It’s Time to #LoveYourSelfie! #F
This post originally appeared on January 23, 2014 written by Gretchen Edwards-Bodmer.
This post originally appeared on January 23, 2014 written by Gretchen Edwards-Bodmer.
If you have a camera phone then you’ve probably taken a selfie. You’ve probably also posted that picture to social media, and your friends and family responded by telling you how awesome and beautiful you are. It’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t is? Unfortunately, we’re not used to receiving positive body image message through mainstream culture. Instead, we’re used to having the “beauty industry” tell us through ads and with Photoshopped models that we’re not good enough, but that we can fit in to their narrow standards of beauty if we just buy their products. They trample on our self-esteem in order to make a buck.
To counter these negative messages, Dove released a short film called “Selfie” that was recently featured on the Today Show. The film interviews girls and their moms about redefining beauty and, as a response, encourages them to take selfies. I was glad that this film spoke to both moms and daughters and that they discussed how sometimes moms unintentionally pass along their insecurities about their beauty to their daughters. It’s hard enough to deal with the negative messages in the media about our bodies, we shouldn’t have to also deal with those messages regurgitated to us by those that we love.
#loveyourselfie I’m my own kind of beautiful! pic.twitter.com/TPk9bbBoOS
— Alisa Vesely (@TheAlisaVesely) January 22, 2014
Dove took the selfies from their participants and hung them in a public gallery. The company invited folks to write what they liked about each others’ pictures on sticky notes, and asked participants to comment about how beautiful the person is (sort of like a live version of Facebook).
#LOVEYOURSELFIE EVEN WHEN THE ONLY POSE YOU CAN THINK OF IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS pic.twitter.com/tRXg5RnChm
— \m/ish (@michelleDeRose) September 26, 2013
This made me think of Operation Beautiful where you leave sticky notes with uplifting messages in public places for random people to find.
#Beauty comes from within, from a warm & caring heart. #orangeroom #loveyourselfie#saynotomakeup #kcco pic.twitter.com/WPLH67sSlj
— probably a Greyjoy (@chivettelo) January 22, 2014
There’s been a lot of debate about whether selfies are a “cry for help” or “tiny bursts of girl pride”. There’s even a #365FeministSelfie challenge, created by veteran blogger Veronica Arreola (@veronicaeye). With all that’s out there about selfie culture, I see selfies as empowering because we are in control of how we want to be seen as opposed to how others want us to be seen.
@TODAYshow #LoveYourSelfie natural beauty all day! pic.twitter.com/tphGOH25qV
— Eva Miller (@EvaMende9) January 22, 2014
To be seen, in and of itself, is empowering right? I hardly ever see anyone with my similar body type in the media, and I know people like me exist because I see them everyday. There’s power in being able to add your picture to the media landscape that purports narrowly defined beauty standards. We now can send a message to the “beauty industry” that they’ve gotten it wrong about what is real and beautiful.
#todayshow today and everyday…loving me! #loveyourselfie pic.twitter.com/wOu8lf1euY
— DIVASTYLE (@DIVASTYLE5) January 22, 2014
That said, however, selfies are more than just about beauty. We don’t have to spend all of our time and money trying to look like the models in the magazine ads. We are so much more than our appearance. We are smart, funny, creative, curious, generous and badass. All of those characteristics and more can be shown through selfies, all while redefining for ourselves the value of beauty.
#loveyourselfie my mom told me.to never care about what people look like I’m 15 and I’ve never touched make up pic.twitter.com/Px7vfM73lU
— Taylor goodwin (@rockingbaby9297) January 22, 2014
I think it’s about that time to #LoveYourSelfie.
#WhiteWomanPrivilege Highlights Intersectionality #F #WhitePrivilege
This post originally appeared on January 15, 2014 written by founder, Tara L. Conley.
This post originally appeared on January 15, 2014 written by founder, Tara L. Conley.
Yesterday #WhiteWomanPrivilege trended around the online feminist community. According to Topsy, #WhiteWomanPrivilege was tweeted over 15K times, just on Tuesday.
