You searched for body positive - Page 21 of 91 - Everyday Feminism

Folks have a lot to say to women and girls who dress “immodestly,” such as “you look like a slut” and “aren’t you afraid you’ll be harassed or raped?” For many, their words come from a place of concern. But in a society that wants to control and police women’s sexuality, it means their concern is actually coming from a place of misogyny.

Many people have an immediate “throw their ass in jail” reaction when they think about people using drugs while pregnant. They don’t think about whether that solution is the best thing for the pregnant person or the pregnancy. And I want to argue that, actually, it’s not. Here are five reasons why criminalizing pregnant substance abusers is both unhelpful and stems from misogyny.

With pregnancy comes changes to your body. And if you struggle with negative body image, those changes can provide a unique hurdle. For those struggling with or recovering from eating disorders, pregnancy can be a complicated time. So how do you cope with this in a healthy, productive way? Check out this infographic from NEDA for some quick and helpful advice!

In a world filled with misogyny, children are taught to diet at terrifyingly early ages and women are perpetually assessed by oppressive, fatphobic, Eurocentric, patriarchal standards of beauty (as opposed to character or skill). Liz Boltz Ranfeld vows to break the cycle of fat-shaming by loving and celebrating her daughter regardless of weight or size.

What do you think of when you hear “reproductive rights?” Access to abortion and birth control, most likely. For most people, the list ends there. But reproductive rights are also about HOW a person will give birth. Where, when, and with whom a person gives birth is equally important a right as their ability to prevent, continue, or terminate a pregnancy. Here’s why.

When you think “eating disorders,” do you automatically think of women? It’s true that women are more commonly affected by eating disorders, but millions of men and boys also battle them. Yet, because our society sees eating disorders as a “women’s issue,” we often overlook and minimize how eating disorders affect men. So check out this infographic to learn more.

Women’s issues and mental health: both are important issues to discuss, but neither are taken very seriously in mainstream society. Check out this infographic to get the facts about the most common mental health issues affecting women.

If you don’t have one, you know someone who does. But how much do you really know about the clitoris? If you’re like a lot of people, probably not much. That’s due in part to society’s focus on cis-male pleasure — thanks, patriarchy! We could all benefit from learning a little more about the clitoris. To learn more about this amazing part of our bodies, check out this video!

Miscarriage is a part of reproductive rights and justice — and something that we can’t afford to ignore. Here are four ways to combat the silence and stigma.

“She doesn’t make a good witness.” I will never forget those words. This was one of the first instances that made me take a serious look at my privilege as an able-bodied person. It took seeing a survivor of a violent crime being told that she would never see justice because of her disability. This is a serious problem. So how can we work to solve it?

There are some widespread misconceptions about mental health disorders. People think the cure for depression is to “keep your chin up,” that addiction is simple weakness, and that obsessive-compulsive disorder is humorous. Let’s set the record straight about how this stigma actually affects the lives of people living with mental health issues.

Walking through the world as a fat woman has its own challenges. But when you’re a fat woman who’s dating someone with a thin, more socially acceptable body — someone people don’t think you deserve — well, that’s something else. Watch Rachel Wiley express some of the honest thoughts and anxieties that come with being loved by a skinny boy in this spoken word performance.

Make no mistake: There is serious stigma around mental health. People are misinformed about what it is, how it’s caused, and how it can be treated. As a result, people are hesitant to consider seeking the help they need. Check out this video in which vlogger Marina Watanabe shares her story of how she came to terms with her depression and started to manage it.

Our LGBTQIA+ communities are, in general, less healthy than our heterosexual counterparts and much of that is directly related to discrimination and social stigma. We get the short end in terms of access, utilization, and LGBTQIA+ informed care, and the consequences of the health disparities within our communities are severe. So what can you do to help?

A majority of states require parental involvement in the decision of those under 18 to have an abortion. On the surface, this seems well-intentioned. But what’s really underlying these laws? Here are 5 reasons why parental involvement laws do more harm than good, and why no one, regardless of age, should be legally required to obtain consent from their parents for an abortion.

I am a person with restricted growth (or little person or person with dwarfism), and I am queer. I didn’t come out as queer until I was in my 30s. People asked me why it took so long. The real answer is that accepting my disabled identity was necessary before I could accept my queer one, and for me this has been a long, hard-fought struggle.

My friend Lauren has been dealing with abdominal pain for the past few months. Around the same time, I got sick. Lauren and I have been talking about all of this — we were stuck on how to give our bodies the rest they need to heal. It’s been hard for us to give our bodies the rest that they need because it’s hard for us to listen to our bodies and accept and respect our bodies’ limits.

It was the summer of 2006. I met Ben at the movie theater where we both worked. He seemed somewhat uncomfortable in his skin, but, hell, so was I. Eventually, I became acutely more aware of Ben’s extreme insecurity and unhealthy habits. At the time, I naively thought my words and support alone could help him. But I didn’t know then what I know now.

I was born with spastic cerebral palsy. I didn’t think in terms like beautiful/ugly. I was sometimes told I looked nice, but I didn’t expect to hear words like “beautiful” or “stunning” associated with my body. Ever. Those words were for able-bodied people. But now I know that there is room for bodies like mine to be gazed at for reasons other than difference.

People often talk about thinness, and the desire for thinness as a given. It’s so ingrained in our culture (thanks, $58.6 billion diet industry) that we don’t often ask the question “Why do you want to be thin?” What would being thin mean to you? I want to break apart some thinness myths. Let’s take a closer look at nine supposed benefits of being thin.