This is Tati. She has an awesome way with words and is a boss on her ukelele. Occasionally she sings drunk, and is probably still better at writing lyrics than the majority of the population. Enjoy!
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The best of the rest of the web for this week, served to you not too hot and not too cold, but incredibly satisfying.
Kayt over at XOJane says nay to euphemisms. A clit is a clit is a clit. Ya dig? (XOJane)
Au Revior, Mademoiselle. The French Prime Minister has banished the french title, which can be roughly translated to “virgin” or “single woman” in English, with the aim to encourage less of a focus on a woman’s marital status. (NY Times)
Rachel Rabbit makes a confession about her fear of men and reverse sexism. Girlfriend has been reading my diary. (Rabbit Write)
What to do if your straight friends keep hitting on you. Such wisdom. (Rabbit Write)
Another of my favourite Rachels, Rachel Hills writes in defense of women’s mags and the euphemistic ‘lifestyle’ section. (Musings of an Inappropriate Woman)
Why are discussions of political horse races, war and even sport (all of which I enjoy – the discussions of, that is, not the practices) considered more “worthy” than discussions of why we think and feel the way we do, or the more subtle (and I think, interesting) political machinations shaping human life that don’t take place in parliament or congress? It’s not just newspaper websites that lump in discussions of feminism or sociology with beauty tips and celebrity gossip: our collective cultural psyche does too.
How have women’s magazines changed over the years? With a brief mention of a dinner with Anna Wintour (who is not, contrary to popular belief, Frosty the Snow Bitch). (XOJane)
It’s Art Attack month at Autostraddle! Check out this post for a very hilarious yet also insightful history of lady lovin’ femmey cartoon heroines. (Autostraddle)
Image from Autostraddle
WORDS CAN NOT ACCURATELY CONVEY MY EXCITEMENT. Someone take me to Camp Autostraddle! Seriously! My favourite website is having a four day slumber party in California, filled with workshops, fun activities like pillow fights and hiking and toasting marshmallows and lots of really cute girls are going! OMG! (Autostraddle)
I grew up with the Spice Girls. I will not stand for Spice hate. And neither will Sady. (Rookie)
Yeah. Feel bad about making fun of “zig-a-zig-haaaaa” now? Because I do. “Wannabe” was lightweight, shallow, and deeply goofy. But at least it was about liking other girls, not about hating them, being “hot,” and getting into mud-wrestling fights with other ladies for the sake of The Most Important Thing In Life, A Man.
I’m not really into Pixar films (what can I say? Anthropomorphised animals just aren’t my thing anymore), but I fully intend to either a) get myself down to Hoyts and pay $14 to see Brave, or b) torrent that shit (but probably the latter. I’m a student. Don’t judge). The ladies over at Vagenda are a bit wary about its coming reception, and whether it’s actually covering new ground. Read more here. (The Vagenda)
And here’s the trailer. Weeeee.
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I don’t think I ever really felt ugly until 6th grade. I was raised by a mother and father who always praised my intelligence and creativity; they really did not have an eye for nor an interest in aesthetics. I didn’t really notice my appearance – my wild, sea-weed like curls, the explosion of freckles on my face, my alabaster glow which later earnt me the nickname ‘ghost’ – until the very end of my primary school education. I wasn’t really made aware of it, as I never felt inclined to compare myself to my peers. Until I met Dolly, and her chief competition, Girlfriend. Two girls of the same elite, media environment, they competed for my attention, usually resulting in an eventual tie as I gave them both my unwavering affection.
In my pre-teen years, magazines for young girls were in scant supply, and the dotcom boom was well and truly yet to take off. When I was a tween, you had a handful of options: Smash Hits for TV/Movie/Music news, Dolly Magazine, or Girlfriend Magazine. I was 10, and after my favourite arts and crafts magazine folded, I landed my hands on a copy of Dolly Magazine, Australia’s favourite tween-age glossy for the discerning pop tartlet. According to its publisher it is “the single most trusted source of information for teenager girls”.