It may surprise followers that the hashtag originated from a white woman, @Auragasmic who started the day tweeting about the privilege white men experience:
#WhiteMalePrivilege is saying that because you don’t personally experience something, that it doesn’t exist. #Sexism #Racism
— Auragasmic (@Auragasmic) January 14, 2014
After several tweets about #WhiteMalePrivilege, she flipped the script and began commenting on her own privilege, which launched the conversation.
Can we talk about the privilege we white women have now?
— Auragasmic (@Auragasmic) January 14, 2014
#WhiteWomanPrivilege is being the idealized as the epitome of femininity and beauty.
— Auragasmic (@Auragasmic) January 14, 2014
#WhiteWomanPrivilege is being able to express your sexuality/relationship without judgement from MSM (see: the way Beyoncé was judged)
— Auragasmic (@Auragasmic) January 14, 2014
The conversation that followed @Auragasmic‘s original tweet sparked further discussions from white feminists who spoke about recognizing their own privilege, and from feminists of color illuminating on their experiences, which differed from the stories from white women.
#whitewomanprivilege means never having the talk w/ ur sons about appearing non-threatening and law abiding when you’ve done nothing wrong.
— Tasha L. Harrison (@dirtyscribbler) January 14, 2014
Unlike the #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen trend, #WhiteWomanPrivilege focused more on the experiences and realities of women of color (WOC) as parents, consumers, and as viewers.
#WhiteWomanPrivilege is not having to celebrate the few times a character on tv looks like you and DOESN’T play a maid or a drug lord.
— Iris Estrada (@Iris_Estrada) January 15, 2014
#WhiteWomanPrivilege means that when you have 10 kids you don’t get called a welfare queen, you get a reality show (see Duggars fam)
— Lil Luna (@LunaGemme) January 14, 2014
Many of the tweets attached to #WhiteWomanPrivilege illustrated that white women are privileged because of things they don’t do while emphasizing issues WOC face daily.
1st grade: wanted to be a pilgrim in school play, teacher made me play an indian while white girls were able to choose #WhiteWomanPrivilege
— champagne mami (@nabeyakiqueen) January 14, 2014
Your race isn’t a Halloween costume. #WhiteWomanPrivilege
— Bougie Black Girl (@BougieBlackGurl) January 14, 2014
Several #WhiteWomanPrivilege tweets let pictures do the talking. Google Image searches of “beautiful women” and “smart women” turned up almost exclusively photos of white women.
#WhiteWomanPrivilege pic.twitter.com/D83WJBbpUG
— ् (@HabibahPerez) January 14, 2014
#WhiteWomanPrivilege this!!! pic.twitter.com/zTM0e4vCTK
— Seghen Abraham (@SeghenAbraham) January 14, 2014
The conversation of #WhiteWomanPrivilege joins the ranks of the #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomenand #NotYourAsianSidekick (and on the other side: #relcaimintersectionalityin2014 and #stopblamingwhitewomenweneedunity) debates.
Read more about #ReclaimingIntersectionality2014 and#stopblamingwhitewomenweneedunity
Though each hashtag has taken on a different tone and focus, the central message is clear: This generation of feminism has serious internal obstacles to overcome.
What these tweets have indicated about privilege in 140 characters or less, several skilled writers have expanded into well-articulated posts. Here is a round-up of the best pieces I’ve seen addressing #WhiteWomanPrivilege and how we as a feminist community can address it:
Zerlina Maxwell, RH Reality Check: Dylan Byers and the Scourge of Privileged Defensiveness
Gina Crosley-Corcoran, The Feminist Breeder: Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person…
Cate Young, BattyMamzelle: This Is What I Mean When I Say “White Feminism”
Mia McKenzie, Black Girl Dangerous: On Defending Beyoncé: Black Feminists, White Feminists, and the Line In the Sand
These articles express more fully what the conversations attached to the #WhiteWomanPrivilegehashtag were unable to express; that is, the deeper meaning and nuanced perspectives of privilege. We learn that defensiveness from white feminists is counterproductive to the feminist movement, and that expressions from WOC isn’t about blame or guilt, but rather, it’s about the need to address institutional privilege clearly, directly, and without apology.
