are one of a few body parts that keep growing. Ears and noses, that is. So it is only downhill from here. Of course there was always the option of surgery. I could have a small, petite, delicate nose if I chose. It would cost me, but I could have it.

At least that’s what I used to think. So what stopped me? Even though I suffered from an eating disorder for much of my youth and I bought in to the false ideal of perfection that is reinforced everywhere we look, I chose (and choose) to keep my nose the way it is. I have come to embrace the truth: we only decide something is unacceptable based on comparison to something else. And of course our comparison is to these false standards. Yes, these “standards” are everywhere we look. As depicted in the media, it is clear that we need to look a certain way. If we don’t fit into the mold, something is wrong with us.

After so many years of being hyper critical of my appearance, I learned to accept myself. Now, in my role as an Ambassador to the National Eating Disorder Association, I help spread the word. The media can only impact us if we let it. We need to develop a critical eye and to practice conscious consumption with the media. Societal pressures do exist, but who makes up the society? We do. Who keeps buying the fashion magazines, watching the TV shows? We do. Who keeps falling for the myth that there is something wrong with us? We do. Peer pressure and negative influences exist, but who needs to be responsible for this? We do. If we still choose to view, buy or read yet continually feel less than, we need to be responsible for that. We are the ones who keep comparing ourselves. Maybe one day, if we all truly love and accept ourselves the way we are, the media will change too.