Dolly Magazine 1998 with Claire Danes on the cover
Maybe it had Dawson’s Creek on the cover. Or a Zach Hanson centre fold to add to my every growing shrine of boy band paraphernalia. Dolly Magazine, as you can probably guess from the featured celebrities splashed across the cover that caught my pre-pubescent eye, is the Australian equivalent of America’s beloved Seventeen or Teen Vogue. They were a girl’s pop-culture bible, and the ultimate go-to for any young fangirl wanting to read about boys, fashion, health, tv, movies, music, not to mention the ever popular sealed-section. I wasn’t even a teenager yet, but boy did I want to be one. Whilst I couldn’t speed up my body clock, I could enter girl world through these portals of pop culture.
Every month when the new issue of these magazine would come out I would treat them as gospel, seemingly preached from a heavenly host of older, stylish, smarter, popular ethereal beings who sat somewhere within their glamourous inner Sydney city offices. I learnt much, and I learnt fast, unconsciously programming myself to fit within the quintessential target demographic of 12-18. Obviously, age is a large part of this requirement, but a keen interest in boys, fashion, makeup and celebrity culture counts for a lot too. I’d always been friends with boys, and having an older brother meant I was often in the company of the opposite sex. Magazines taught me that not only should I care about the opposite sex, I should also care about what they thought about me. I should care right down to the hair on my head, the clothes on my body, the makeup on my face and the fat beneath my flesh. Was I charismatic? Was I pretty enough? Did I have an adequate gaggle of girly friends that would, by extension, render me part of the “in crowd”? I found myself pushing and pulling, stretching and altering my appearance and attitude. Young Camilla felt desperately inadequate, attempting to remedy any personality flaws with the help of these magazines like they were commandments written in stone.
Was I happy before hand? Quite possibly. What child from your generic middle-class family home isn’t? But suddenly happiness became unattainable. The most important thing I learnt from these glossy periodicals is that not only should I care about fashion, about boys, about the zits on my chin and the amount of boobage in my bra, but that because I was a girl I should care. My vagina was my downfall, a physiological trait that rendered me a consumer of the highest order. I couldn’t help it. I was a girl. I was made this way. I would always want, want, want, because there was a never ending list of things out of my reach. What was fashionable was always changing, leading young girls everywhere round and round like a dog chasing its tail (except dogs have more luck in this venture).
It wasn’t until probably two years ago when I started studying journalism that I learnt of the media’s power and the manufacturing of desire. I learnt that I’d been duped. I was but a mere pawn in a system that is designed to make money from making girls feel bad about themselves. I’m proud of the fact that I don’t feel that a bottle of perfume will enhance my quality of life, or that the key to success lies in a pair of shoes, a dress, or an expensive hair cut. I trip up from time to time, as my credit card debt will testify. My media consumption’s changed not just with age (and a brief graduation from Dolly and Girlfriend to Cosmopolitan and Cleo), but also with the times. Tumblr and fashion blogs over costly magazines is now the riguer du jour for the conscientious female. Of course, these can also be harmful too, as I’ve written about previously.
I think these magazines still enjoy a good sized readership. Thankfully, some of them have jumped on board the positive body image brigade, with Australian journalists like Mia Freedman leading the pack with the National Body Advisory Group. Their most notable achievement is the Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image. It’s non-compulsory set of guidelines for media outlets, which lists things such as the need to portray a healthier weight, a diverse range of girls, fair placement of advertising material, etc. You can check it out here if you’re interested.
This year I made a pledge to only consume media that will enrich my intellect and give me a positive outlook on life. I adore Gala Darling, Wellness WA (whom I occasionally blog for), Charade Style, Jetta Vegas, and loads more which you can find in the links tab to your right. What I want to know is, what magazines/blogs do you read? I’m always interested in finding new blogs and for overloading my feed.