I also wrote a piece about #WhiteWomanPrivilege and feminist infighting on my blog yesterday. Check it out: (I want to emphasize I am not including this on the “best” pieces list, but I would appreciate your feedback!)
Kelly Ehrenreich, Femillennial: Miss Understandings and Feminist Infighting
What are your feelings about the #WhiteWomanPrivilege trend? How do you think WW and WOC can work together in the coming year to reach feminist goals? What are the goals? Tweet me @kellybycoffee or all of us @hashtagfeminism.
#QueeringGender: Affirming Us, Loving Us #Gender #Transgender #F
This post originally appeared on January 6, 2014 written by Lynx. This was Lynx first post as a contributor to Hashtag Feminism.
This post originally appeared on January 6, 2014 written by Lynx. This was Lynx first post as a contributor to Hashtag Feminism.
On December 27th 2013, I tweeted about my gender. I wanted to talk about my gender identity especially since the character limit in the Twitter bio section doesn’t provide space for much detail. Using the hashtag, I spoke about how my gender isn’t as simple as checking off “male” or “female” on a form or online test. I talked about pronouns I used that include “she” and “they”, with “he” being reserved for special occasions.
#Queeringgender to me means bending it to your will. Making it yours. Stepping over it, tip-toeing under it…bouncing on it back and forth
— Lynx Sainte-Marie (@LynxSainteMarie) December 27, 2013
#QueeringGender to me means thinking beyond the boxes of traditional gender performance. I perform gender more than I AM a gender.
— Lynx Sainte-Marie (@LynxSainteMarie) December 27, 2013
#Queeringgender was born from these self-reflections online. As someone who identifies as a genderqueer person of color (POC), my gender cannot easily be described. My gender is part of my spirit; it is a complex entity that cannot be named by others.
I always say that I can’t tell what my gender really is, but if it could speak, it would name itself. My gender is unconventional and outside of the “norm”. My gender is messy. My gender is political. It serves to be a reminder to those who believe that gender can only be what society says it can be. Thus, I am #QueeringGender.
Photo: #queeringgender is going on on twitter right now, so I’ve mapped mine out in a handy graphic. http://t.co/3nVJEGIGoG
— Emperor von Bears (@halfabear) December 27, 2013
For most of us, the gender binary does a lot more harm than good. This current binary system that is created for cis gender heterosexual (or “cishet”) folks oftentimes renders many of us who don’t fit neatly into its confines as invisible. We become othered. We are shunned.
This binaric belief system purports that sex, gender, and gender expression should be the same, or match-up according to prescribed notions of traditional sex, gender stereotypes, and expressions of gender norms. For instance, if you were assigned female at birth (AFAB), then you are considered a woman and thus, it holds true, that you should act feminine.
This system also says that male and female are opposites; that these genders should rely on each other and compliment each other.
#Queeringgender is a hashtag that helps to eradicate a binaric gender belief system by affirming all genders and gender expressions, especially those outside of the male and female binary.#Queeringgender is a message of love. It is a celebration. The hashtag exists to let others know that whatever gender they are and whatever gender expression they have, these expressions are normal and natural, regardless of the journey that people take to arrive at their own conclusions.
#Queeringgender is also about building community with other folks who share similar experiences of being condemned and shunned because their gender/gender expression don’t match traditional norms.
We are what we say we are, and that’s okay.
Society makes those of us who swerve away from traditional gender ideals feel SO much shame “Put on a dress or get out of the world, woman!”
— Lynx Sainte-Marie (@LynxSainteMarie) December 27, 2013
My Story
Growing up in an old-school Jamaican household where Christianity and cornmeal porridge were served hot every morning, I was told that there were certain things that boys could do that girls should not do. My grandmother always told me that “a whistling woman and a crowing are an abomination unto the Lord”, and for awhile, I had no choice but to believe her. As I grew into adulthood and found feminism, I felt I would find a community of people that would be open to my gender experiences, even if it didn’t match their own.
