“I can’t do that.” “It’s too hard.” “I’m fat.” As women, negative self-talk is all too common. Belittling and shaming ourselves seems to be an unfortunate and common part of being a woman in our society. This negativity can influence every aspect of our lives without us really realizing it. These default negative phrases can… Continue Reading →
Plus Size Princess blog inspires body positivity
Although social media breeds negativity and outrageous haters, it also brings wonderful sites like Plus Size Princess to our attention. I found this website through a YouTube video about dating as a plus size female. Despite the fact that I am not plus size, I love to watch these videos to gain confidence. Reading About-Face’s… Continue Reading →
When thin is fat and fat is thin
Has anyone else noticed that when it comes to popular media, some celebrities are praised for their apparently unbelievably fantabulous bodies and amazing physiques, while others who look pretty much exactly the same in terms of size and weight are criticized for their curves? Or how sometimes “real” – as in, real bodies – is… Continue Reading →
What to do when your picture is stolen and turned into an offensive meme
We all know that posting pictures on social media opens them up to reactions we can’t control. But we generally don’t expect what happened to Kelly Martin Broderick: one of her pictures was stolen and turned into a fat-shaming, anti-feminist meme. The picture is of Broderick, holding a sign that says, “This is what a… Continue Reading →
Lose hate, not weight: an interview with the absolutely fabulous Virgie Tovar
Last month I attended a couple workshops that were presented by Virgie Tovar, a body image expert and coach. Virgie has also edited the book Hot & Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love, and Fashion. The workshops were awesome and inspiring, leaving me feeling great about myself and wanting to spread the word about how… Continue Reading →
Disney makes amends for fat-shaming exhibit, promotes healthy living
Well, here’s some good news we like to report! Last March, About-Face covered a horrific story about a fat-shaming exhibit Disney opened in Epcot, “Habit Heroes.” The exhibit was an interactive game in which children used virtual candy, cakes, and ice cream to combat overweight “villains,” spurred on by the physically superior “heroes,” Will Power… Continue Reading →
Rebel Wilson to host 2013 MTV Video Awards (hopefully sans size-snarking)
On December 21st, Rebel Wilson announced via Twitter that she would be hosting the forthcoming 2013 MTV Video Awards. I received this news with sheer excitement. Amid the usual toxic and exploitative trash passed off as TV programming, MTV gets a rare thumbs-up on its choice for this year’s host. The last female we saw… Continue Reading →