What we want the beauty & "health" industry to know
Dear Beauty & "Health" Industry,
I would like to share 10 things that I would greatly benefit your business. It can teach you how to ethically interact, sell & market to folks who no longer want to be ashamed of the way they look.
1. We already have bikini-ready bodies. You don't need to tell us how great we will look in it if we diet & exercise.
2. We are going to look beautiful on our wedding day no matter our size. Thanks anyway.
3. Tracking & measuring our food makes us obsessed with a stupid number and fosters fear of food, not being healthy.
4. Being "healthy" does not make folks morally superior.
5. There is no such thing as a goal weight - our size does not determine if we are a good or bad person. Our size doesn't even determine health or our ability to feel joy.
6. Shaming us for what we eat & restricting what we eat creates eating disorders & an unhealthy relationship with our bodies & food. When we restrict our bodies, our body thinks we are in danger, so it does whatever it can to keep us out of danger. This can lead to binging & then we blame ourselves for “lack of discipline”.
7. Your continued anti-fat bias is oppressive & harmful to those with diverse bodies, in size and ability. It fosters & perpetuates continued bias & oppression in society at large. It prevents those with diverse bodies to have support in their community, financial security & proper medical treatment.
8. Teach us to listen, love & respect our bodies instead of ”no excuses” with intense exercise or doing a ”to detox”. We are NOT toxic.
9. We don't want to feel shame for having facial hair, cellulite, grey hair, fine lines or big thighs so that you can make us feel insecure in order to use your product or service.
10. Show us all bodies, all sizes, all abilities, all ages & all colours in the media. Show our stretch marks, show our rolls, show our varicose veins and show us saggy boobs. When we see ALL bodies being truly represented in the media, it will normalize our own bodies & let us know that they are beautiful too.
PS: We would like the next generation of people to not hate their bodies for your benefit and to not be marginalized or oppressed. Thanks.
PPS: Scales are stupid. The BMI is stupid. Cellulite is NORMAL.
xoxo,
From those who want equity & liberation