In both circumstances, I felt like an outsider. My mum still cringes at the thought that I describe myself as “routinely androgynous”. The white, able-bodied, cishet feminists that I befriended during my university days still believe that sex and gender are synonymous with each other. To fight against your feminist sisters, who have time to read more books and reference more Gloria Steinem quotes than you, meant your feminist membership would be permanently revoked.
Though it took several years, I grew to learn that there were others like me in the world that didn’t and couldn’t ascribe to cishet-feminist experiences of gender. I would come to see the world as a place I should belong to because there were others like me who struggled against a confined gender system.
I support #queeringgender b/c rigid rules regarding gender help no one and hurt so many.
— Sophia Banks (@sophiaphotos) December 29, 2013
I support #queeringgender because I don’t want people to put me in a box labelled “woman” or “femme” or “queer” or “has a uterus”
— jay, token muslim (@jaythenerdkid) December 29, 2013
Trolling #QueeringGender
Because folks fear those who live outside traditional gender norms, queer/trans* individuals confront marginalization on a daily basis. It is no wonder, then, that the #QueeringGenderhashtag was trolled with violent reactions.
TERFs, get the f*ck out of my HT. This is about love and affirmation. Not your discomfort or trans*phobia. #queeringgender
— Lynx Sainte-Marie (@LynxSainteMarie) December 28, 2013
Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (or TERFs) speak out against trans* folk, especially trans* women who they believe are not “real” women. Many of these attacks from trolls on the hashtag were dehumanizing and violent, especially those remarks directed towards trans* women. These attacks continued throughout the day and even now, some trolls continue to stalk the hashtag. Some attacks were thwarted by other trans* folk; others were silenced by trans* allies.
#queeringgender Because one day it will seem deplorable that folks choose not to acknowledge the identities of others. — J Mase III (@JMaseIII) December 28, 2013
In my opinion, anyone flying a feminist flag that endorses trans*phobia and trans*misogyny are NOT feminists. Cishet folks who consider themselves feminists, but who remain silent while others fight for equality should have their feminist cards revoked.
And so, #QueeringGender also serves to criticize some feminists who do not believe transgender folks exist or do not see the marginalization of transgender folks as a priority in their movements.
We are coming for you cis white feminism #FuckCisNorms #queeringgender#MyFeminismIsTransInclusive — Sophia Banks (@sophiaphotos) December 28, 2013
The reality, however, is that no one is safe from the gender binary, with its rigid rules of gender conduct by which not even the cis of cis folks can abide. I’ve witnessed self-identified tomboys (a girl or woman who exhibits certain masculine-of-center characteristics) chastised for not being quiet enough, or lady-like enough. I’ve seen femme-identified men who have routinely been targets of hate and violence at the hands of straight men who used violence to prove their masculinity and self worth. Femmephobia is perpetuated by binaries, patriarchy and misogyny.
Because doing the work and creating space for all people dismantles patriarchy and cissexism. #queeringgender — J Mase III (@JMaseIII) December 28, 2013
Since everyone’s lives and realities are complex, #QueeringGender is highly intersectional and filled with nuance. Not all of us who claim various gender identities and expressions come from the same lived experiences of oppression. An example of this is the way black trans* women deal with higher rates of violence than other races of trans* folk.
Race is always a factor in my gender perception. Racism is always a factor when I experience hate incidents and harassment. #queeringgender — Jun-Fung 闕 君 方 (@chuehjunfung) December 27, 2013
Proud trans latin@ here. My gender was not stolen by the Spanish Imperialists. It is my greatest rebellion #QueeringGender — satan (@bloodmages) December 27, 2013
Being gender ambiguous and a POC is a dangerous business. Shoutout to those who have no choice but to live under the radar! #queeringgender — Lynx Sainte-Marie (@LynxSainteMarie) December 28, 2013
Where my multi-issue allies at? Please signal boost #queeringgender. HT created by the amazing @LynxSainteMarie — Jun-Fung 闕 君 方 (@chuehjunfung) December 27, 2013
There are many of us who deal with visible and non-visible disabilities on top of trans*misogyny. Some of us, because of our inability to “pass”, cannot use gender segregated washrooms. Some of us do not want, or cannot afford gender affirmation surgery (which by the way, doesn’t make us any of us less trans*!). And some of us, because of white supremacy, have had our genders questioned because of our race, culture, or immigration status.
