Her Campus is a unique platform to project ideas, theories, and stories. As a feminist, feminine-oriented organization, Her Campus provides the platform to speak about feminist topics with the general safety of words being accepted. Of ideas being understood.
Women read these articles, and women grow from them. As the president and founder for the SLU chapter of this publication, I understand how important it is for women to write, read, and support each other’s words. It doesn’t matter what the words are about, if we support each other’s words, we’re more likely to write more words in the future. Maybe those future words will be about justice, or survivorship, or social change. Any way the words go, they’re out there and they’re read.
The audience is the platform for Her Campus. As I’ve said, this audience has power. Let’s do something about it.
So, what can we do about the problems in the body positivity movement? Here is how you can nurture yourselves, your relationships, and your society regarding beauty standards, body-positivity, and corporations:
-
Be Conscious of How You Consume.
Who wrote the thing you’re reading? What do they support? Who sponsors them? Question what you absorb, and question if the way you’re absorbing it is healthy, conscious, and sustainable. You’re capable of not consuming everything blindly.
2. Question Influencers Who Support Problematic Things
If the influencer is on Instagram, comment on the post and kindly mention the exclusivity of the clothing brand, or the dichotomous messaging. Self-education is important, and it’s important for those with power to listen deeply to their peers and followers to begin that process. Engage with those who engage you. Everyone deserves it. Just remember to be kind, respectful, and thought-out.
3. Speak Out to Problematic Organizations
Use your voice and speak about things that make you upset, or that disproportionately affect others. Yell at corporations like Aerie for not being accessible to all people who could benefit from their products and new messaging. To nurture an organization is to challenge it. If you support the message, challenge it to be the best it can be. This is system advocacy.
4. Spread the Message
Whether it be this article series, your story, or a song you love, get it out there. Change happens when as many people has possible have a solid, semi-cohesive body of knowledge and narrative as possible.
If an institution has hurt you, use the entropy for change. Look out for others, and protect each other.