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Hello ladies! This week’s Sunday Hustle is going to be a little less analytical, a little more snippity snap and bite sized. It is that time of year, people! Students are booking psych appointments, handing in sick notes for break downs, cancelling their plans for the weekend, staring at computer screens and wishing the dang essay would just write itself, ffs. I’ve had offers to complete assignments, and sadly had to decline. I’m extending part of my freelance writing services to tutoring in English and Media studies, however, this does not include completing your assignment for you. That’s not how I roll, slugger.
Anyways, please enjoy, and have an awesome rest of the week you hot tamales.
Cool dad bans Bieber, turns his daughter into the world’s youngest hispter. On a more serious note, this girl is now seriously alienated from her peers. Media plays such a huge part in young people’s lives – she’s ‘cultured’ from her dad’s perspective, but if someone banned my Hanson Xmas album from me, how on earth would I have survived recess? I would have never formed the Pig Latin Club, because I would have never found a common ground with my girlfriends. Oh my god – did I just defend 13-year-old girls everywhere? University really has turned my brain to mush. (The Onion)
The real Playboy Bunnies hate the new TV show, The Playboy Club. Here’s why.(Jezebel)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P50Ttp3-KXY]
I actually really want to watch this show. Kind of looks like Mad Men, with ears. And waaaaay more pink.
Romantic comedies and their generalisations about women. Fat women are not really fat, we have families but our husbands hate us, and anything can be fixed with OMGZ SHOEZ. (Cracked)
….and here’s some more observations. (Feministe)
Source: weheartit.com
Hands off our goodies! Miranda July, film maker, writer, all-round talented woman, reveals her tougher side. (Rookie)
A school in the UK is banning mirrors to deter their students from wearing make up. I started wearing make-up in year 7. I was obsessed with my appearance, and did a little experiment one day. I decided to not look in the mirror for a whole day. I was infinitely happier and more carefree. These days? I wear makeup to work (in retail it is a must) and when I’m going out on the town. But to uni? Heck, I’m there to learn! (Mamma Mia)
Source: Tumblr.com
Living the new (American) dream, dating boys after girls, and recreating your own version of success. (Unicorns for Socialism)
500 Days of Summer – is Summer a manic pixie dream girl, or a misunderstood bitch? (Jezebel)
Fancy yourself a sassy scribe? Unleash your message to the masses, sistah! Check out these freelance writing opportunities. (Chiktionairy)
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Hi Camilla! I’m a 19 year old Professional Communication student hoping to specialise in Journalism and PR. I’m highly impressed with the number of internships you’ve managed to secure under your belt, so I guess I’m just wondering if you’d be able to give me any advice to follow in your footsteps? I have a blog (it’s currently not working at the moment so I won’t link it to you just yet) which I use frequently. I’m really interested in politics, current affairs, arts and culture, foreign languages in general, I really love writing. Thanks for your time!
Nancy.
Thanks so much for your question Nancy!
I figured I’d answer this question in a post, as it’s a question I get a lot, and I know a lot of people who visit Girls Are Made From Pepsi are journalism/media students. I’m mainly going to focus on publications though, as that’s where I’ve completed the majority of my internships. You might find this method also works for broadcast media too though.
When you’re studying to work in media, there are two things for certain. Firstly, you will be exposed to Media Watch. You will tune in every Monday night and feel incredibly smug whilst doing so. You will then return to your daily life, and eye people with mocking scorn as they browse through certain low-brow publications, blissfully unaware of the ways they are being manipulated by media scum. You are oh so wise, oh blessed journalism student.
2. You HAVE to do internships. Yes, plural. Notice how I say internships and not internship. That’s because ideally, you should do more than one.
Now, a lot of media courses will make it mandatory to complete at least one internship, which is great! My first journalism course at Macleay College in Sydney (which I highly recommend for those wanting hands on experience) required us to complete two. I think I did 4 (nerdburger!). But I had a rollicking time whilst doing so and now my resume is pimpin’. Ya dig?