My ancestors had gods that existed outside the gender binary. I am just following in their footsteps #QueeringGender
— satan (@bloodmages) December 27, 2013
Finding Community in (Un)Safe Spaces
Having read through, retweeted, and favourited many experiences from all who used the hashtag, I can safely say that a great deal of us are finding solace and community. However, Twitter is far from perfect, and there are still many different sides of the story that need our full attention. We need accessible spaces, both online and offline, that celebrate and affirm queer/trans*, intersex, and non-binary gender experiences. For these reasons, I started the website Queer of Gender, a site for marginalized and multi-issue folks whose gender/gender expression aren’t “traditional”, “white-washed”, able-bodied, “thin” and so on.
Non-binary teenagers are brave and important. Our identities are just as valid as yours. #QueeringGender
— satan (@bloodmages) December 27, 2013
@sophiaphotos you’re incredible. Trans* people are warriors for being true to themselves despite heteronormative society. #queeringgender
— Catia A (@agcatia90) December 29, 2013
#queeringgender is being grateful for all of the amazing genders, bodies, sexualities and identities that exist in our beautiful community
— J Mase III (@JMaseIII) December 31, 2013
hashtags like #queeringgender help me remember that i’m not alone in my non-binary identity <3 so needed.
— cupid stunts (@catpennies) December 27, 2013
#queeringgender gave me the courage to admit that I am genderfluid. I feel like I can be honest in conversations now.
— Lilith (@GrimalkinRN) December 29, 2013
#queeringgender: That time you put on your first pair of #falsies and became #JunFungcé. (“Drunk In… http://t.co/wWdwpqxkBq
— Jun-Fung 闕 君 方 (@chuehjunfung) December 27, 2013
There are so many ways we negotiate and understand our genders and all are valid and should be recognized. And though this hashtag was accidentally put forth on Twitter, I’m glad we are having these conversations together. The conversations and ideas emerging by way of #QueeringGenderare not simply opinions, they are expressions about our lives. I can only speak for myself and encourage others to lift their voices. Each of us has a story to tell, and we need to listen to each other just as much as others should listen to us.
We exist, and we need to honour our many existences.
In response to #ReclaimIntersectionalityIn2014 and #StopBlamingWhiteWomenWeNeedUnity #F
This post originally appeared on January 3, 2014 written by founder, Tara L. Conley. This was Hashtag Feminism’s first post of 2014.
This post originally appeared on January 3, 2014 written by founder, Tara L. Conley. This was Hashtag Feminism’s first post of 2014.
My short response to #relcaimintersectionalityin2014 ? No, I will not be reclaiming intersectionality in 2014. Thanks though!
And from Adele Wilde-Blavatsky’s (@lionfaceddakini) Huff Post piece:
So I propose a new hashtag campaign for women (and men) tired of the misguided cultural relativism called #stopblamingwhitewomenweneedunity. It is not acceptable anymore to ignore white privilege and intersectionality in feminist discourse but at the same time let’s stop blaming white women for issues that clearly effect them too. Issues such as marriage, physical safety and autonomy, access to good family planning and health care, pregnancy, abortion, rape, domestic violence, slut shaming, denial of opportunities in work and education and so on still effect women across all cultures, races and nations (albeit in differing ways). If we allow race and ‘culture’ to divide rather than unite women then the patriarchs have won. On the other hand, women united can never be divided.
My short response to #stopblamingwhitewomenweneedunity ?
No, actually I’m over re-centering white women, or white liberal feminism via hashtags to understand what inclusion means because, at this point in my life, oppositional politics, no matter how you slice and dice it, or dress it up as critique or solidarity, hasn’t done much for me spiritually.
