Kate Winslet

I'd much rather be known as some curvy Kate than as some skinny stick.
- Kate Winslet

Women need to have respect for their own bodies. If girls can't respect themselves, then how can they expect to get respect from other men and women around them? I think with Kate Winslets statement she is trying to have young girls and women see that they should be content with their own bodies, and that they shouldn't have to feel pressure from the media to conform to a certain standard. 

-Alexandra Harvey

Christina Aguilera

I think that whatever size or shape body you have, it's important to embrace it and get down! The female body is something that's so beautiful. I wish women would be proud of their bodies and not dis other women for being proud of theirs!
Christina Aguilera Quotes


I agree with this quote because women shouldn't have to feel ashamed of how they look based upon standards that society sets for them that are near impossible to reach. Women should never have to look in the mirror and feel like they aren't beautiful enough or skinny enough. Christina Aguilera is on to something that makes more sense than starving yourself or making yourself throw up. If women just realized that they are beautiful as they are in their own bodies then confidence will just radiate from them, and that in itself is beautiful. There's nothing that's more attractive than confidence.


But the question is how do we get women to see it as she does? Because it's very unlikely that they'd be able to accept their bodies just by reading this blog, but we're working towards the change. If people started campaigning like we are and tried to get the word out, maybe women would start to feel better about themselves.


Beautiful isn't model skinny, long hair, and long eyelashes. Beautiful is feeling beautiful and knowing that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
-Alexandra Harvey

Dove's Self-Esteem Fund

Our depiction and definition of "beauty" has morphed into what the media tells us it is. Every day, we are bombarded with images of unrealistically skinny girls and muscular guys that shape our idea of what beauty is. What is beauty really? Is it flawlessly smooth skin without a single imperfection? Is it not having an ounce of fat on your body? Is it long legs? Is it big boobs? Is it beefy and built arms and chests? We need to make a stand and accept ourselves for who we are. No one is perfect, nor will anyone ever be.

Below is a video from Dove’s self-esteem fund; one company that is leading the fight against body image and the media. It portrays how many images, videos, and advertisements are seen every day by young men and women. Take a look!

Dove's Self-Esteem Fund

People's "Most Beautiful" Features Gabourey Sidibe

People Magazine's annual "100 Most Beautiful People" hits news stands every May. This Year, Gabourey Sidibe, star of 2009's blockbuster "Precious"about an overweight, abused illiterate girl living in the Projects and trying to start a new life, makes it. Sidibe is not the average beauty: she is not a size 0 and not tall or lightskinned. Critics, like shlock jock Howard Stern, have argued that her weight is unhealthy and shouldn't be a role model. However, this is a huge step in the right direction because she is beautiful. People have to realize that a small waist doesn't always mean beauty.

Interviewed at a Harper's Bazaar photoshoot:

“I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken.”

and later on:

“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.”

Other beauties that are included in the 100 are: Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, Kerry Washington and Rihanna to name a few.

- Kevin Kiyoto

"At age thirteen, 53% of American girls are 'unhappy with their bodies.' This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen."


This - although I'd love to believe it's false - is even more real than imaginable.  I'm an avid user of Tumblr, and every single day, my Dashboard is covered in photos of stick thin women and girls, and even the few self-proclaimed 'happy' anorexic girls, none of whom are over the age of 15.
At an age so young, children shouldn't feel the need to let their body image be controlled by the media, but with peer pressure and the fear of judgement by their friends, it becomes almost impossible to set that out of their minds.  We need to work and encourage our younger generation to not fret over their bodies, to be healthy and happy, and not depressed every time they look in the mirror.  There are bigger issues out their then trying to be a corrupt community's ideal of 'perfect'.




"Your body isn't disgusting; society is."






-Kait Fial

Is somebody you know in need of help?

Help a friend...

If you have read the symptoms below and a friend or family member comes to mind, it’s highly possible that this person has an eating disorder. But where do you go from here? You’re probably worried and realize all the difficulties that this person faces, but the good news is that you can help them.

First things first, talk to your friend, let’s call him Bob (this name is used as example only and is not meant to relate to any person whom you may know named Bob). You should talk to Bob about the symptoms you’ve noticed, and don’t act in an accusatory way. Show concern for Bob without getting frustrated or angry. Since Bob is already unstable, you don’t want to alarm him by making him think his friend is mad at him.

