25/365 (feb 10, 2010)

i, like most girls struggle a bit with my body image. i dislike the way i look most days. but once i get in shape again i'll be ok.

Davis Famu General Desc: Descendants of twins James Mathew Davis and Magnus Davis met in Walterboro, South Carolina for their biennial family reunion. Over 100 members of my family were in attendance from California, Florida, Georgia, New York, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and the D.C. area.

Fat Girl number 9, 1/4 size, 20pp.

for more info, check out etsy.

Prints and shirts and stuff:

www.redbubble.com/people/definatalie/

www.cafepress.com/definatalie

Jubilant Quackenbush: OK, I’m insecure at the moment. Tell me my av isn’t too femme or pretty and comes off as some middle-aged man’s fantasy of what a woman should look like.

Luminis Kanto: you look dressed up for fantasy today :)--but everyone does that

Luminis Kanto: I mean, I don't see many women at the grocery store in silks, but the bedroom is another story lol

Jubilant Quackenbush: naw, I mean in general. What R______ was saying about SL lesbians got to me

Luminis Kanto: I'm sick of the "all the lesbians are men!" police

Luminis Kanto: some women are butch, some are femme

Luminis Kanto: you're femme

Luminis Kanto: the argument that RL lesbians aren't pretty is just stupid anyway

Luminis Kanto: I heard no end of it when I was trying to live as a RL lesbian :P

Luminis Kanto: femmes always get dumped on

Luminis Kanto: it's an element of misogyny

Luminis Kanto: are you planning on going to the coming out meeting in silks?

Jubilant Quackenbush: Naw

Jubilant Quackenbush: I'll change

Luminis Kanto: heh, okies, just dressed up for me

Jubilant Quackenbush: *blush*

Jubilant Quackenbush: yeah

Luminis Kanto giggles

Jubilant Quackenbush: I know you like my body *wink*

Luminis Kanto grins and smecks your thigh

Jubilant Quackenbush's thigh wobbles

Luminis Kanto: yay

We then went on to talk about alternative forms of moral reasoning :)

Please leave a comment

Please leave a comment

Plus Size Fashion Weekend, São Paulo. Photos by Stephen J. Grant.

Olympus digital camera

Teleidoscope - Breaking standards

Theme Of The Week - Stress

The standards and stress of women's beauty.

The first picture is how I look after I wake up. Then put on some make-up to cover up your zits and chickenpox scars, put in your contacts, take down your tank-top straps, and strike a pose. Then embrace your inner drag-queen and Stepford it up with photoshop.

I think women really stress themselves out over stuff like this. I went to the grocery store today looking like the first picture, and it was stressing me out because I was scared that I was going to run into someone I knew. The second picture is stressful because I wish I has used better lighting. The third is stressful because I know it is fake.

Anyway, women don't be so hard on yourselves because even Tyra, Cindy, and Kate have zits and "fat-days."

*Continued from photo before*

This woman obviously feels beautiful. She has accepted her "flaws" and believes that she is still beautiful. I can hear the voices of some of the women I know ripping her to shreds because she is not their version of perfect, so she has no right to pose beautifully. Seriously.

How about we stop nitpicking other women? What would happen? No more "beached whale" jokes when an overweight woman is on the beach in a swim suit or *gasp* a bikini. It is summer, and it is warm, what do you expect her to wear? Why do we say that woman is brave for putting on a swim suit to enjoy herself at the beach? Because women are so rude to each other! We just accept that? WHY?

You know what would happen if we all stopped pecking at each other? Kindness. Not only would we become more kind to others. We would become more kind to ourselves.

*continued on next photo*

Day 157 - The price I paid for the best friend I have ever had. My body changed so drastically, stretching 100 pounds in weight and deflating again, the skin ripped and torn, the blood clots that ravished my left leg, my beauty faded... none of those things matter when I think about what joy it has given me.

Aadon is the brightest shining star in orbit. He is the sunshine breaking through my cloud. He is the driving force that keeps me marching forward. I would not have changed a thing. I would pay this price a thousand times over.

