The Right to Bare Arms – Body Positivity in Action, Year 3
The Right to Bare Arms – Body Positivity in Action, Year 3
Since 2015, we have taken to the streets (or the beach) to be loud and proud in our existence as women. We don’t curate who comes to the photo shoots – any woman who sees our Facebook event or who hears about it from a friend or even walks past us while we’re playing is welcome. These photo shoots celebrate ALL WOMEN, and shout from the rooftops that they are worthy of attention and entitled to present themselves however they see fit.
This year, our focus was on tank tops. We chose this before the congressional kerfuffle. Take a look below and you’ll see our awesome participants and get a glimpse into their thoughts on body positivity. We’ll be highlighting some of our participants each month in subsequent posts, so stay tuned for more about them and their experiences!
The Participants:
Beth
“It made me feel like part of a community and less self-focused, which I appreciated.”
Carey
“Everyone was so positive and supportive, and we laughed a lot. I think it will be evident from the photos that it was a fun time.”
Donna and Callista
“I love tank tops now. I am wearing one today. I like showing my arms because someone said that arms are strong and can give hugs. My mommy gives the best hugs. That’s why she shows off her arms” -Callie
“I almost cancelled the photoshoot and right before we left home, I looked at myself in the mirror and reached out for my makeup. And then, I stopped. I told myself, “No – this is you in all of your natural beauty. We are celebrating arms and body positivity. ” -Donna
Kim and Isadora
“[The individual shots were] Fun. Vibrant. Silly. Totally not body conscious (in a good way). I felt comfortable in my skin.” – Kim
“I think nobody should be embarrassed when they go out in public. Instead, they should feel good about themselves. Everybody is beautiful.” – Izzy
Jenn
“Seeing as I had to buy my tank top in order to participate, I better wear it again. Odds are, my cardigans are staying but when it’s 9 million degrees out, the guns may come out while the sun is out.”
Katherine
“It was fun and energizing to be with other people who knew and had no preconceived notions about me.”
Lizzie
“It reminded me that feeling good in my skin makes for a more joyful day than finding the outfit that best hides my flaws”
Maike
“Arms do so many wonderful things and can envelop a person with love through an embrace. They add grace to a dance, evoke power and strength, and enable us to accomplish so much. I look forward to celebrating arms more often.”
Malik
“I felt a strong sense of community this year. We were all invested in choosing the poses and making the photo shoot our own which felt great.”
Rebecca
“There is nothing better than being in a group of supportive, funny people who are ready to try anything.”