Spending just one week photocopying paper work or creating scrap books of inspiration or accompanying a journalist on their particular beat just isn’t going to cut the mustard, girlfriend. Sure, it gets you in the workplace and it certainly adds a little somethin’ somethin’ to your resume, but if you want to acquire some actual skills and really set yourself apart from the rest of the pack, you need to do several internships.
Now don’t freak out. I realise you just want ONE! And one may be hard enough to get as it is. The idea of working for free might not sound too appealing, but you need to keep in mind that as a student you need to acquire skills, and the only way to do this is through hands on experience. Luckily for you, I have the art of intern proposing down pat and I’m going to share my secrets with you.
- Find a publication you want to work for. Make sure it’s a publication you actually respect. This will make writing to the publication a lot more easier because you’ll appear more genuine, and should you win the editor over with your flourishing praise, it’ll make interning a lot more fun because you’ll actually want to be there. I’ve made the mistake of interning for publications I didn’t really love all that much, and trust me, it shows when you disappear to the bathroom every five minutes.
- The best thing to do is to start off small. You’ve probably got your sights set on joining the Park Street pack, or trawling the hipster dwellings of New York with your new Nylon buddies, or fetching unpublished manuscripts for Ms. Anna Wintour herself. If you’re in your first year and haven’t done any internships, you might not get placed at the nation’s top publications to begin with. That is, unless you know someone. And if you have contacts, by Joe, make sure you’re lending out free iPods left, right and centre! But if you don’t know anyone in the industry, that’s ok! There are honestly a lot of other cool publications out there that are relatively small, but looooooove taking on interns. This is usually because as a small publication they might not have the same resources as larger publications, so it’s a win-win situation for all. They get an extra person helping out, and you get to have a kick-ass time being a serious journalist! Can you say Extra! Extra!?
- Make up a list of milestones. Just grab a pen and paper. Or make up an excel spread sheet, and create goals for yourself. Mine usually go something like this:
- 1st October : Email editor of [your magazine here]
- 5th October: Follow up email
- 10th October: Follow up with phone call
- 30th October: Try another publication
4. Go for gold. Just do it. Email them. Find who it is that handles intern programs, and drop them a line. Depending on how large the publication is, it could be a number of a people: the editor, the PA, the editorial coordinator, HR department. Checking the website usually brings some good leads as to whom you should be contacting.
5. When you’re crafting up your letter to intern success, be sweet. Be honest. And most of all, focus on how YOU can help THEM. If you send someone an email saying what you want, they will probably forward your email around the office and everyone will make fun of you. Just kidding! However, it won’t pack as much as a punch if you tell them how much you love their magazine. So go on, don your digital eyelashes and get a-fluttering, girlfriend. Tell them your favourite issue so far, tell them what regular columns you love, tell them you wish they’d update their blog more and that you’re just DYING for the next issue. But also make sure you mean these things.
6. Be relentless. Do not give up so easily. Editors (or whomever handles work experience) get a shit load of emails, and sometimes they might see your email, intend to get back to you, but forget because fashion week is on or something. So what’s an undergrad to do? You email them again. Just a gentle reminder saying something along the lines of “Hi, Just wondering if you received my email regarding internships. I’m super keen to come in and help you guys out in any way I can. Looking forward to hearing back from you!” Sometimes, this might involve even (ugh!) calling them. I’ve done this in the past, and it’s landed me internships. Here’s what you do:
- Find their number (who do you want to talk to? The editor? The deputy editor?). This will usually be on the website.
- Write up a little script of what you intend to say should they (gulp) actually be in the office or, should they be in a meeting.
- If they’re unable to talk, politely inform them you’ll call back. YOU call THEM. Sometimes, they might ask for you to leave a message. 9 times out of 10, they will not return your call.
- If they can talk, mention your email, then restate what you’re written in said email. Calling shows persistence, guts and dedication. You’re setting yourself apart from the pack. You go Glen Coco!