Maybe I will never come to terms fully with what my body has become. But at least I must TRY. Such a large community of 365ers trying to know themselves, to reflect and love themselves. I am amongst them trying to come to terms. I was crying when I took this photo. Aadon came into the room and said "Mama, pretty? pretty..." and shook his head yes. In that moment, he convinced me that what was in the mirror before me was not ugly at all... I love you Aadon.

Pregnant body image concept shots

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©2011 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved

This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

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Links to my website, facebook and twitter can be found on my flickr profile

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Olympus digital camera

So there's a contest called Name Your Dream Assignment for photographers sponsored by Microsoft and Lenovo. I decided to go for it because, well, why the hell not?

I need as many votes as I can get between now and April 3rd so I can get into the top 20, when the voting closes and real judging begins.

Here's what I wrote:

For Our Daughters

Thanks! xoxoxo

Every day you wake up, and step on the scale. And most of us let that number define us. It can so easily set the tone for the day. This print is aimed at inspiring you to remember that YOU are SO much MORE than then number on the scale. It does not define you. It is not WHO you are. It's just a number. You are NOT the number on the scale!

From my Body Fab-YOU-lous line! Inspirational art dedicated to helping women find peace and end their struggle with weight loss and body image challenges.

Available for purchase at www.etsy.com/shop/JustMaryDesigns

Feminist art posted at the Waves of Resistance young feminist gathering in Montreal, QC, Oct. 10-13, 2008. I don't know the name of the artist or the title of the piece. Please let me know in the comments if you do!

Un oeuvre d'art féministe montré au rassemblement Toujours RebELLEs dans Montréal, QC, 10-13 oct, 2008. Je sais pas ni le nom de l'artiste ni de l'oeuvre. Dites-moi si vous savez, svp!

The Doll Project is a series of conceptual digital photographs that uses fashion dolls to embody the negative messages the media gives to young girls. Though it would not be fair to blame it all on Barbie, there have been many instances in which she has come dangerously close. I chose to use Barbie dolls because they are miniature mannequins, emblems of the fashion world writ small, a representation of our culture's impossible standards of beauty scaled to one sixth actual size. The little pink scale and How To Lose Weight book are both real Barbie accessories from the 1960s. They are recurring motifs in the pictures in the series, symbolizing the ongoing dissatisfaction many girls and women feel about their weight and body image. The dolls' names, Ana and Mia, are taken from internet neologisms coined by anorexic and bulimic girls who have formed online communities with the unfortunate purpose of encouraging each other in their disordered eating. With each passing era, Ana and Mia are younger and younger, and the physical ideal to which they aspire becomes more unattainable. They internalize the unrealistic expectations of a society that digitally manipulates images of women in fashion and beauty advertisements and value their own bodies only as objects for others to look at and desire.

Read more about the project here:

tiffanygholar.blogspot.com/2008/08/doll-project.html

Purchase prints here:

society6.com/TiffanyGholar

Buy the book on Amazon and Etsy.

Some people hate what I wear

Some people praise it

Some people use it to shame others

Some people use it to shame me

But I feel you watching

Always

- Billie Eilish

#portraits #self #lyrics #power #women #bodyimage #blackandwhite

Tackling body image in the media which tells us to change basically every aspect of a woman's body and face simply because it's never good enough (ie plastic surgery, liposuction, botox, breast inlargement, etc). beauty is determined by the eye of the beholder not some media outlet. This photo (at least) tries to show that every woman is a beauty no matter size, shape or form. And i'm finally being able to see that, myself. It's a shame not everyone does and that it took me this long to figure it out.

Fitness and Lifestyle photo session with Victoria Garrick on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at the Tongva Park in Santa Monica, CA.

Photo by Matt Pendleton for Matt Pendleton Photography

Written by Anna

I'm going to make a zine about body image. It's called Tell me about your body in 10 words or less.

You can participate by filling in the Google Form here

Overweight Man on Bench Eating Fast Food --- Image by © Peter Reali/Corbis

Her name was Sunshine. She was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. All her life she has struggled with the same idea - I'd like to be like that girl in the magazine. I guess that if I’m like her I will be happy-

Although Sunshine was a pretty normal size girl, every time she checked her reflexion in the mirror, she disliked her body and perceived herself larger than she really was.

