Fit person running, with a gray wall in the background

What does it say about how we value bodies when “fitspo” – or “fitspiration” – is so popular? There have been many debates about whether fitspo is empowering or disempowering, but we don’t often think about how fitspiration is highly ableist in its assumptions about health and our ability to work out to extremes. It’s time to expose these assumptions.

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There are lots of ways to be a great “ally” – and innumerable ways to be a terrible one. But it’s not rocket science. There are simple things you can keep in mind and do in order to be a better person “currently operating in solidarity with” the marginalized or oppressed. And while this list is not comprehensive, it’s definitely somewhere to start. So “allies,” let’s talk.

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What if we told you that “fat” is not a feeling? That’s what performer and body empowerment activist Caroline Rothstein says in this stirring video about how trauma, beauty standards, and oppression teach us not to love our bodies. Learn from her eating disorder recovery, and get her key to choosing to love her body – and respect other people’s bodies, too. (Content Warning: Rape, eating disorder)

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(Trigger Warning: Ableist language) “I’ve seen Rain Man.” “But there’s nothing wrong with you.” “Labels go on soup cans. Not people.” Don’t be this person. With this video, find out just how insensitive people can be when they talk about autism, and learn what not to say to avoid perpetuating harmful false beliefs. And if you’ve gotten these comments, get a good laugh and know that you’re not alone.

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By awarding more value to transgender people who “pass” as their gender, we send the message that something’s wrong with being trans. That message is wrong. Here’s Laverne Cox challenging it with the recognition that being trans is beautiful. Take in her uplifting message to combat the harm of passing privilege. We should be free to proudly pass as ourselves.

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The work of being a feminist doesn’t stop once we claim to be feminists. Years of socialization will not suddenly vanish from one’s mind or way of knowing and experiencing the world. So it’s important we be honest with ourselves about messages we’ve internalized, recognize our privilege, and question our assumptions in order to practice an inclusive, accountable, and progressive feminism.

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