Sometimes I feel like the plethora of information and imagery available through all of our media options today is just plain overload. We (including myself, I mean I keep a blog, right?!) put things out there because we can, or because we have a mission, or just to see what will happen. Often times it seems like the bulk of what's out there is just going along with mass media/culture, but recently I have found a slew of sites, interviews, and radio documentaries geared toward helping women! I thought I'd share some of them here:
It all started shortly after I decided to sign up for doula training at the Seattle Midwifery School. I wanted to read more about the books on the required reading list, so I went to Mothering Magazine's website to read reviews. If you've never read Mothering Magazine, or seen it's website, I highly recommend you take a look! It offers many insights into the wonderful world of parenting, from pre-conception to having teenagers. Their bias is toward non-medicated birth, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, etc. Whether you already feel strongly in favor of that path or are curious and trying to decide what's best for you and your family, Mothering Magazine is a good resource for information and opinions.
Under their activism alert title, there was a link to a wonderful website called "The Shape of a Mother - A Mother's Body is Beautiful. Period." this site is dedicated to "exposing", if you will, real mother's bodies. As the founders puts it, "a post-pregnancy body is one of this society's greatest secrets; all we see of the female body is that which is airbrushed and perfect, and if we look any different, we hide it from the light of day in fear of being seen." So she decided to solicit photos from mothers, for mothers (and anyone else who wants to see). You may be surprised by the emotions, thoughts, and reactions you have upon viewing these photos. When most of what we see is a false rendition of the female form, it can be shocking to see it in its natural state. This is just the kind of site that can help a woman feel like she isn't the only one with (name that trait). Know what I mean?
From The Shape of a Mother, I found a link to 007 Breasts (don't click on this link unless you're willing to see nudity, there's no "front door" as with The Shape of a Mother). Another photo-based website, 007 Breasts is all about normal, non-sexualized breasts in all their variety. Again, you may be surprised to see how very much variety there is, and to learn how many versions of normal and healthy we have! I think that no matter your age, or how much nudity you've seen over the years, there's nothing quite like this website to help you understand that there is no single definition of beauty, or "normal". It is sites like this that can help all women who don't fit a very narrow cultural ideal of feminine beauty recognize their own physical beauty - and that true beauty comes from a much deeper place.
The following week, I was at Zovo Lingerie in University Village, hoping to catch the tail end of their annual sale. On the checkout counter, in a neat little pile, were business cards that I could not resist. A lovely shade of pink, the title read: "b00bs: A Guide to Your Girls". Having no idea what the card was about, but tickled by the title, I picked one up and put it in my bag. I'm glad that I did! As it turns out, a fellow Seattlite has recently written a book full of information - an owner's manual, if you will - on breasts. Again, it is an effort to spread the concept of non-sexual breasts, what is healthy, what is normal, how they became sexualized, when they have been politicized, and "mammoirs" of the full range of experiences of having them or losing them.
Later that week, I'm driving home from teaching Mommy & Baby Yoga, listing to "The Beat" on our local NPR station. It isn't a show I usually listen to, as I'm only occasionally interested in the topics. On this day, however, the topic was near and dear to my heart: women and body image. Another local woman, Rosanne Olson, has published a book entitled The Body Image Book. I can't find a link to the actual interview, but you can see more about this book here. This beautiful collection of nude photos is offered as yet another forum for the dissemination of images of natural female forms in all their varied glory. Each woman also offers a short essay about her body image journey. One of the best points from the interview was how a regular (clothed) photos offer a certain perspective from which the viewer develops ideas about that woman and her life. In the nude, however, and with a personal statement accompanying it, the woman has an opportunity to show a level of truth about herself that clothing hides. For example, she spoke of a beautiful young woman who, if you just saw her (clothed) walking down the street, you might be tempted to think "Wow, she's so pretty. I bet her life is easy." (This is an amazingly common correlation people draw between looks and lifestyle.) In the nude, however, you can see that she has had lung surgery. In fact, she lives with cystic fibrosis, and had recently had a portion of her lung removed (she's only in her early twenties). Yes, she is pretty. No, her life is not "easy"...and yet it is full of joy.
Last but not least, this evening Rob and I were listening to a wonderful program called "Birth". Again, I can't find a live link to the show, but if you click here you will find a listing of future airings. If you are curious about the state of birth in the US, this is a must-hear show! It compiles women's birth stories, interviews with doulas, midwives, doctors and nurses. If offers perspectives ranging from "Of course I will have my baby in the hospital" to "There's no way I'm having my baby anywhere but at home." It lays out the current statistics and some ideas as to how we've come to them (i.e. Caesarians used to comprise only 2% of births, but now 1 in 3 babies are born this way. What has changed? Surely women's bodies haven't become ineffective at delivering babies in a mere thirty years.). As the documentary shows, it is wonderful that we have so many options, and that women have choices about how (and where) they want to give birth. It is important to remember, however, that despite all of the ways in which labor and birth can be directed by modern medicine, it is still a process that follows its own course - with the baby and mother leading it together - which may not always follow statistics or schedules.
I hope that some of these links give you food for thought. I would love to hear what you think, especially about the photo-compilation sites. Enjoy, and happy body-image boosting!
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