She used to cry and pray- Please God, help me to lose weight , I’ll do whatever you ask me! I’m ashamed of myself! I don’t want to be like I am. I’d be so happy if my wish came true!-

That day after having repeated the same words Sunshine fell asleep. When she opened her eyes she was in another place. She was climbing a ladder that seemed to have no end. Everything around was blurry and white as clouds and a light emerged from the top of the ladder. She heard a soft warm voice coming from above that said -I have heard your petition. Do you want to be happy, right? You want to feel accepted and loved.

-Yes, indeed - She whispered, while still climbing, surprised and curious to discover who was behind that voice.

Do you think you will be happy if you look like that girl in the magazine? The voice asked

-Yes indeed I do- she replied

So the voice said those words that would transform her life forever - I will make you like her then but in order for you to make a clear decision of what you want to become, you need to pass through another trial.

Her eyes opened wide, she stopped going up of the ladder and quickly answered Oh! Whatever!

The voice continued -You need to face that which you fear the most since you are a little little girl.

What is it? Sunshine afraid articulated.

- I'll make you look like the one you don't want to be. Afterwards, you could be like a model if you wish.

Although it was a very unexpected response, Sunshine pondered it was worthy anyway.

So when Sunshine woke up in the morning she thought - what a weird dream! -She sat on her bed and saw her reflection on the large mirror hung on the red wall. She couldn't believe it! It was true she looked 50 pounds heavier!

She thought she was still dreaming -I want to wake up right now, she wished-

But everything was real. She was afraid that she might stay that way forever but she remembered that it was only momentary.

She went to the kitchen and saw Rick, her boyfriend who was there to take her to work. He was cooking breakfast for her. She felt ashamed when she saw him but he said - Darling, even when you wake up you look amazing! She then realized that for him she has always been in that shape.

-Wow! He still loves me even though how I look! He must be the one- She thought.

They happily ate their delicious meal and laughed most of the time. Suddenly she noticed how relaxed she was - Thanks for this wonderful moment Rick!-

But a second thought came and she said - Oh no! I Ate too much! - Immediately feeling as if her body grew a little larger.

-Don't worry baby, you are great just as you are! - Rick stated while staring at her with eyes of love

She made a fake smile remembering in that instant that she had to go to work.

She didn't know what to wear! She quickly chose the first dress she tried on.It appeared that no clothes fit her. When she got to her office, everything seemed as it used to be but people were more smiley and jokey than usual.

She asked to her best friend- Loli, why is everybody so friendly?

she replied:- Oh well! Miss personality! As if you never joke around, you are the soul of this office girl! -

The fact of her being so overweight seemed to have created an appealing friendly personality, which she was already before but not at that high level.

Although sometimes they teased her about her weight and how much she ate, she felt accepted and loved but still she was sad inside.- I don't like myself -she thought.

That evening, when she got home she had a mix of emotions. Her actual appearance didn't please her at all, she felt self conscious, cried and shouted - I hate this body, I don't want it any more! Why would you want me to be this way now? Why would you want me to suffer this way?- She fell asleep while crying.

Next day she woke up and rapidly remembered the day before, she looked at her hands, they seemed normal, skinnier maybe? She sat right away and looked her reflection on the mirror! She laughed and laughed! She couldn't believe how slim she was. She faced herself side ways in front of the mirror pushing the skin of her stomach, totally amazed.

- Wow! I'm so good looking! I think I can be a winner and totally happy now-

She went to the kitchen looking for her boyfriend. He wasn't there as he usually was.

She received a phone call - Hi honey, I'm at the gym, I won't have time to pick you up today-

- Who is this?- She replied

- C'mon Sunshine, it is me, Mike-

Oh no! Se thought - Where is Rick?-

Mike was the best looking guy when she went to college. He only went out with beautiful girls and was very selfish to her opinion.

Although not having Rick in this “skinny” life worried her much, it didn’t take her out of the excitement of being this new woman! She wanted so badly to use those clothes that only slim people could use!! And she was wearing them today! Besides, she had a business cocktail in the evening and she decided to wear that red dress she had always dreamt to use. She felt she just looked good in everything she chose. Her breakfast was an orange and a cup of milk. Although she was hungry, she was afraid to gain weight. Now that she was in this great shape, she wouldn't ruin it.

