“You are more than the choices you’ve made. You are more than the sum of your past mistakes.”
Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling’s, publisher asked her to use her initials so boy’s would read her books. Empowering Girls to Fly High: Times Have Changed…Right?
For many of us, exercise has been not-so-happily married to the idea of weight loss. Nourishing the Soul: Nine Ways to Love Moving Your Body
Why is it that it is so easy to put our needs on the back-burner? Medicinal Marzipan: A Summer Manifesto
Faking it. Women’s Wear Daily: France Unveils New Anti-counterfeit Ads
Ben Barry’s article on benefits of model diversity received most feedback ever for an article in Elle Canada: Can Using Different Types of Models Benefit Brands?
I love Pinterest, but lately I’ve been shocked with all the pins about fat and weight. Feathers Flights: Body Image
From shirts to make a teen’s chest larger, undergarments to make bottoms more shapely and short shorts, it was all available. Pinole Patch: What Body Image Message Are Girls Getting?
Drama in our lives is not an attribute of a well-lived life. The Simply Luxurious Life: Why Not…Eliminate the Drama
Thinking about using what is a very sacred and private act to get ahead at work doesn’t feel empowering. The Gloss: I’m Embarrassed to Admit I Think Prostitution is Immoral
Because we cannot love others, help others, or support others if we hate ourselves. Already Pretty: Why Body Image Matters
Everywhere we look, we are surrounded by unrealistic, unattainable and often fabricated images of the human body – usually the young female body, usually being used to sell something. Women’s Views on News: Beauty, Body Image and the Media
For readers in the Toronto area: my alma mater U of T is hosting a free Leonardo Dicaprio film festival tonight at Hart House. Inception airs at 5 pm and if that’s too early for you, catch Shutter Island at 7:30. Martin Scorsese and Leo Dicaprio together = cinematic heaven. Enough said, right? However, there’s another reason to attend besides your love of film and Leo: your donation of $5 or more goes to aid acid survivors in Bangladesh. Click on the poster image above for details on how you RSVP and help victims of these heinous crimes of abuse.
“For those of you who don’t know, acid violence is burning, deformation, and destruction of the face and other parts of the body, often causing disability and even death. It occurs mostly due to revenge for resisting sexual harassment, refusing a marriage proposal, and failure to pay dowry. It is still common in parts of South Asia especially in India and Bangladesh. Your donations will help victims with medical care before, during and after operations, psychological care, legal issues, and raising awareness.”
I’ve pledged to give $50 a week to charity this year, and I’ll be visiting my old school to donate tonight. Maybe I’ll see you there.
Indian actress Aishwaraya Rai with American director Steven Soderbergh
“A truly strong person does not need the approval of others any more than a lion needs the approval of sheep.” Marc and Angel Hack Life: 9 Reason Why You Should No Longer Care About People’s Approval
Ben Barry has devoted his life to promoting diversity in fashion imagery. Here, he tells why women have greater purchase intentions when models resemble them. Elle Canada: Can Using Different Types of Models Benefit Brands?
The key to happiness might be letting go. Psych Central Weightless: Body Image Booster
The ultimate Pay It Forward: bookmark it and return when you need inspiration or a smile. Marc and Angel Hack Life: 75 Day-Brightening Stories of Generosity
Did you know Size Zero was only invented in the mid-90s? (Thanks to designer Breeyn McCarney who posted the info on my Facebook Page.) Huffington Post: Tyra Banks’ Open Letter Praises Vogue Ban on Too Skinny Models
Why do we women neglect to divulge our age? Glamour Body Image: Why Experts Are Encouraging Women To Stop Feeling Guilty About Their Age.
When the simplest kindness means the world. Help Others.org: A Cab Ride I’ll Never Forget
To receive a great love, you have to love yourself first. Marc and Angel Hack Life: 7 Ways to Live Happier Through Love
I say Yes! Daily Good: Can Positive Thoughts Help Heal Another Person?
Body image woes may be hurting the economy! Daily Mail: More than 90% of Women Doubt Their Looks – and some admit calling in sick on a ‘fat day’
I would love to see the end of counterfeit designer goods! Fashionista: Knockoff Crackdown Continues: Burberry Wins $100 Million in Counterfeit Case
Now ‘the most beautiful woman in the world’ is “fat”! (Amazing that the fact women give life can be overshadowed by a little baby weight.) Christian Science Monitor: Aishwarya Rai called fat: Are the West’s Body image ideals spreading?
