ISSUES
: Body Confidence
Chapter 1: Body Image
18
having women of all sizes submit
photos of themselves using a
“personal statement of confidence”
with the hashtag. The campaign is
being run primarily through the plus-
size retailer’s Tumblr page, which I
think is also awesome, considering
how much body positivity lives
there! Although not everyone has
considered the campaign to be a
success (since the models featured
in LB’s initial ad were all generally of
the same size), it is getting attention
nonetheless, and definitely making
waves – which I personally think
always indicates a sign of success.
4. The Dove Campaign For
Real Beauty
The Dove Campaign for Real
Beauty is probably one of the most
widely talked about social media
campaigns that has ever been
created, so how great is it that it
lives at the intersection of body
image and fashion? What I like the
most about Dove’s efforts is that
they’ve been going on for over ten
years and haven’t just consisted
of heart-warming commercials
or social media posts – they’ve
been doing real, groundbreaking
research about body image!
They’ve used their reports to
create their campaigns on self-
esteem and inner beauty, which
have undoubtedly made an impact
in our culture. Their latest effort
is #speakbeautiful, in which they
encourage women to engage in
positive self-talk about their bodies.
5. Lose Hate, Not Weight
This social media campaign was
spearheaded by fat activist Virgie
Tovar, who has proclaimed that the
philosophy behind the movement
is to, “Seek to de-centre self-
hatred and scarcity,” or the “I am
never good enough,” mindset.
Such a mindset is often the central
motivator in people’s lives, so this
campaign aims to re-centre self-
care and self-love, according to
her personal website. Women
have started to take photos of
themselves on Instagram, reflecting
this powerful message and taking
proud ownership of their fat bodies.
6. Love Your Body
This has turned into more of a
social movement than a specific
campaign, but Love Your Body has
overtaken the Internet and social
media with its message to embrace
your figure. Originally started by the
National Organization for Women,
they designated 14 October to be
“Love Your Body Day” in order to
take back to the oppressive beauty
standards that society holds for
women. It’s now turned into an
activist-fuelled movement with
advertisements, videos, memes
and more!
7. The What’s Underneath
Project
This project, started by Style Like
U, is meant to redefine the ways
in which we see other’s bodies,
going below the surface in a non-
Children, teens, media and body image
Source: Children, teens, media and body image infographic, Common Sense Media, 20 January 2015.
Five- to eight-year-olds who
think their mums are
dissatisfied with their bodies
are more likely to feel
dissatisfied with their own
bodies.
More than half
of girls and a
third of boys as
young as six to
eight feel their
ideal body is
thinner than
their current
body size.
Measurements of toy
male action figures
exceed even that of the
biggest bodybuilders.
41% of teen girls say
they use social media
to “make themselves
look cooler”.
Children as young as 5
express dissatisfaction
with their bodies.
87% of TV
characters aged
ten to 17 are
below average
in weight.
objectifying, beautiful way. In fact,
Bustle’s ownMarie Southard Ospina
partook in this powerful campaign,
which consists of videos of the
subjects talking about themselves
and their relationship with their
bodies, as they slowly undress.
8. #LessIsMore
This hashtag was part of a petition
created by eating disorder survivor
Erin Treloar, in order to expose the
fashion industry’s heavy reliance
on Photoshop to manufacture their
impossibly perfect images and ask
magazines to reduce their use of it.
Treloar is also the founder and CEO
of RAW Beauty Talks, an initiative to
encourage girls to find confidence
in their bodies. You can sign the
petition if you want to talk back to
fashion mags – it already has over
4,000 signatures!
9. #Fatshion
This sector of the body positivity
movement has become a powerful
force on social media websites
like Tumblr and Instagram, where
proud fat women have taken to
the site to post their gorgeous
selfies and outfits! The best part
of this campaign is that it’s grown
organically and started a cultural
conversation about body image
and fashion – because obviously
it is possible to love fashion and
also be fat! I personally think this
movement has led to the turning
tides in plus-size fashion, with
major retailers now getting on
board selling fashionable, trendy
clothes for people who happen to
be over a size 12.
15 April 2015
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