And lastly, just a few pointers for when you actually score the gig:
- Should you be asked to perform menial tasks such as fetching lunch, photocopying, banking, decorating the bathroom (oh yes, I’ve been there), it’s best to grin and bare it. You will inevitably have to do jobs you don’t like, but you’ll be rewarded with more fun, fulfilling tasks as well. For example, I’ve had to pack 100s of gift bags for book launches, but I also got to attend said book launches. Think Hugo’s Lounge in Kings Cross, with dozens of talented, super important people, free cosmopolitans, a photo in the Sun Herald, and a goody bag to boot. Own horn = tooted!
- If possible, arrange to come in 1 or 2 days a week for a few months, rather than doing 1 week straight. You’ll be more exposed to the up-and-down publications process. Sometimes, some weeks are very quiet, and it’s not fun to land work experience on those weeks. You’ll also build up more of a relationships with those you’re working with.
- Remember to keep in contact with those you work for. They can prove to be invaluable references and mentors.
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Source: laurenoutloud.com
Ambitious? Check. Multi-talented? Check. Super cute yet kick-ass to boot? Double check. Allow me to introduce you to Lauren O’Neil, a move and a shaker of the multi-media variety. She clearly loves her life and what she does, and it’s no wonder! She blogs for Cananda’s Cosmo TV, she makes videos, is the resident social media guru for Vitamin Water MuchMusic, teaches online journalism, and gets to interview loads of cool people for a living. I recently approached her to be my Lady of the Week, and despite her cuh-razy schedule, she was super thrilled to take time out to answer some questions for me. Here is le interview. Enjoy!
Yo Lau! Where you from gurl? What’s your story?
Bonjeezy, doll! I’m living in Toronto right now, but was born in a small city called Chatham in Ontario. It’s an aight town, but very very boring if you’re not into playing hockey or… well, that’s about it.
I had to make my own fun until I escaped for University at 17. Often, that involved writing or reading or dressing up in weird costumes and messing with people. Sometimes, it involved Barbie dolls and Ninja Turtles and my parents’ ginormous old video camera. Rarely did it involve acting cool. I wasn’t cool.
When you were just a little blonde-bot, what did you want to be when you grew up?
EVERYTHING. I still want to be everything. It used to change week by week: a veterinarian, a dance teacher, a scientist, a garbage man, an undercover cop (the kind that gets to wear fake skin like Mrs. Doubtfire), an actresssss… I wanted the spotlight, always. This much was certain.
You have a few pimpin’ jobs in the media industry. How did you get your foot in the door?
I get asked this a lot… I so wish I had a definitive answer! I think it was a combination of hard work, education, networking, passion and, for lack of a better word, “pizazz”. Actually, wait – I do have a better word: “Moxie”. I like that word, moxie.
I started down this path long before I realized what I was doing. I was constantly performing as a kid – acting in every play I could, dancing, entering public speaking competitions. I wrote like crazy all the while, and started building websites when I was 12. Fast forward 10 years later, I’m finishing my undergraduate degree in Communication Studies / Computer Science, hosting my university’s video news program, bartending at a high-volume nightclub and interning at a small ad agency.
I decided to get a Master’s degree in Journalism after that and while at J-School I began blogging harder, got really into Twitter, built up my digital portfolio and worked my butt off on assignments. This lead to a great internship at a TV news station and a freelance blogging gig with a major television station in Toronto. I covered concerts for them and for my own blog, meeting tons of people and making friends with everybody I could along the way. I freelanced for other publications too.
My first job out of school was with Canada’s largest newspaper. I got that through school connections and through being knowledgeable about new media technology.
All subsequent jobs just sort of happened. I still get approached by producers and editors looking for people with my skill set. It would appear as though journalists with strong multimedia skills are in short supply… or rather, if they’re out there, they’re not easy to find. I think this may be the key – I understood the importance of making myself easy to find from the very beginning. Personal branding is important in any industry, but especially this one.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTZ-Ywi8Eo0]
You seem like a crazy busy person! Do you bathe in red bull?
