I grew up loving Will & Grace. This was the first time I saw a woman with red hair as a main character in a television show; I felt I could relate to Grace, even though I was very young while the show was in syndication. I became obsessed (again, at a young age) with trying to replicate everything Grace did—from the way she dressed, to the way she wore her hair.

I never realized, until recently, when I satarted watching Will & Grace again for the first time in many years, that my obsession with Grace, or Debra Messing, may have had a large impact on my self-love and appreciation.

I have never been thin, so having an idol like Grace wasn’t easy. She was/is very bony, and when I didn’t look like that, it really hurt.

Basically, I am finally figuring out why I may have grown up with severe body image issues, and why I still struggle with these issues on a day to day basis.

I am not blaming show business or television for my woes, just simply recognizing where my problems may have been rooted.