Throughout this week, The Women’s Resource Center, better known around campus as ‘The Dub,’ has been hosting Body Beautiful Week. The series of events aim to support individuals of all identities to transcend the societal standards surrounding beauty to love the body that they have.
Monday through Friday, a photo campaign has been held that encourages everyone to write down what they love, are learning to love, or are reclaiming about their bodies and then pose with their statement for a picture. The photo campaign strives to create confidence within an individual by highlighting something that they truly love about themselves.
“I think that this week promotes a great message. Every individual has the right to their own health and happiness and to be comfortable in their own skin without being criticized and judged by others,” states Michaela Osborn ’18.
Tuesday’s Dub Club meeting discussed the relationship between eating disorders and the beauty standards present in the cultures that we’re a part of.
Kate Angus ‘20, house coordinator of The Dub, stated, “We decided to talk about eating disorders and body image for Dub Club this week in honor of Body Beautiful Week. We discussed how the different intersections of gender identity, cultural background, race, and natural body type influence how people perceive both their bodies and their peers’ bodies, and how those perceptions of what beauty means to them can influence the risk for eating disorders.”
“The topic was an important counter-point to the light-hearted photo campaign also happening this week,” she continues, “and having these difficult conversations are necessary for making positive change in the body positivity movement.”
On Thursday Anna Soderberg ’20 played host to yoga in the Atwood Chapel. She states, “Yoga creates an opportunity to cherish your body and appreciate all that it can do. Our bodies carry us throughout each day, and, often times, people forget to thank it. Don’t forget to give your body the love that it deserves.”
Friday (today, if you’re reading this edition of THN on Friday morning!) at 3 p.m., Carefree Black Girls and The Dub will host a talk concerning beauty standards and women of color.
Zara Martin ‘18 is excited to partake in the talk: “I think it’s important to factor women of color into the mix. The media haven’t really painted the best picture of black women and I would argue that our bodies are the most policed among other women so this week’s meeting with the Dub will merge conversations like body image, media represent, approachability, misconceptions and social expectations of our bodies and connect it to intersectionality. I’m excited to hear the well needed and socially relevant conversations about the female body that Carefree and the Dub will encourage.
The week wraps up on Saturday at 3 p.m. with face masks and a clothing swap at The Dub (the green house located at 3 University Ave.). All are welcome to bring clothes you no longer wear and swap them out for some new threads that help make you feel more confident!