Coping with Body Changes
- Actress Raven-Symoné has just turned 39—and we can’t help but admire how she’s able to be her true self after keeping her sexuality hidden for years and undergoing a breast reduction as a teen.
- The “That’s So Raven” star also said she decided to undergo liposuction as her weight was criticized as she stepped into her acting career.
- Despite having had breast reconstruction, liposuction, and keeping her sexuality a secret until she was in college, Symoné is feeling more confident than ever.
- It’s important to understand that the lived experience for people who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) can be a stressful experience. While some days can be marginally pleasant, others can be volatile depending on various factors such as gender, racial ethnicity, geographic location, religion, culture, socioeconomic status, and more.
- Additionally, among this group, the cancer risk is elevated according to a recent study published in the medical journal “Cancer” by the American Cancer Society. The researchers behind the study say that members of the LGBTQ+ community “experience discrimination and minority stress that may lead to elevated cancer risk.”
The actress, singer, and director, who also hosts “The Best Podcast Ever” with her wife Miranda Maday, spoke about how she work many “masks” when she was younger in a recent interview with Simone Boyce and Danielle Robay on “The Bright Side” podcast.”
Read More@thebrightsidepod @ravensymone lets @Simone Boyce and @PRETTY SMART in on the secret to “having a vision” on #TheBrightSide podcast 👀😂💭 #ThatsSoRaven #RavenSymoné #nostalgia #throwback #2000s #90s
She continued, “I blocked out a love of that. I never really had the glaze. What I have is the ability to turn off my light when I want to. To not be seen … When I turned 18 and I got free, I was like, ‘I need to go to therapy. This is incorrect.
“My wife has helped me so much in grounding and integrating who I am and undoing programming, reprogramming, and making sure that I am a semi well-rounded human, as best as you can be in this industry and on this planet.”
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The beautiful couple got married on June 18, 2020, a milestone event Symoné commemorated with a since-deleted Instagram post reading, “I got married to a woman who understands me from trigger to joy, from breakfast to midnight snack, from stage to home.
“I love you Mrs. Pearman-Maday! Let’s tear this world a new asshole!!! I’s married NOW.”
As for when Symoné decided to come out to the public, it was when she was in college.
Speaking in an earlier video for “It Gets Better,” she recounted, “I knew I couldn’t say it out loud because, ‘Oh my god, little Olivia is gay, this is crazy.’ It was always negative. So, if you don’t see other people going through it in a positive way, why would you say anything?
“There was nothing that would have made me want to deal with my own issue at that time.”
However, when she finally did open up about her sexuality, she admitted, “I felt lighter. I felt like I could go out and not have to put on 17 different hats to be myself.
“I realize that just living my truth of what I am, there’s one less person to fight me in my own head.”
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We’re delighted to see Pearman-Maday and Symoné still enjoying life together and navigating their careers together, even with their own podcast, “Tea Time with Miranda and Raven,” where Symoné has opened up about getting a breast reduction at age 15.
On an episode of their podcast, released on Dec. 5, said, “I went from a triple D all the way down to a B. Someone said I needed to do it in order to get a show.”
Symoné, who was the lead actress in “That’s So Raven” between 2003 and 2007, also said she decided to undergo liposuction as her weight was criticized as she stepped into her acting career.
She added, “At the same time I was like, ‘If you’re gonna take my boobs out, I want a lipo’ … I was like, ‘Yeah, if I get lipo, will people stop calling me fat?’ And so, I got a twofer.'”
Symoné, who later underwent a second breast reduction, also pointed out, “I felt like boys watched the show because I had big boobs.
“I feel like that was the case. They came for the boobs and stayed for the comedy.”
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As for how she recovered from her surgeries, she said, “I have scars. I still have scar tissue to this day. And I gained weight after and had to, like, go back for a quick little, like, [get] a little bit more out ‘cause [my breasts] were still too big for others’ feelings.”
Despite the scars she obtained, and having a seizure after surgery due to the anesthesia, Symoné has gratitude for her experiences, adding, “There’s this beautiful embracing of the body now that I didn’t get as a young girl.”
Coping With Your New Body
Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, previously told SurvivorNet that it’s common for survivors to struggle with the physical part of their cancer journey, something women who undergo surgeries like liposuction and breast reduction can also relate to.
“Your body has changed and represents this difficult chapter in your life and simply accepting all of that is far too simple.:
She suggests you sit with your body in front of the mirror and spend time looking at the parts you truly love.
