I want to talk about something close to my heart; how we can revel in the art of oneself. This journey explores the balance between body positivity & body neutrality, and how I see boudoir imagery as a powerful tool to help us embrace our true selves.
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Understanding Body Positivity & Neutrality
You've probably heard about the body positivity movement over the years in our media. It's important to note where the body positivity movement originated from in the first place: in the 1960's a group of Black, queer, fat women helped pave that way. A powerful movement fighting back against oppressive beliefs that good bodies equate to only thin, white, & able-bodied women - something truly revolutionary especially for its time. It's so important today that we advocate for queer, Black, disabled, fat, intersectional voices within this movement and within art.
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When we preach the praises of body positivity, knowing the movements' origin gives us more insight as to how we're able to celebrate the spectrum & connection of body positivity & body neutrality - allowing us to embrace our true selves, meeting & accepting ourselves where we are currently at.
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The movement of body neutrality emerged in 2015-2016 and introduced the idea of thinking less about our bodies and more about what we do with our bodies - what our bodies have experienced, the idea that our worth is not correlated with our appearance, and thinking beyond the body. A ‘middle ground’, body neutrality allows us to observe our bodies without judgement. Body neutrality encourages us to look inward rather than focusing on the external, focusing on non-body related qualities about ourselves.
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How Body Neutrality & Body Positivity Work Together
In the realm of boudoir imagery, body positivity and body neutrality can coexist on a spectrum, offering humans diverse avenues for celebrating their bodies - and there isn't a wrong place to exist here. Body positivity encourages embracing one's body and challenging societal beauty standards, empowering people to appreciate their bodies in all forms and sizes. Body neutrality focuses on appreciating your worth apart from your appearance. Society often links value to outward looks, but you're much more than just a body. When you learn to respect and cherish yourself regardless of appearance, it becomes easier to experience moments of body positivity.
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Why Does This Matter in Boudoir Imagery?
Together the body neutrality-positivity ideals create a spectrum of self-celebration, acceptance, and authentic self expression; a personalized photographic experience that respects individual comfort zones and narratives - allowing us to revel in the art of ourselves.
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We are each inherently worthy of being represented and celebrated in art & boudoir, capturing the essence of our unique existence. Art has no boundaries, expanding beyond any limitations our minds may set.Â
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May the timelines our brains created dissolve, and let us embrace our individuality and value in the present, free from constraints.
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