Longer response below.
A friend of mine recently reached out to me asking what I thought about Ani DiFranco’s re-apology, and to get my perspective on what might be the best plan of action that we, particularly allies can take towards healing.
Post by Ani DiFranco.
I admit that I really haven’t given Ani DiFranco or her multiple apologies much thought before my friend reached out.
But I’m glad my friend did reach out because in responding, I was able to think through how I feel about intersectionality and allyship currently emerging within mainstream and public critical discourse.
My response is below the jump (tweets added for emphasis).
###
Thanks for reaching out.
As I was reading your message, a few quotes and a movie reference came to mind.
The first quote comes from Jasbir Puar in her discussion about intersectionality and why assemblage as a concept is as, if not more, necessary than intersectionality to consider when theorizing difference and critiquing the status quo.
Puar writes,
“What does an intersectional critique look like—or more to the point, what does it do–in an age of neo-liberal pluralism, absorption and accommodation of difference, of all kinds of differences? If it is the case that intersectionality has been ‘mainstreamed’ in the last two decades—a way to manage difference that colludes with dominant forms of liberal multiculturalism–is the qualitative force of the interpellation of ‘difference itself’ altered or uncertain? […] Has intersectionality become, as Schueller argues[6], an alibi for the re-centering of white liberal feminists? What is a poststructuralist theory of intersectionality that might address multicultural and post-racial discourses of inclusion that destabilizes the WOC as a prosthetic capacity to white women?”
Then there is the line from the movie Malcolm X, when Malcolm X (played by Denzel Washington) was walking out of Columbia University, a white woman approached him and she asked: “What can I do to help?” Malcolm responds coldly, “Nothing.” Then he walks away.
To address your question about what will it take to heal the wound, I’m inclined to respond similarly to the way Malcolm responded, but for different reasons.
I think there comes a moment in critical discourse when some, like myself experience fatigue with critique, especially intersectional critique. While in the midst of the call outs and apologies, some of us with semi-public platforms prefer to reflect for a moment. Log off Twitter, don’t publish any critical or ally pieces for mainstream publications, or on Facebook.
Just pause.
Even though this makes us look like we’re not “producing” anything, or that we’re being “silenced”, what actually happens in these moments of reflection is that we stop participating in Otherizing discourses.
When Jasbir writes about the “mainstreaming” of intersectionality, and the subsequent critiques that are informed by well-intentioned allies, she’s saying that when we discuss inclusion and allyship, we end up, as always, re-centering white liberal feminism, only to render Women of Color as ‘subverted, resistant, and grieved’ bodies.
Intersectionality helps us to understand the multiple ways our bodies live, particularly within structures and systems but what it doesn’t do particularly well is de-privilege the body. The organic body isn’t all there is to our human circumstance. When we start from the position of the body, when we critique from the position of/against white woman (or white liberal feminism), we remain in a perpetual state of seeing difference as different. We’re unable to genuinely imagine what inclusion looks like, or what healing looks like because we reside is a stagnant state of resistance without ever really considering the alternatives. When doing this, we also fail to think about what might actually happen after the shift, after the healing, or after transformation takes place. We’re unable to envision, as Puar states, “what is prior to and beyond what gets established.” Our visions for inclusion therefore become shortsighted, if at all visible.
I recognize fully the unpopular perspective of my critique of critique. However, I’ve realized over the years that I can call out, resist, and write 1,000 amazing articles about status quo and allyship, but in the end, these critiques of the status quo do nothing for me spiritually, but to simply re-center the status quo.
What can/should Ani DiFranco and allies do to heal? Right now, nothing. Just reflect. If you must write something publicly, keep it short, and tell us that you’re going to do nothing, for now, because you need a moment. And while reflecting, be very thoughtful about every public and private action you take thereafter. Ask yourself: Who’s who am I aligned with? Is performing a public benefit concert or writing another public statement in the next month necessary for my personal well-being and for the spiritual healing of the collective?
