body image
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‘The Body Is Not an Apology’: Sonya Renee Taylor Is Leading a Revolution of Radical Self-Love
With six words, Sonya Renee Taylor accidentally started a movement. When a friend with cerebral palsy confessed that her disability made it difficult to be sexual—so much so that she didn’t even feel entitled to ask a casual partner to use protection—Taylor quickly responded, “Your body is not an apology, and it’s not something you…
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Dr. Ruth Celestin Wants to Change the Perception of Plastic Surgery—One Augmentation at a Time
Dr. Ruth Celestin, a nationally recognized, award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeon at Celestial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, located in Atlanta, didn’t always want to become a cosmetic surgeon. The Haitian-American, New Jersey-raised doctor had her eyes set on pediatrics and wanted to follow in the footsteps of her own pediatrician, but she soon learned it wasn’t…
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Real Beauty: Is Truth in Advertising Finally Here?
“For my entire life, I’ve been sold the seduction of my inadequacy.” —Lupita Nyong’o Those are the words of a woman many consider one of the most beautiful in the world, who grew up, like many black and brown girls everywhere, not seeing images in the media that reflected herself and validated her beauty. Seth…
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Protect Your Tresses: Hair-Care Tips for the Reluctant Fitness Enthusiast
Stomping out the pavement for a few miles four times a week is how I’m able to gain my clarity and preserve my sexy. But just as frequently, my dreadlocks and scalp kick my ass just as hard as my fitness regimen. And when I try to recruit a new fitness buddy, I’m frequently met…
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Defying Gravity: 5 Pole Dancing Athletes Debunk Stereotypes—and Dare You to Try Something New
Ballet dancer Misty Copeland once said: “You can do anything you want, even if you are being told negative things. Stay strong and find motivation.” Two years ago, I applied this same perspective to pole dancing. I transitioned from joking about having two left feet to signing up for a pole dancing course; I left…
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Body Politics: Transforming Your #TransformationTuesday
#TransformationTuesday, a popular hashtag that encourages people to share their fitness success stories, has collected more than 11 million tags on social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. Like many, I’ve indulged in my share of posts showcasing my weight-loss journey and muscle gains. But though visuals can be inspiring, they can also haunt like…
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The Illustrator of Curves Is the Instagram That Loves Your Body Unconditionally (and Hopes You Do, Too)
If your holiday season is going anything like mine, you’re already plotting how to take off a few new pounds in the new year. While ’tis the season to shower our family and friends with love, our self-care can unfortunately take a bit of a hit in the process.Since none of us is immune to…
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On the Real: Body-Positive Models Took Over Times Square for a Guerrilla-Style Lingerie Show
In “We can’t believe we missed this” news: Blame it on the holidays, but our thoughts are definitely indoors these days. And as we blessedly begin to wind down during the holiday season (in favor of the actual holidays), our biggest fashion aspirations involve staying stylish in “sweater weather.” But the plunging temps didn’t stop…
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Mind Your Plate, Not My Stomach: Surviving the Holidays With Judgmental Loved Ones
Some of us are looking forward to burying our faces in Christmas dinner with friends and family in a brief 10 days. Hopefully, your dinner will be blessed with someone who has gifted culinary hands when it comes to baked macaroni and cheese—and I’m not talking about the disrespectful and disgusting remakes making the rounds…