Too sticky! I prefer coffee. I bathe the inside of my body with black coffee like, 8 times a day. I don’t care if it’s 11:00 pm – if I’ve still got work to do, more coffee. I’m going to be dead by the time I’m 30, aren’t I?
Who’s the coolest person you’ve ever interviewed?
Ooooh that’s tough! Talking to Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved by the Bell) was pretty cool. He was kind of creepy, but like… he’s Samuel Powers! In a similar vein, Alicia Silverstone was awesome to talk to. Cher Horowitz was one of my idols growing up. Johnny Knoxville, also cool. I love him pretty hard 
Do you ever get star struck and spontaneously propose to people?
Hahahaha, yesssss
I almost puked on Ryan Gosling in Cannes. I’ve never felt like that before.
The Adrian Grenier proposal was actually planned in advance. I didn’t think he’d say yes, but sheeeeeet – looks like I’ve got a wedding to plan now! Want to come?
Describe yourself in haiku form plz.
Lauren likes to Tweet
She can’t put down her iPhone
Look out for that wall
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN-s7a1E4Qk]
Follow Lauren on Twitter here, or check out her blog!
….And thus concludes the end of my second week back at uni. Was I ready for this jelly? No, no I was not. Regardless, you’re more than likely to find me bouncing out of bed ready to LEARN IMPORTANT STUFF rather than clutching at my pillow, praying for JUST 5 MORE MINUTES PLZ. I love learning, and I’m so happy to be back at uni. It’s the ultimate indulgence to feed my mind, to bounce ideas off of other inspiring, positive and creative people.
Things might be a little more quiet now that I’m back at big school and writing essays and trying to remember how to use the APA referencing system (which I totally don’t remember existed, by the way). I wish I had more time to jump up and down on my computer keyboard excitedly and churn out more posts like the eager Gen Y smarty-pants I am, but my course requires a lot of attention and little time for…well, life. Having said that,I’m really determined to make time for the projects that matter to me these days. More writing! More photography! More reading! Like a grocery list chock block of awesome food for the soul! Time is trickier than Where’s Wally. You can’t find it, you have to make it, and you’re never too busy for the things you love. Never.
This week I definitely noticed a trend in articles on self-loathing and self-loving in the physical sense. Because Girls Are Made From Pepsi is all about lady love, coming to terms with and accepting our diverse physicality is a large part of appreciating and celebrating your foxy self. Females of all ages – whether young girls or middle aged women – have all gone through some sort of body image crisis. Some deal with their inner critics more effectively than others, whilst some of still unconsciously grab at imaginary love-handles when trying on new jeans. I personally don’t feel ready to write a body image post of my own, so below are some of the best I’ve read this week (or ever!).
How gay-friendly is Facebook? With the Google+ machine ploughing through the digital stratosphere aiming to catch as many band-wagon enthusiasts as possible (oh yeah, I saw it riding past and climbed on!), Lesbilicious takes a look at how the world’s most popular (and infamous!) social networking site helped (or hindered) queer visability. Can we expect the same from Google+? Do social networks force people out of the closet when they ask you disclose information? Or is it still possible to keep some of our life private? It did not escape me that Google+ does not ask for your sexual orientation…
By the way – it’s awfully lonely on Google+! If anyone wants an invite, holla at me! I’m willing to spread the love around!
Liz at Autostraddle does a fashioncap of the latest Pretty Little Liars, turns the majority of the cast/extras into homos, and consequently makes my week whilst doing so.
THIS IS NEW INFORMATION. Not all women like pink. If you are one of those women, I’m sorry for 
my blog’s colour scheme and it’s affect on your retinas. Not really, because I love pink! But don’t worry, I still like you. This study, published in the Harvard Business Review (and handily dissected for the sake of my poor attention span by Gawker), suggests that women don’t like pink because it reminds them of other women.
