Body Image

All bodies are worthy of love exactly as they are! We only ever get to have one body in this life and having a peaceful relationship with it is quality of life. If humans could learn to honor the wisdom coming through our bodies as children and understand every body is unique I think we could transform our society.

With her book Curvy Girl Sex: 101 Body-Positive Positions to Empower Your Sex Life (Fair Winds Press, 2017) Elle Chase gave us a guide for methods, positions and sex hacks for fat lovers with a range of different body types, centering all kinds of people who have long had their sexuality marginalized, denied or erased. In a conversation with Scarleteen, Chase talks about the book, how the media is changing its portrayal of fat people, the relevance of the word “plus size,” and her personal experiences with her own body acceptance and sexual journey.

When you gain weight and want to talk about it -- whatever your feelings about it are -- with partners or others you're in intimate relationships with, how can you do that, especially in a world where so few people are equipped with the skills to talk about weight in healthy, sensitive, supportive ways?

It’s Chanté, back with more sexuality (in color) and intersectionality. If you appreciated last week’s definitions but are still curious or you want to learn even more, you may also find this video from Taryn Crenshaw helpful. Today I’m eager to dive into something that is fresh in my mind: pleasure...

My adoptive mom’s hangups convinced me I was an ugly duckling with noticeable imperfections. Turns out, it was about her, not me, and certainly not about my hair, which isn't the enemy she -- or I -- thought it was, either.

Have you ever thought about your body from the point of view of your skin?

This week we (ahem) take a second to reflect on the myriad of ways that you can practice self-care, and review how important it is, especially for marginalized folks, to love and protect ourselves fiercely in a world that does not often leave room for either.

This week focuses on Sonya Renee and the folks over at The Body is Not An Apology, a resource devoted to the idea that no one should have to feel ashamed about their body. There are quite a few articles, workshops, and user submissions across a broad range of experiences, with a focus on the intersectional nature of identity and the belief that the personal is political.

The crappy thing about ideal body types is that they are designed to be unreachable by 99.9% of the population: they're unrealistic. They're about satisfying one's conception of what is perfect; that's the very definition of ideal. Unfortunately, some ideals are also really common, especially once...

You're asking a common question Arty. I want to turn that question around a little. What difference would it make if this was baby fat? Your answer can tell you a lot about the messages about bodies, beauty, and worth you've internalized over the years. Everyone's answer will be different, and I can...