Florida girl Tish pens body-issue letter to magazines to feature women of all sizes

A thoughtful 10-year-old girl has written a petition begging magazine editors to celebrate women of all different shapes, sizes, and colors after having an honest conversation with her mother about the pressures society puts on females to meet its expectation of beauty. 

Best-selling author Glennon Doyle Melton, 40, from Naples, Florida, took to Momastery, the online community in which she founded, to share her daughter Tish’s heart-wrenching plea for all women to be treated equally. 

Using the title Help Save Humanity, Tish wrote: ‘Dear world, this is a petition to show that I, Tish Melton, strongly feel that magazines should not show beauty is the most important on the outside.’

Powerful plea: Author Glennon Doyle Melton took to the online community Momastery to share her 10-year-old daughter Tish’s petition for magazines to feature women who are beautiful on the inside

Important lesson: Glennon, who struggled with bulimia and addiction, explained that she didn’t want her daughter to look at the women featured in magazines and think that there is something wrong with her

‘It is not,’ she explained. ‘I think magazines should show girls who are strong, kind, brave, thoughtful, unique, and show women of all different types of hair and bodies. All women should be treated equally.’ 

On Monday, Glennon shared a blog post about the conversation that led to Tish’s petition, explaining that over the weekend her daughter asked her why she is different than the other girls who are ‘all skinny’.   

Glennon, who struggled with bulimia and addiction, noted that she was also 10 years old she started to notice her ‘differentness’ and that feeling of inadequacy led to her eating disorder. 

‘As I sat on that bed with my baby, I swear to you I became ten again,’ she wrote. ‘It all rushed back and I froze. I just froze. I could not think of one helpful word to say.’

The mother-of-three said she stayed frozen until her husband Craig knocked on the door and asked for her to speak with him in the bathroom for a second. 

‘I can’t do this. I am this,’ she told Craig once they were alone. ‘How do I help her from becoming this when I am this?’ 

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Making a difference: The 40-year-old mom from Naples, Florida, happily signed Tish’s petition along with the rest of her family 

A photo posted by Glennon Doyle Melton (@glennondoylemelton) on Dec 26, 2015 at 8:17am PST

However, Craig encouraged Glennon to be honest, and when she returned, she and her daughter talked for two hours about body image and the messages society sends to girls about ‘staying small and quiet’ as a way to keep them from being leaders. 

‘We talked about how hard and wonderful it is to have a body, and we talked about what, exactly, bodies are for. I did my best,’ she admitted. 

‘The truth is—I’m still learning what it means to be a woman and how to live comfortably inside my body. Ten to forty has gone by pretty fast.’ 

However, their conversation was just beginning. The next day they were making their way out of a bookstore when they stopped in front of a magazine rack and saw seven publications’ covers, all which featured ‘blonde’ and ’emaciated’ women, who were objectified. 

‘These magazine covers held up a certain type of pretend woman for all to see as the pinnacle of female achievement,’ she said of the covers her daughter was staring at. 

Glennon admitted that she thought about just calling her daughter away, but she realized she couldn’t leave her to deal with the confusing messages she had see on her own. 

Instead, the mom walked over and asked her daughter what she thinks the magazines are trying to tell her about what it means to be a successful woman, and her question led to another candid conversation. 

Good example: After she shared a picture of Tish’s petition on Facebook, many moms praised her for having an honest conversation with her daughter about body image and the messages society sends to girls 

Glennon went on to ask Tish if she thought women’s bodies are for selling things, and her daughter promptly said ‘no’.   

‘That’s why this feels bad to you,’ Glennon explained to Tish. ‘Because this is a lie. There’s nothing wrong with you, baby. There’s something wrong with this.’ 

An hour after they returned home, Tish presented her mom with her handwritten petition, which their entirely family signed. 

Glennon also shared the petition on Facebook, where thousands of people shared the little girl’s message. 

‘I need to sign this petition, for my daughters and my son,’ Erika Monique commented. ‘If you put this online, Glennon, please let me know.’

And Jennifer Clarke Provissiero added: I tell you, I have never felt good enough. Thin enough. Pretty enough. Worthy enough. Thank you for reminding me I am enough! Glennon Doyle Melton, please hug that smart, brave, perfect girl of yours for me!’

Tish explained that she hopes her daughter will be able to look at unrealistic portrayals of beauty and say there is ‘something wrong with that’ instead of feeling there is something wrong with her. 

‘That’s what I want,’ she said. ‘I want girls who are angry instead of sick.’