Introducing: PROJECT REAL
“The mass audience doesn’t want to see you if you aren’t perfect. If you don’t look a certain way, if you don’t have big pecs and great skin and the perfect eyes. And it’s unfortunate, because kids are growing up with body image dysmorphia because not everyone is represented on the screen.”
~Chris Pine, bringing awareness to the vastness of body shaming
“I don’t see myself as beautiful, because I see a lot of flaws. People have really odd opinions. They tell me I’m skinny, as if that’s supposed to make me happy.”
~Angelina Jolie, expressing personal insecurity
“What people don’t understand is that calling someone too skinny is just as bad as calling someone too fat; it’s not a nice feeling.”
~Kendall Jenner, showing the other side of the body-shaming coin
“It can be really challenging in today’s world–especially girls and women–to feel good about their bodies.”
~Emma Stone, speaking for all women who don’t feel beautiful
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”
~Kate Moss, inspiring anorexia for multiple generations with seven words of complete lies
I have a problem.
Actually, let me rephrase that. The entire world has a problem, and that is that “beautiful” equates one image and one image only, with no room for uniqueness, as shown by the above quotes. Girls from ages as early as nine years old are bombarded with images of what they should look like and who they should aspire to be. This advertising attack on kids escalates into the teen years, telling young women that they are not good enough on their own. That this product will improve them, and that dress will solve their problems, that all it takes is one pill, one operation. Try a little harder. Run a little farther. Eat a little less.
My response to this? Project Real.
Project Real: A movement targeted to embrace body positivity and to fight the standardized image of beauty. Twelve beautiful girls, twelve body types, twelve unique styles, five locations, and a whole lot of fantastic content coming your way.
Starting at the end of this month, you’ll get to meet each and every one of these girls and hear just what they’re all about–I can’t wait for you to see just what we have in store for you. We invite everyone to embrace their bodies, their ethnicities, their gender identities, their sexual orientations, and their passion and drive to fight for acceptance across the board. It’s time to end all shaming, and I’m starting here.
Check out my Instagram @ProjectMaganda and the hashtags #ProjectMaganda and #ProjectReal for more details and behind the scenes shots of the series as it progresses. Upload your own photos and show your support for #ProjectReal and body positivity. Make sure to tag me and to use the hashtags so that I see it!
And as I began with angered quotes, I will end with an inspired one:
“I am allowed to look sexy, feel sexy, and be in love. I am worthy of all those things, and so are you.”
Tess Holliday, plus size model and founder of #EffYourBeautyStandards
Until next time.
Much love,
Erin