During the “Sexy at Any Age” Empowerment Experience at the 2013 ESSENCE Festival, ESSENCE Relationships Editor Charreah Jackson moderated a panel including Nicole Murphy, Kenya Moore, Mayte Garcia, Victoria Rowell, Dr. Rachael Ross and radio host Shirley Strawberry. The women discussed what sexy means and how women should move towards self-acceptance in order to find true happiness.
Actress Victoria Rowell implored women to change the way they view the physical changes our bodies endure, right down to the stretch marks. “They are women scars and maybe our breasts may not be as buoyant and maybe our stomachs stretched because we have given life. We earned those,” she told the cheering crowd. “Looking at the beauty of our bodies as we become older is very, very important to do.”
Referring to stretch marks as tattoos, Rowell told the audience “Women have warrior marks and I think that those of us who have had babies, we gain power.”
Check out video footage from the insightful conversation below.