Secondly, after gently confronting Bob, find out if he is willing to seek help. Bob may have been too afraid to seek help, but now with your support he may feel more comfortable to. Try to go and see a medical expert or counselor with Bob, as they may be more knowledgeable on the subject than both of you.

However, if Bob refuses to seek help, you must turn to an authoritative figure that will get him the help that he needs. Speak to your parents, a guidance counselor, or somebody since these illnesses are very dangerous.

Thirdly, besides finding help for Bob and being the good friend that you are read up on the matter. Do the research necessary so that you can support him.

Also, to be the best supportive friend that you can be – follow these tips:

·         Try not to talk of food, weight, diets, or body shape about anybody.

·         Take notice of Bob’s eating habits, food amounts, and choices.

·         Avoid statements along the lines of "If you'd just eat (or stop working out so much), you'll get better."

·         Compliment Bob on his strengths : smile, attitude, personality, great abilities…focus on the positive

·         Avoid the topic of Bob’s physical appearance.

*Lastly, and most importantly, actually so importantly that I’m going to give this step a star: Remind Bob that you are there for him no matter what and all you want to see is him healthy and safe. And if you tell Bob that you will be there for him, be there for him. Your help matters.

Find treatments/excercises/research/help at:  http://www.something-fishy.org/treatmentfinder/ .
erica mirra

SYMPTOMS OF COMMON DISORDERS RELATED TO BODY IMAGE

You could have friends living like this..

Anorexia/Bulimia :

1. Dramatic weight loss in a relatively short period of time.
2. Wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers to hide body shape and/or weight loss.
3. Obsession with weight and complaining of weight problems (even if "average" weight or thin).
4. Obsession with calories and fat content of foods.
5. Obsession with continuous exercise.
6. Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately following meals (sometimes accompanied with water running in the bathroom for a long period of time to hide the sound of vomiting).
7. Visible food restriction and self-starvation.
8. Visible bingeing and/or purging.
9. Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup (can cause immediate death!) or enemas.
10. Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
11. Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact with the lips (using teeth to scrap food off the fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out, but not swallowing; dropping food into napkin on lap to later throw away.
12. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to avoid eating (Anorexia) or to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
13. Flushing uneaten food down the toilet (can cause sewage problems).
14. Vague or secretive eating patterns.
15. Keeping a "food diary" or lists that consists of food and/or behaviors (ie., purging, restricting, calories consumed, exercise, etc.)
16. Pre-occupied thoughts of food, weight and cooking.
17. Visiting websites that promote unhealthy ways to lose weight.
18. Reading books about weight loss and eating disorders.
19. Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
20. Hair loss. Pale or "grey" appearance to the skin.
21. Dizziness and headaches.
22. Frequent soar throats and/or swollen glands.
23. Low self-esteem. Feeling worthless. Often putting themselves down and complaining of being "too stupid" or "too fat" and saying they don't matter. Need for acceptance and approval from others.
24. Complaints of often feeling cold.
25. Low blood pressure.
26. Loss of menstrual cycle.
27. Constipation or incontinence.
28. Bruised or calluses knuckles; bloodshot or bleeding in the eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on the cheeks.
29. Perfectionistic personality.
30. Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
31. Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
32. Insomnia. Poor sleeping habits

Compulsive Overeating/Binge Eating Disorder :

1. Fear of not being able to control eating, and while eating, not being able to stop.
2. Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
3. Chronic dieting on a variety of popular diet plans.
4. Holding the belief that life will be better if they can lose weight.
5. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to eat at a later time.
6. Vague or secretive eating patterns.
7. Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
8. Blames failure in social and professional community on weight.
9. Holding the belief that food is their only friend.
10. Frequently out of breath after relatively light activities.
11. Excessive sweating and shortness of breath.
12. High blood pressure and/or cholesterol.
13. Leg and joint pain.
14. Weight gain.
15. Decreased mobility due to weight gain.
16. Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
17. Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
18. Insomnia. Poor Sleeping Habits.

http://www.something-fishy.org/isf/signssymptoms.php

erica mirra