Writers, thinkers, and anyone with a Twitter account was sparked to talk about body size last week. We don’t feel like giving any more “air time” to a woman seeking fame through bigotry, but we do welcome an invitation to discuss the subject of body acceptance. It’s a topic close to all of us at Team O’a, and while discussing amongst ourselves if to enter the conversation, we got our geek on and did research as to what some of our favorite people were saying.
We really loved Rachel Kramer Bussel’s holistic recounting of events and the stories she shared in her article on Salon, and we were inspired by Grace Heilberg’s comment in the piece. We also did a happy dance for Lindy West’s piece in The Guardian when we read her closing statement. In sharing articles we loved on this topic with one another, we found words for a tacit way of being we’ve always upheld in O’a HQ:
This is O’actually. We shine the light on positive things.
And in choosing to see and share the good in the world, when we enter the conversation on body image and body health, we refuse to focus on negativity, bigotry and shame.
So today, we want to talk about some amazing women who are doing positive work in this arena.
Crystal Cave who is showing how not-so-skinny can be oh-so-stylish.
Oh our goodness – and oh her goodness. Crystal is well aware that no matter what size you are, you’ve had the experience of walking into a store (or five) and hating everything you try on. That’s because great style stems from knowing what looks good on your body – not slapping the current trends onto your frame and calling it a day. Crystal went from stylist by night as a party trick to a professional stylist, and she truly shows that impeccable style knows no size. Check out Not So Skinny Style School to learn more.
Amber Shirley, who is dedicated to the support and success of women.
Being your own boss is awesome – until you start to feel like you’re all alone at your cafe table. So Amber founded Soul Sisters Collective to bridge the gap between being a “solo-preneur” and having a community. Weekly in-person meetups help women get out of work mode, and get in touch with their bodies, their minds, and one another.
Sarah Jenks, who is living more and helping other women do the same.
Life is an adventure, and the world is our playground, no matter what size you are. Sarah knows how to take the twisty road and have the most fun doing it (seriously, read her most recent blog post “Why I Spent the Day Naked at the Most Popular Spot in San Francisco” and you’ll see why). And Sarah’s mission is to help every woman live the life they deserve and ditch “waiting on the weighting” once and for all.
Sora Surya No, who is guiding women to reconnect with themselves.
The outside noise of the world can take over our inner voices and intuition. Sora gathers women to be part of something more than themselves, celebrate sisterhood, and discover femininity beyond our bodies. She’s part mystical, part magical, and part practical, making her someone we love and admire.
Kimber Simpkins, who is teaching women to love their body.
If anyone knows how to fall in love with their body, it’s Kimber. She recounts her love/hate relationship with food and herself in her book, Full: How I Learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul, and has now expanded her yoga practice to full-on self love practice.
Jena LaFlamme, who focuses on pleasure rather than diets.
Without pleasure, there’s not a whole lot of reason to get out of bed in the morning – and Jena has become a masteress of helping you fall in love with your life (with weight loss being a bonus side effect). What she won’t do for you: be your body’s keeper, act as a diet drill sergeant, or yell unless it’s a whoop. If you are ready to embrace your sexy side, the one you have right now, you are ready for Jena.