Working in clothing retail probably did some, but not as much as playing sports with other women and seeing a diversity of bodies kick ass. I played a sport with a very wide band of body type variability needed: giraffes, speed demons, bruisers, immoveable brick walls. An appreciation for the beauty of an athlete doing their thing did extend some to bodies in general. And it helped shape my own perception of my body in a positive way. But never enough to erase the negative lessons taught to girls/women from other pressures.

Shout-out to Ilona Maher, US Olympian in rugby, hella good social media poster including excellent dialogue on this very topic. If a person does the social media thing of following celebrities, I highly recommend her.

More than anything, working in clothing retail further confirmed for me that clothing sizes are inconsistent and arbitrary and should not be used to make judgments on anyone’s health.