Many things – such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly – are done worst when we try hardest to do them. -C.S. Lewis Daily Good: Internal Time: The Science of Social Jet Lag (If you don’t have time to read, skip to the short video)
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When I read the shocking news (on Facebook) that the Queen of Disco Donna Summer had died, my thoughts first went to the best scene in The Full Monty which featured “Hot Stuff” as the soundtrack. If you haven’t seen the movie, do yourself the favour!
I also assumed, like so many celebrities who die too young, that she may have suffered from an overdose. Donna’s death, however, came at the hand of lung cancer, likely developed after she inhaled toxic dust particles in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center.
Donna Summer’s parents were devout Christians and she became a born-again Christian herself after releasing one of my favourite songs, She Works Hard for the Money. Donna wrote the anthem after an encounter with an elderly bathroom attendant at a Grammy Awards party.
Donna’s first public performace was at Church at the age of 8 after the pastor invited her to sing in front of the congregation. Summer surprised everyone, including herself, with the strength of her voice and she said she heard God say to her, “You’re going to be famous and this is power and you are never to misuse this power.”
When she died, Summer was living with her long-time husband whom she married back in the 80s and they had two daughters together.
My Body Gallery is a unique website which shows “what real women look like”. You punch in your height, weight and clothing sizes and up pops a photo of a woman who shares your stats, a you are not alone philosophy, and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you see! Today My Body Gallery sent me its email newsletter containing an insightful article by guest author Rebecca Williams who writes:
Debra Gano, self-esteem leader and CEO of Be Your Own You
Who do you think you are writing about the trials and tribulations of being thin? Gappy Tales: Body Image and Body Acceptance
To know yourself, be yourself. Daily Good: How to Attend a Conference As Yourself
‘Fat talk’ can result in decreased body self-esteem and higher levels of depression. Medical News Today: Depression, Poor Body Image Result From Negative Talk About Weight
5 quick lessons in creativity. Copyblogger: 5 Lessons in Creativity from the Return of Ze Frank
Having spent years in the externally-focused ‘glamour’ industry, Gano now seeks to teach girls “it’s what’s inside that counts.” Chron.com: Girls’ Self-Esteem Expert Headlines Girls World Expo 2012
Everyone’s path to happiness is different, but these Ten Keys tend to have a positive impact on people’s overall happiness and well-being. Daily Good: 10 Keys to Happier Living
I may have found the most interesting Facebook page ever. It’s called A Man’s Point of View and it doesn’t hate women! Check out some of these captioned photographs from the Page:
Most of the time I’m afraid to look at any media geared toward men because I can’t stomach the low esteem in which they hold women. A Man’s Point of View and The Good Men Project are two examples of ‘men’s media’ with a more enlightened outlook.
The “Girlafesto” comes courtesy of the Girls Circle Association, the leading provider of gender-specific, research-based programs for girls which offers training for facilitators dedicated to improving the lives of girls ages 9 – 18. I completed the two-day training course and look forward to beginning my own Girls Circle in my community, likely with a focus on body image. Girls Circles offer adolescent girls a safe space to share their feelings and experiences and to build positive relationships.
Research has shown that Girls’ Circles help decrease alcohol use and other self-harming behaviours, and increase girls’ self-efficacy and attachment to school. In addition, girls who participated in Circles revealed improvement in six areas including: feeling good about their bodies. That one alone is worth the price of admission. If you are interested in training to be a Girls Circle facilitator or want to find out more about this wonderful organization, visit the website.
The clip is about photographers but the principle applies to many artists including writers, bloggers, stylists, and make-up artists. And now with the intern’s lawsuit against Harper’s Bazaar, unpaid work is a hot topic! The fashion industry is rife with unpaid “job” opportunities and I dare say that has more than a little bit to do with the fact that it’s an industry dominated by women. In both PR and journalism, fashion seems to have no trouble asking young women to work for free. The result is that only people who can afford to go unpaid get those opportunities to break into the industry.
Have you worked for free to gain exposure? Was it worth it? What do you think about the common practice of unpaid internships and other uncompensated labour?