You, we need to pause. We need time to re-imagine.
Also read the following books and essays at least twice:
Puar, Jasbir (2011). ‘I would rather be a cyborg than a goddess’ Intersectionality, Assemblage, and Affective Politics
Lorde, Audre: “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference“, in: Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches, Berkeley 1984, pp. 114–123.
Keating, AnaLouise (2013). Transformation Now! Toward a Post-Oppositional Politics of Change
Anzaldua, Gloria (2007). “now let us shift“
I hope this helps, if not challenges you more.
In solidarity,
Tara
This New Year #IResolveToGain Rather Than Lose #F
This post originally appeared on December 31, 2013 written by Gretchen Edwards-Bodmer. This was Gretchen’s first post as a contributor to Hashtag Feminism.
This post originally appeared on December 31, 2013 written by Gretchen Edwards-Bodmer. This was Gretchen’s first post as a contributor to Hashtag Feminism.
My New Year's resolution for 2014 is to become EVEN MORE FEMINIST.
— Kate Durbin (@Kate_Durbin) December 28, 2013
Happy New Year, everyone!
Brace yourself for the onslaught of weight loss guilt trips pushed by marketers playing on our insecurities just to make an easy buck. Whether it’s Special K’s 2011 “What Will You Gain When You Lose?” (a total rip off of feminist artist Marilyn Wann’s “Yay Scale”), or their latest “Shut Down Fat Talk” campaign (another co-optation of feminism), or Weight Watcher’s ads featuring Jennifer Hudson and Jessica Simpson (both of whom deserve to be valued for their badass vocal abilities alone), marketers seem to be using every trick in the book to sell weight loss.
The relationship between the increase of ad sales marketing weight loss plans this time of year and our collective anxiety around losing weight, especially after the holidays is evident. Our culture is fixated on women having “perfect” bodies because of beauty standards set by companies pushing weight loss products like diet pills and meal plans.
It’s time for the madness to stop.
You can’t convince me that corporations actually care about our health, happiness, or self-esteem. They want our money. Too much of our time and energy are wasted on achieving unobtainable weight loss goals. I say unobtainable because the images we see in the media that we’re encouraged to emulate are photoshopped. Your value as a person should not hinge upon how you look in a bikini.
you wonder why the world needs feminism? the world needs feminism cause women are fucking killing themselves to reach an ideal 'beauty'
— 雞塊 (@suicides3as0n) December 16, 2013
I’m a curvy girl and I’m comfortable with my body the way it is. I admit, however, that it takes constant effort to maintain a positive body image because of the unending pressure to be thin. I never see bodies that look like mine in the media even though I’m closer to the average size of the American woman than most models whose body types only reflect 5% of the U.S. population.
It’s super frustrating to hear my friends and colleagues obsess over getting rid of a so-called imperfection or losing just 10 more pounds. OK, but then what? When does the madness end?
#NotYourAsianSidekick b/c the stereotype that Asian women are/should be thin ignores the prevalence of eating disorders among Asian women.
— Ally Ang (@Allyy_Ang) December 16, 2013
When will we be OK with our bodies and pour our energies into ending violence against women, poverty, or world hunger? Rather than handing over our time and resources to the multibillion dollar weight loss industry, why not keep the money for ourselves and use it to change the world?
For this New Year’s, I propose the #IResolveToGain” hashtag conversation on Twitter.
Let’s shift our focus and think about gaining more for ourselves that has nothing to do with losing weight, but gaining happiness, self-esteem, and sense of worth. Because photoshopped models and plastic surgery-addicted celebrities featured in the hottest ads shouldn’t be where we find happiness.
Here are a few of my own resolutions to get you started:
This year #IResolveToGain more confidence in my abilities.
This year, #IResolveToGain more time for myself to do things that I love.
This year, #IResolveToGain more accounts to follow on Twitter to increase my knowledge, empathy and compassion for the experience of others.
This year, #IResolveToGain more experience boosting body image in girls and women.
This year, #IResolveToGain more laughter in my life.
What will you resolve to gain this year?