Women should send sexts to female friends to boost confidence, writer claims

'It's not about the male gaze'

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

When was the last time you sent a sext to a friend, just for sexting’s sake?

The answer may well be never, as the general consensus for sexting (aka sexy texting) is that it occurs between sexual partners, not platonic pals.

However, one female writer is trying to change this narrative by urging women to send saucy snaps to their friends in a bid to boost body confidence.

Writing for Cosmopolitan, author and journalist Nora McInerny Purmort revealed how sharing sexy pictures with her female friends revolutionised her relationship with her body and enabled her to embrace her shape.

“In college, I learned that thin was good, and thinner was better,” she wrote.

It was thanks to her late husband, Aaron, who tragically passed away after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, that the mother-of-one started to feel confident enough in her own skin and began sharing underwear selfies with her friends.

“As Aaron's sickness took away his ability to run, to use his arms, to walk, I found the beauty in my own body,” she said.

"The girl who used to have cigarettes for dinner? She ran a half marathon. Three of them! Slow as hell, but I did it.

"And every time my feet hit the pavement, I felt grateful for everything my body could do."

While the messages were initially sent in a drunken haze, Purmort explained that they have now become a daily practise, with everyone praising one another’s figures with emoji praise hands and complementary messages whenever they receive a snap.

She added this wasn’t something she ever did with Aaron, insisting “it’s not about the male gaze” but celebrating the beautiful women in her life.

"I want to tell you that your body is an amazing little skin house your soul lives in, and you only get one, and you sure as hell better admire it every day,” she concludes.

“So grab your phone. Get to a mirror, put on this playlist, and sext your best friends. You're worth it.”