The Body Image Site for Every Body
By Crystal Smith; cross-posted with permission When author Marci Warhaft-Nadler approached me about reviewing The Body Image Survival Guide for Parents, she told me that she had aimed to write a book that was easy for parents to read and relate to; a kind of quick reference guide for parents about the body image issues their … [Read more...]
By Emma Shakarshy It’s raining outside. The lighting is low and soft. There is a trail of rose petals leading to a plush white bed. A muscular man and thin, busty woman, glistening with sweat are having mind-blowing sex, tangling themselves in the sheets. They climax together, the woman’s moans jumping an octave just before … [Read more...]
By Sayantani DasGupta It’s banned books week again, which is a time of year that always makes me appreciate the power of stories. Stories have such power, words such potential, that people actually fear them. Usually, this fear stems from a desire to limit the narratives that young people can access, and in so doing, attempt … [Read more...]
By Sheena Vasani, Intern (2011) Editors note: This blog post was originally posted Nov 1, 2011. We are sharing it again for our visitors to consider how airbrushed photos (whether your own, or those in magazines) impact your well-being and sense of self. What makes your physical beauty exceptional? Ironed out pimples, wrinkles, … [Read more...]
By Sayantani DasGupta Despite movements toward Health at Every Size (HAES), the truth of the matter is, size shaming is alive and well in this country. From the “Strong4Life” Georgia childhood obesity campaign to New York City’s “Cut your Portions, Cut your Risk” campaign scare tactics and body shame are part and … [Read more...]
By Therese Shechter “The proportion of all American adolescents in their mid-teens claiming sexual experience has decreased, and for boys the decline has been especially steep,” writes Amy Schalet in her excellent New York Times article about boys becoming sexually active later than expected. It’s a timely conversation … [Read more...]
By Sayantani DasGupta What if everyone was beautiful? No, I don’t mean inner beauty, prettiness that shines from the inside out. I mean, wide eyes, perfect noses, proportionate bodies, and symmetrical faces. The same approximate height, weight, skin color? Could making everyone look the same even the social and economic … [Read more...]
By Valerie Kusler October is LGBT history month, and as the resident eating disorders geek here at Adios Barbie (perhaps I’ll upgrade myself to “specialist” after I finish my MSW), it got me thinking about how little I know about the connection between eating disorders and LGBT population. The default assumptions I’ve … [Read more...]
By Sayantani DasGupta The first young adult (YA) novel I ever read that had to do with body image was Judy Blume’s Deenie (1973). In it, 13-year-old Wilmadeen “Deenie” is the “pretty one” of the family, the one whose mother dreams will be a model someday. When Deenie is diagnosed with scoliosis and required to wear a … [Read more...]
By Sharon Haywood Last month, a UK high school attracted media attention when its administration chose to remove all mirrors from its bathrooms. Shelley College in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire put the policy in place only a few weeks into the new school year to enforce the no-makeup rule for students between the ages of 14 and … [Read more...]
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