She got to work and people were slightly friendly to her. She looked at her best friend Loli but she didn't seem to care about Sunshine's presence.

She was getting into her office when Rose, a coworker she never really talked with, came and said - Hey girl! You look good, are you still dieting?-

Rose started to speak about diets, exercise and the "bad shape" of everybody in the office. Sunshine wasn't feeling comfortable with the conversation and softly stopped it and started to work.

Some minutes after she went to the bathroom only to see herself in the mirror. I look so good, she thought. But wait, I could have a skinnier waist and I could exercise more so I could have a much better six pack.

She went back disappointed, still she wasn't satisfied of her appearance! -What is it with me?- she said to herself. Besides although her peers were nice at her, it wasn't the same.

It seemed that Sunshine had hidden behind her beautiful body and her personality was not as noticeable as the day before.

That evening she went home again with a mix of emotions again. She put on her red dress but she wasn't happy as she thought she would be. She then realized that going to the cocktail wouldn’t be that satisfactory. She was very disappointed and hopeless. Why? It was supposed to be great! It was supposed to be as it should! I don't care about this body anymore! I want to be myself - she shouted crying over her bed.

Suddenly Sunshine was again on that ladder without end with the shiny blurry white around. She wanted to get to the top. She had to talk with that mysterious voice she heard before. The voice said: Sunshine come! And in a matter of a second she was in the most weird place she’s ever been. There was no floor. She was floating in an empty place with many different colours moving around, making waves. Without a place where to hold her feet, her movements were random and she wasn’t able to control them. She felt utterly confused and anxiously shouted -where am I? where are you? -

-You are in the infinite place, a place where everything is possible, don’t be afraid- the voice stated.

The voice sounded as blissful winds running through all her body that made her weak but strong because she had to stop resisting.

She took a deep breath conscious of that flowing air going through her. She then started to have a better control of her body. This mysterious, soft and powerful voice made Sunshine enter in profound peace that overcame the sensation of being in that strange place of not knowing.

Sunshine you won’t see me this time but you can feel that I am here, everything is perfect.

Tears of joy ran down her cheeks, a striking realization came to her mind, everything was perfect! She didn’t need to be afraid.

She was floating and saw that her tears faded away and disappeared into those colours she had never seen before. She felt an easiness on her body. Everything flowed naturally and she just left her self be guided by the shiny wind that was moving around her.

From far she saw two silhouettes approaching. The closer they were the more Sunshine realized that those two people were herself in the 2 different shapes she experienced the days before. She was amazed but not scared.

The skinny Sunshine said -Do you want them to think you are beautiful so you are loved, accepted and popular?-

-Well I suppose I do- Sunshine shyly replied

Skinny Sunshine continued- I never really felt it. Even though people tell me I am beautiful, I don’t believe it. I think Im still not enough. I laugh at those that have a larger body but deep inside of me I just want to be normal. I want to enjoy the food I eat, I don’t want to be expected to look always “perfect”. I want people to love me because what I am and not because how I look like. I am tired of being someone else's expectations. I am tired of being a preconceived idea in someone else's head. I want out of this crystal world of lies. I wish to stop pretending what I am not. If you thought that there was a secret knowledge that thinness would bring you or some magic that would make you more succesful, really loved and accepted, you are not looking in the right direction. I have what many women want but I don't have the end result of what they actually want. I don't really feel loved, accepted and happy. Not even me approve myself.

Sunshine stayed quiet, no words came out of her mouth while she stared at her thin reflection talking to her. She completely absorbed those spoken words and understood them since in fact, she herself was the one speaking.