Despite the fact that a full 100% of lesbians are women, it appears that women do not actually love themselves? Because it’s not the color of pink that women hate, according to the study, so much as the fact that pink is “a gender cue” that triggers a “defensive response” among women. This sort of self-loathing behavior is really sad to see among a gender that has produced lots of really quality gymnasts.
The study was conducted in relation to breast cancer donations. Although it seems fairly obvious that sometimes, you know, women prefer blue, some parts of the study actually sounded like they might not be completed baseless.
We put breast cancer banner ads on a website we showed the subjects but never mentioned them. When the site was geared to women [with the colour pink], 33% of women recalled the ads. When it was gender-neutral, 65% remembered. It’s been three years, and we have duplicated the same basic finding 10 times. It keeps happening.
Check out this video for Vanessa Bruno’s SS 12 collection. It features a Lou Doillon and Jessica Joffe as beautifully dressed forest sprites of some sort. (I am still recovering from Stevie Dance’s departure. I feel the need to talk about this. Anyone?)
140 characters can say a lot about your gender. According to a sociolinguistic study, women use a lot more emoticons and exclamation points ( !! =] ). I think I may have been an unwitting subject for this study…
Girl With a Satchel (Erica Bartle, or GWAS as she is known) is talking about body image. It’s a regular topic on GWAS, but I always love her posts on body image because they’re not just empty, superficial rhetoric about how important it is for us to love ourselves. Erica’s past experiences inform her views on body image and the media, so it’s not like she comes across all gung-ho about fighting the evil advertising standards which allow women to look like pore-less faces of sparkling beauty. She just recognises that it really, really sucks to open up a magazine and not feel like you resemble the yummy young things that dominate the pages.
What can be done by publishers in light of the fact that the Voluntary Code of Conduct has not been widely accepted? Go easy on the Photoshop, embrace what’s real, and complement fashion and beauty with a greater proportion of content that gives credit to women and girls’ other attributes. Devote sections to cultivating their minds, creativity, social conscience, resilience and knowledge of the world, as well as playing on their capacity to empathise, laugh, have fun and contribute something positive.
Source: weheartit.com
Rachel Hills shares her personal experience of BDD (body dysmorphic disorder).
When you’re actually living through something, it feels like some dark, impossible shame you could never speak openly to anyone about. Then there’s the stage of recovery where the whole event seems far enough in the past that the stigma begins to evaporate and you can speak about it freely. And eventually, you get to the point where it seems so long ago that it no longer feels relevant, almost as if it happened to another person.
I think I feel a bit like Rachel in a way when she says she finds it hard to open up, and not because she’s ashamed or doesn’t want to relive past events she’d rather keep locked up in her 16-year-old diary, but because it’s had to relate to who we were in the past. How do you speak for someone who exists outside of your here and now? Just as it’s difficult to comprehend and interpret another person’s state of mind, so too is it problematic to try and justify the actions of your former self. I, like many other girls, feel so far removed from who we once were, and that’s why many things are left unsaid.
Conversely, Anna Sussman writes of the eating disorder cliche – ‘Me Too’ Syndrome. I would really love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this one! Do you think there’s an E.D cliche? Or are you more partial to an open book policy? Over sharing? Or over people not caring?
Look familiar?
Apple, Pear, or Eggplant? I never understood why people compare their bodies with the shapes of fruit. I get the need to associate the female form with a deliciously sweet snack, but I’ve never felt these so called guides to female body shapes ever achieve anything.
Not satisfied? You might have more luck with something like Trinny & Susannah’s body shape guide, which has 12 possible forms—but, if you’re like me, you’ll still be left untyped. This isn’t because of your crazy, freakish body type that is unfit to be clothed. It’s because your body is probably a combination of run-of-the-mill (I mean that with love!) without a particular feature that calls for attention, and certain features that you may want to highlight or conceal but that don’t land you in one of the classic types.
