Society's Obsession with Physical Appearance. . .

Today I decided I should hit the topic nail on the head and discuss society's obsession with physical appearance.  Lets begin by picking up our history books and flipping all the way back to the 16th century.  I am sure you are all familiar with the famous Mona Lisa painting. (although painted in 1503-1506 it was considered 16th century because this is when it became famous)

Take a good hard look at this picture.  What do you think it meant to people of the time?  How do you think their society viewed this portrait?  Do you think this is exactly what this woman looked like?  Was this painting tampered with after it was originality painted?
You see a beautiful woman, very decently clothed, with a smile that would soon become worth a million dollars.  This woman appears happy.  This woman appears HEALTHY.  But I am sad to say, by the standards of society today, this woman would probably be considered unhealthy and overweight!
This brings me to my question.  Why is society SO obsessed with physical appearance?  Can't people just be happy and healthy?  The media, and really people in general, have put this image of what you SHOULD look like.  What type of clothing you should wear, what your hair should look like, what SIZE you should be.  Why is it any of their damn business what size clothes I wear?  Heaven forbid that I am happy in a size 18, and NO way could I be healthy over 200lbs!  Right?!
Now a days, you see these pictures of what SOCIETY deems "beautiful women".
I did a simple google search for "perfect female body" and was disgusted at the results.  Pictures like this....

Call me dumb, but I don't see where ANY of those words I searched are in this picture.  This woman is skin and bones! You can see every rib, hip bone, and neck!  She is dressed horribly, and to top it off, she looks UNhealthy!  THIS is what society is trying to bring us to!  I for one stand up and say NO!  I wouldn't be either healthy, or happy in a body like this!
I am a proud size 18!  I have hips!  I have curves!  My butt doesn't fit everywhere!  I have tatas that make men go crazy!  haha Just figured I'd throw that last one in there! ;-)
But on a more serious note, when did we go from the beautiful, voluptuous woman to a bag of bones with a few strings tied around her no-no spots?  Who was it that decided THIS was sexy????
I remember when I first learned back in the 16th-18th century, a man would judge his wealth by how FAT his wife was.  A larger wife meant the man was able to fully provide, take care of, and keep his wife HEALTHY.  Now it seems like the men with fat wives are called "disgusting" or "gross" for the simple fact that their wife isn't a "perfect" size 2.
The more I think about it, the more irate it makes me.  So I leave you with this. . .

Whatever shape you are.  Whatever size you are.  Whatever body GOD gave you.  Be proud of it!  Embrace it!  Show off your curves girl!
I, Ashley Brown, size 18, all 5ft 11in, ALL 250lbs of me, pledge to be healthy in my own eyes because NO doctor or person can tell me when I'm HAPPY!