Rolling into our last week of the 2020 #BEinyourskin Challenge and WOW omg, what an incredible month of body confidence!

This week is all about Reframing how we see ourselves in media, how we take in medias messaging and how we can reframe that for the future. If you’ve followed me for years you know I love discussing media (film, television, ads, etc.). My goal in life is to create media, run a film production company and create work by and for marginalized bodied folks. Our stories deserve to be seen + heard, told by us.

I am a long time theatre kid, with a degree in Musical Theatre. I spent my life being told I could only play certain roles because of my size. As soon as I could, I started creating my own work. In an effort to only reframe my mind, but reframe my audience’s mind, I needed to see bodies like mine in all roles and celebrated!

I feel so passionately about media representation because I know how much media effected my own self worth and body confidence. I felt very alone growing up plus size because I didn’t see anyone like myself in media or around me in real life. I felt that experiences I had were mine alone, like I was the issue. Finding the online plus size community changed my life, because I met folks with similar experiences. I grew to learn how divisive media can be. Media is a global messaging tool, if we create fat positive media, we then in turn would have a more fat positive world.

Where in media do you see yourself represented? Do you see bodies like yours celebrated?

Journal Entry:

Where do you see your body type represented in media?

How are characters with similar body types to yours treated?

Activities:

1. Media Look

What television shows did you love growing up? What movies? Look deeper, what is the messaging there? What characters did you identify with? What did that teach you about self worth? Anything?

2. Storyline Look

Name a plus size or fat character whose storyline doesn’t revolve around their weight, negatively or positively?

3. Role Model Look

Are there any celebrities, actors, etc. who look like you? What roles did they play? How are they treated in media?

4. Director Look

What is your dream movie? What storylines do you wish you had seen growing up? What would have changed your life to see on screen?