14/09/2026
I genuinely thought we were doing better than this.
As a mum of two daughters, I’ve always tried to teach them that their bodies are not here to be s*xualised.
I want them to grow up wanting to feel strong.
To appreciate what their bodies can DO, not just how they look.
To be valued for who they are.
To be seen as humans first — not bodies.
But I’ll be honest: I still struggle with body image too. And I know so many women from my generation, and generations before us, do as well.
It’s taking me a long time to accept the parts of myself I was taught to see as flaws. I grew up reading Dolly magazine, surrounded by messages about how women and girls were supposed to look, behave and be perceived.
Those messages stay with you.
And as someone who works in both fitness and marketing, this one really got me thinking…
Are we seriously still using s*x to sell?
Because I thought we’d moved forward from the idea that a woman’s body is one of the easiest ways to get attention.
Sydney Sweeney is obviously a beautiful woman — this isn’t about tearing her down.
It’s about the marketing.
It’s about the message.
It’s about what we continue to normalise.
Our daughters are already growing up in a world that puts enormous pressure on them to look a certain way.
I want my girls to know they can be strong, capable, intelligent, funny, talented — and above all, seen as whole human beings, not something to be s*xualised.
I also want them to grow up with a healthier relationship with their bodies than many of us were given the chance to have.
Maybe I’m getting old 😂
But I really thought we were doing better.
Our girls deserve better.