I have a confession to make: I don't always love my body. In fact, I've devised some sneaky ways around ever having to think about it. I don't own a scale. When I go to the doctor, I step on backward and tell them I don't want to know. I can't know. To know is to fall down a horrible shame spiral of body hatred.
I'm fed up. I'm sick of living my life in opposition to my body. I'm tired of feeling negative toward this body that has treated me well. It's lived and it's loved and it's brought me from there to here. I'm tired of feeling anything but awe at the things my body can do.
The personal is political and our bodies are both intensely personal and politicized, meaning that the conscious decision to love ourselves is an inherently radical act. I want to make the commitment to just love myself. Even when it's hard, even when it's not fun.
In that vein, I'm looking for stories, photos, etc. from people about their struggles, successes, whatever. I want a variety of voices. Tell me about your struggles and triumphs. I'll talk to people working in the fitness industry, trans* people, menopausal women, young people, old people, fat people, thin people, and on and on and on. In exchange for your stories, I commit to allowing myself to be vulnerable and honest about myself and my relationship with my body. Together, we can open a frank dialogue about bodies, and learn how we can love ourselves and treat ourselves kindly, even when it's difficult.