Then she looked at big Sunshine. She smiled and said- well, I think we are not too much different among us! I felt the same that you "thin woman". But I felt so rejected by people thinking that I'm not enough! that I eat too much therefore I lack of discipline. Why do they care so much about it? I’ve heard that some people think that I look gross and it was so so sad to me! I don’t even know why I care so much about what they think! I just do care! and it hurts! I am so ashamed of my figure! I don’t want to be this way! but I can’t manage to eat less! I’ve tried uncountable times but I haven’t been able to make it! It makes me feel even worst and as a loser! But for some reason, I have come out with this great funny personality that hides my weight! So I actually know I am loved and somewhat accepted in that exquisite level as you “ dear skinny" want to feel…. So if I'm loved why do I still feel rejected? Is it mainly myself who is rejecting me?

Sunshine said- since I was a little girl I was told that I shouldn’t be fat, “that’s wrong"! I decided. Besides, being like these women on Tv or magazines! They look so successful and happy! I thought that if I was like them… tears ran down her cheeks again.

-This idea has been sold to my mind that being thin was the only way. I didn’t even ask why, I just believed it. My brain has been filled out with someone else’s ideas that were never mine and I fall in this trap, what a shame!!!! -she furiously accentuated.

-I have now experienced to be the one I feared the most, the one I wished the most and being myself a pretty average size girl. In these 3 occasions I’ve felt miserable! I now see my weight has never been the source of my happiness, I see that all this time, the main one rejecting me was myself. I now see that my frustration was all in my head! -She said it having an aha moment that brought her to joy in tears!

-I am free! I am free!! I am not slave anymore of someone else's opinion about how I should look. I am free to be myself and to raise up my head and to think I am worthy.

The voice said: Sunshine, you are beautiful just as you are, and it is not a coincidence that you look the way you do. The color of your eyes and hair, the sound of your voice, the way you smile, how much you weight. They didn't come from unaware genetics.They all make part of your story so you can shine your light during your life in that special way you do. If you could only feel grateful of how you are right now, it would be everything you are looking for! You would be happy.

Sunshine smiled living with great intensity that right moment, in peace, in total bliss. A moment that changed her life forever. After that, she could love and accept herself. She stayed in her normal usual weight, she didn’t care if her abdomen was not flat nor if her waist was small. She was free indeed. She helped many women around the world to break free from the chains of that "old thought", that is what it became just an "old thought". Finally she could shine her light in that special way she used to do.

Written by Katy Lopez ( Seen through Love)

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Sooooo, I guess once a week was ambitious as far as posting progress. Also, I have been very frustrated and struggling with pressing on.

It has been 23 days since I posted www.flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2551267351/

Please leave a comment

Happy birthday to me!!! I'm an old old woman of 26 today (and I have more issues than I did when I was a wee awkward lass. O well.)

I've decided to take my 26th year one day at a time. One breath at a time. One worry at a time. Today's issue: body image. I'm working hard to prove to myself that I am womanly, that despite my very boyish hips I can be alluring and I can be attractive. Despite my love of cussing and video games and nerdy past times, I can occasionally have the grace and disposition of a lady. I don't want to be the skinny, plastic mannequin that American society has decided women should be, but I do feel that my lack of hips and lack of badunkadunk makes me less appealing to the person I want to appeal to. I need to re-educate myself -- I used to only worry about pleasing myself, and that gave me the confidence to attract others. I need to remember that I'm the most important person when it comes to judging my beauty.

BLAH BLAH BLAH. A very merry unbirthday to you!

Title Credit: "Fake Plastic Trees," Radiohead

OK, even I'm beginning to see the change in my body over the past couple months.

Advanced Fine Art Concepts assignment on social commentary and your personal opinion based on past events/experiences in life.

This poster is dedicated to all the girls in the world. Always remember that you are beautiful, too!

Blogged at: tiffanygholar.blogspot.com/2014/03/you-are-beautiful-too....

Like this poster? Buy it here: society6.com/TiffanyGholar/You-are-beautiful-too_Stretche...

Buy the book on Amazon and Etsy.

PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Zalenga

TYPOGRAPHY: Tony Robledo

WP Theater presents the world premiere of STUFFED by Lisa Lampanelli. September 23-November 6, 2016. Jackson Gay directs. Starring Ann Harada, Zainab Jah, Lisa Lampanelli, and Jessica Luck. Additional material by Ashley Austin Morris #StuffedPlay

For tickets and more information: wptheater.org/show/stuffed/