Art and Body Love

for the last three years, i have been fortunate enough to take part in a few photography projects with local artist Girl Crimson. last year the theme was "Radical Bodies", and when asked "what makes your body radical?" this is what I wrote:

"What makes my body radical? The fact that everywhere I go, everywhere I've gone, I've been told that my body is not beautiful, not normal, not okay, not the right size, not the right shape. The only time I've been told that my body was "right" was when I started going to Weight Watchers about 6 years ago to change it. There, because I was trying to make my body different, smaller, "better", I was told that I was a good person, that what I was doing was good for me and would make me more dateable, employable, normal. What they didn't tell me was that I would also be more unhappy and unhealthy than I've ever been. Sure, my body would get smaller and perhaps more "normal", but I'd be miserable, I'd hate myself, I'd hate everyone else, and I'd hate the fact that my brain and my body didn't match up. When I learned to live outside the norm, to not desire thinness and a typical definition of "beauty", I finally felt beautiful for the first time. Did people stop telling me that I was abnormal, ugly, too big, the wrong shape? No. I just stopped caring and started learning that my body, my radical body, is fine and healthy and happy and beautiful just the way it is. So maybe what makes my body radical is my attitude towards it. I'm not sure. I just know that I am happy to give out big and friendly "fuck yous" to all of the people and media images and societal norms that tell me that my body is not acceptable"

working with Girl Crimson is an experience in beauty and body love, no matter what your body looks like or what history you have with your body. she finds and creates beauty and this year she's at it again with her new project: On The Body. i HIGHLY recommend that you check this shit out:

http://girlcrimson.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-body-revolution.html

have an amazing experience, support a local artist, find, create, and share beauty. GO.

"suddenly, my body"

i've been sick, so i've been watching a lot of TED talks.

this is worth your time, i promise.

go, watch.