Daisy Contreras: Body Positivity

                                         Body Positivity 

                                                    By Daisy Contreras

"Plus-size model" Ashley Graham has been representing plus girls all over the world and has conquered so many obstacles, its inspiring to see how confident she is as well as everything she has accomplished. 

Body positivity is a major social issue in society nowadays because the number on the scale nor the size of your clothes should determine your happiness. Everyone should feel beautiful in their own skin and not care about what other people have to say. 

EVERYONE FEELS INSECURE SOMETIMES.. 

          "Sonya Renee Taylor has complicated feelings about the NBC series, “This Is Us". She was thrilled to see that one of the show’s main plotlines centered on Kate, a woman whose complex relationships with family, food, and love are exquisitely portrayed by Chrissy Metz. Nothing like that had been produced – would even have been possible – in the 1980s, when Ms. Taylor was growing up. “There were not bodies that looked like mine on television,” she says.  Taylor’s conflicted reaction to Kate’s character speaks to a broader, but equally discordant, discourse around body and beauty norms, and the portrayal of weight in Hollywood. There’s no doubt that film and TV have begun to respond to audiences’ desire for characters, especially female characters, larger than a size zero – or six or 12."

Can Hollywood learn to tell stories about women above a size 4?

Mendoza, JessicaAuthor Information. The Christian Science Monitor; Boston, Mass. [Boston, Mass]15 Sep 2017.

"Body satisfaction is related to so many aspects of people's lives," he said. "People who feel worse about their bodies are more likely to engage in obsessive exercise behavior, crash dieting and protein supplement abuse. People who are more anxious about their appearance will become more anxious overall and are more likely to develop depression. And feeling really negatively about your body can cause social withdrawal and discomfort on the dating market.

"There are wide-ranging effects to negative body image."

Body-image studies explore the source of much of our anxiety

Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil. TCA Regional News; Chicago [Chicago]27 Mar 2016.

TIME TO GET PERSONAL...

I have always felt bigger and "fatter" than everyone else. Growing up I found happiness in food and thought I played sports and exercised daily, I was still always bigger. Being a size 12 does have its insecurities but I am so happy in my own skin. I enjoy having big thighs and bigger hips. I feel like no one else has the same body as me and though my legs and stomach jiggle when i walk or run, I embrace it and love my body. I chose to do this topic because I constantly see all over social media that plus-size models embrace their curves and back fat and use hashtags like #effyourbeautystandards and #thickthighssaveslives. I feel it is so important that everyone feel confident in their own skin, because Victorias secret models are unrealistic for the average woman. 

 Vanessa Lopez is all for body positivity. She feels that women are to harsh on themselves and she wants to take a stand by expressing body positivity to all of her fellow female acquaintances. Vanessa loves her figure and regularly plays soccer because she loves having tone legs. 

 Karla Pena has traveled all over the world and says she appreciates all the different people has she meant. She believes beauty comes from within the heart and no one has the right to judge another person until they have been in their own shoes. Karla appreciates her curves and embraces that every woman should love themselves no matter what. 

Lorena Cerda is a student at Cal State LA and has been dancing ever since she was able to walk. She says she does not have the average "petite" dancer body but that does not stop her from showing off her amazing dance skills. Lorena is all for body positivity as she believes there are no obstacles that can stop you from doing what you love. 

Body positivity is so important to society and the community because there is no perfect body so no one should feel insecure for having their unique and beautiful bodies. I feel effected by the importance of body positivity because I am not a size 2 and my thighs touch when I walk but I love it so much because it is what makes me. I am too much brains and have too much self-love to let others bring me down because I know my worth.

 Buzzfeed is the best place to go when you are feeling down, they have articles and the hard cold truth about everything that will have everyone saying "LITERALLY ME". I came across this picture on their blog and it stood out to me because its so true. Two people live the same lifestyle and have the same health habits, but could be completely different sizes. Every body is different and no matter how many days one goes to the gym, your body with react however it wants, and thats fine. 

 Body positivity is a social issue that should not even be a social issue. There are so many other things that are going on around the world that need more attention and serious help but it is important. Everyone should be happy in their own skin, whether your size 0 or size 20. Self-love is the key to true happiness and I believe if we all look in the mirror and smile at our lumps and surves, we will all be a happier and better community. :) 

Slut Shaming

Slut Shaming

Growing up in the generation we are in today we hear and say many offensive words like hoe, whore, bitch, and even slut and we think that it is normal. We hear these words from friends, family, piers, celebrities, in movies, in music videos, in books, on social media, and we grow accustomed to it.  But words like these after being called them so many times can actually take a toll on you, make you feel ashamed of yourself, cause self harm, and even cause death. So if the word "slut" can cause all of this damage to a person why do we even say it? What does it even mean? Is it okay?According to society the term "slut" means a woman who has many sexual partners. So if this is the case, then what are men who have many sexual partners called? 

