“Not a Barbie, Still a Masterpiece” (18x24)

“Not a Barbie, Still a Masterpiece”
by Tiffanie Chin

I tried to shrink myself
into a version that felt easier to love—
a paper doll cut from someone else's dream,
posing behind perfection
that never belonged to me.

But my body spoke back.
With every stretch, every curve, every mark,
she whispered,
“I’ve carried you through pain,
through pressure,
through promises you broke to yourself.”

And so I apologized—
for every harsh word,
every cruel diet,
every time I cursed the mirror
for reflecting the truth too clearly.

Now I rise in softness and strength.
No more trying to mold into someone else's fantasy.
No more plastic smiles.
No more edits.

This body is my home.
Untamed, unfiltered,
and finally forgiven.

I am not a Barbie—
I am flesh and feeling,
art and ancestry,
grace and growth.

And I am perfect,
just like this.