“Give them time, honor them and then thank them,” Strongin says.
Then spend time looking at the part (or parts) of your body that has been impacted by cancer, such as your chest where your breasts have been removed, or your head where there is no longer hair.
“At first you may experience a flood of emotions this is expected and normal. As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body.
“It may not happen immediately, but with time you can begin honoring and thanking that part of your body by creating a more accepting relationship with yourself,” Strongin explains.
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Body image is about both the mental picture you have and how you feel when you look in the mirror, she says.
“Therefore, it is important that you create a ritual and practice that allows you to better accept your cancer journey both emotionally and physically.”
Bias In The LGBTQ+ Community: Find a Doctor You Trust
It’s important to understand that the lived experience for people who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) can be a stressful experience. While some days can be marginally pleasant, others can be volatile depending on various factors such as gender, racial ethnicity, geographic location, religion, culture, socioeconomic status, and more.
Additionally, among this group, the cancer risk is elevated according to a recent study published in the medical journal “Cancer” by the American Cancer Society. The researchers behind the study say that members of the LGBTQ+ community “experience discrimination and minority stress that may lead to elevated cancer risk.”
Although the healthcare profession should be free of bias and discrimination, the reality is that is not always the case. Some within the LGBTQ+ community are reluctant to seek care when they need it out of fear their doctor will shun them.
Colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Zuri Murrell, previously told us he believes healthcare providers must better understand the LGBTQ+ community. He notes that with more education, LGBTQ+ patients can grow to trust their doctors more.
“[Trust] is something that influences healthcare choices,” Dr. Murrell said.
“It’s like, I’m going to have to go through this explanation again. I’m going to have to see somebody’s face, and they may give me a look. It almost becomes chicken, and the egg, in terms of doctors, can be like, ‘You guys don’t get checked out.’ Well, it’s like I’m not getting checked because of how you make me feel.”
Dr. Murrell says many physicians are trained on heterosexual white males. He says training becomes less stringent among communities of color and even less for marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community.
“I don’t fault the patients…I fault us as physicians” when limited trust exists between LGBTQ+ patients and the medical community.
Limited trust may be even more apparent among the transgender community.
The American Cancer Society’s study notes that transgender people are less likely to be screened for cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Dr. Murrell believes a contributing factor could be doctors not believing a transgender man does not need all the cancer and regular health screenings a biological woman would and vice-versa.
He says prompting patients with appropriate screenings and asking the right questions can improve screening rates among the transgender community.
“If you don’t feel like you can trust your doctor, you need to find another one,” Dr. Murrell advises.
Managing Mental Health
Many cancer warriors, or anyone coping with body insecurities, also know what it’s like to struggle emotionally because of their ongoing health journeys, whether it be physically or mentally.
Mental health affects how we think, feel, and behave. Specific triggers like stress, traumatic events, or changes in your physical health can affect your mental health.
For cancer patients, a diagnosis undoubtedly impacts their mental health. If you are diagnosed with cancer or other chronic disease, you should be mindful of your mental health because it can affect your overall prognosis.
“For long-term mental health and living with cancer, flexibility is really at the core of how to manage long-term mental health,” says New York-based psychologist Dr. Samantha Boardman.
Dr. Boardman suggests asking yourself questions about how you deal with stressful situations to see if they’re working or need adjusting.
“Are your coping strategies in the way that you’re using them now? Are they as effective as they were in the past? Take a look at your beliefs. Do you have any fixed beliefs that are counterproductive and are impeding you from taking positive steps?” Dr. Boardman said.
To keep your mental health in check, it’s important to be aware of signs that can be subtle that something is affecting your mind. These signs include:
- A change in eating or sleeping habits
- Losing interest in people or usual activities
- Experiencing little or no energy
- Numb and/or hopeless feelings
- Turning to drink or drugs more than usual
- Non-typical angry, upset, or on-edge feelings
- Yelling/fighting with loved ones
- Experiencing mood swings
- Intrusive thoughts
- Trouble getting through daily tasks
If you struggle in any of these areas, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional to begin your emotional journey alongside your other cancer treatment.
“Depression and stress make it harder to treat cancer [and] make it harder to tolerate the treatments,” Dr. Scott Irwin, director of supportive care services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
“There’s data that if you have extra stress or depression that you may not recover or you have a higher risk of recurrence, so in treating the depression, we’re actually impacting the cancer care outcomes,” Dr. Irwin added.
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Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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