As women it isn't okay for a man to lay his hands on you because you were wearing a certain type of clothing. It isn't okay for a man to tell you "you were just asking for it." Situations like this have been happening more and more each day. It happens so often that Netflix desired to create their own original show based on a best selling novel, 13 Reasons Why. This netflix series is about teenagers in high school who either become friends with the new girl, or are the bullies to the new girl, Hannah Baker. In the beginning of the series we learn very quickly that she commits suicide for many reasons caused by exactly 13 people in which she leaves tapes for them explaining how they caused her death. According to Harpers Bazar, " she was a rape victim, slut shammed, dehumanized, labeled as a whore, and even stalked. But she was never actually rapped, she committed suicide as a virgin so all of that was because of one simple lie" (Nico Lang).  It isn't okay for a man to tell you how many sexual partners is to many. it isn't okay to change your outfit because society feels like it is too revealing. I chose to do a blog about slut shaming because I feel like women deserve the same and equal rights and standards as men do.

Yes Means Yes

Have you ever heard of the phrase "No means No?"

Although it does state the obvious that when a person says no it means no don't touch them, no don't buy them a drink, no they don't want your number, no they don't want you, no literally means no. But cases show that some people, mostly females, when intoxicated they are not able to speak to say the word no, so one might just shake their head no. This action can actually give off mix signals to the offender because they verbally didn't say the word "NO." Although I feel like this is wrong either way because if one can't even stand, let alone talk, why even try. As sad as it is, this is why in some cases there is a grey line and people feel like the victim might have asked for the action, or it was their fault for being too intoxicated to respond, or even they victim might claim they thought they were shaking their head "yes". According to Kayleigh Roberts article in The Atlantic she explains to us that, "Any time someone defaults to questioning what a victim could have done differently to prevent a crime, he or she is participating, to some degree, in the culture of victim-blaming."

So whether or not one can verbally speak, consent means yes! Consent means both people agree, consent is when both people are enjoying what is happening, consent means keep going, consent means I want to see you again, consent means here is my number. This is why there is a new phrase in town, "YES means YES!"

Free the Nips

With all the latest trends in fashion like crop tops, mom jeans, high wasted shorts, and even overall are making a cute comeback. The main event in fashion would be body jewelry. I remember growing up as a little girl and having choker necklaces and even small ones that can be placed as rings and bracelets, but now that they are back in style makes me so happy because I still had the chokers from when I was little. Hoop earrings are back in style again, but my favorite would be nipple piercings. I find it so funny how a lot of people feel like nipple piercings are too revealing, tacky, and even ugly.

But why is there a difference? Males show off their nipples all the time! Intact it is actually encouraged for promotions to attract the female and some male audience. Men are able to be shirtless at beaches. Men are able to be shirtless for sporting events. Men are even able to be shirtless or lift up their shirt to show nipples while working out. If all of this is okay for males, then why shouldn't it be for females? It is honestly the same look just with a little more extra push for females. While being on the cover of sexy magazine males are practically naked while females are wearing a wet white shirt that is 100% see through, but because that shirt is somewhat covering nips it is okay.

Nipple piercings are a way females try and "beat" the system because technically the piercing is covering the nipple in a cute fashionable way. So showing them off, or even wearing a normal top with no bra on shows the real power of free the nips! 

"Growing up I went to a private school that wasn't varied cultured and taught us that our body is a temple and if we were to damage our body with tattoos and piercings we would go to hell. But coming got CSULA I met so many amazing and inspiring people who had tons of tattoos and tons of piercings. I actually went to my first music festival freshman year, and that is when I decided I wanted to get my nipples pierced. At first I only got one nipple pierced, and it was more for the fashion, but once Donald Trump got elected as president and he stated all those statements about women and "grabbing them by the pussy" I felt like my piercing was more powerful so I decided to get my other nipple pierced. Now at ever change and place I get, I show them off loud and proud.     If men can do it, so can women!" - Ariami Garcia, 20

It's My Body I Can Do What I Want

For many years now, people always try and tell us what to do, what to wear, what to say, what's acceptable, etc. This is why some teenagers rebel and do what ever the heck they want once they leave to college because there is no parental guidance on a day to day bases. Reason being why someone might stop another from doing something like getting a tattoo, or piercing, or wearing revealing clothes is maybe because of religious reasons, the way their parents grew up, bullying, and slut shaming. 

I understand religious reasons, but even today it's 2017 so many things are constantly changing, and so many religious beliefs that started many of years ago are out dated. A female might wear booty shorts and a crop top not to show the public that "she is asking for it," but because she is confident and proud of her own body. One might get a tattoo not to "scar their body" because their "body is a temple," but because tattoos are art, a tattoo is a way one expresses themselves, a tattoo is a personal choice. 

"As a little girl I was very self conscious about my body. I was so self conscious that I actually had an eating disorder, but with the right help, the proper meal plans, and time, I was shown the beauty of people and how everyone is different. So every year in support of those who were suffering from this like I was I go to the  NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association  walk in Los Angeles. Society needs to stop judging women for how much skin they are or aren't showing, and start respecting us as human beings that have the right to live freely as individuals." -Lola Cardova, 21

All of these topics are important to me because I truly believe that they all lead to each other.  All or most of the examples that I mentioned about being called slut, whore, self consciousness, and even self harm have honestly happened to me until on day in high school I completely snapped out of it. I started working out instead of forcing myself to purge when eating, I started to work out, I started to portion size, and I started to feel confident in how I look. So my Moto right now is, "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT!"

Sources
Lang, Nico. 2017 April 10. There's No Such Thing As A Slut
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a21825/13-reasons-why-slut-shaming-teen-suicide/
Roberts, Kayleigh. 2016 October 5. The Psychology of Victim Blaming
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/10/the-psychology-of-victim-blaming/502661/