Body image coaches Danni Adams and Summer Innanen talk to Stacy about why a social justice lens and intersectionality cannot be separated from the concept of body image in world where beauty standards are all rooted in systems of oppression. Danni and Summer share their own experiences of beauty, why practicing community care is also self-care, and give us plenty of resources to get started on our own journey.
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Key Takeaways
Introductions
- Danni Adams is an influencer, writer, activist, body image coach, and speaker from Sanford, Florida. She has been invited to speak at Harvard University, University of Ottawa, Bethune Cookman University and more about race, beauty, and other topics. She’s been featured on ABC’s Tamron Hall Show, Dr. Phil and The Sisaundra Show.
- Summer Innanen you may remember from ye olden days on our blog, she is a professionally trained coach that’s been specializing in body image, confidence and self-worth since 2014.
- Together, they have created the Body Image Coach Certification Program, which helps providers who believe in fat liberation to learn tools and frameworks to support their clients through a social justice lens. And, I tho I know that sounds like a bunch of who-ha, trust me when I say it’s fancy words for the world we want to live in that respects all humans.
Body Image Through A Social Justice Lens
- Danni defines “fat liberation” as liberating fat people socially, economically, and politically.
- Their body image program considers the intersectionalityn of identities: How do you experience in this world impacted by all of the systems and structures. Our work really looks at the economic, social, political of someone with multiple identities.
- Summer believes that all beauty standards are all rooted in systems of oppression: You have to be thin, young, white, appear weathly, feminine, so we’re talking about racism, anti-fat bias, ageism, classism, etc.
- For example, we can’t think about eating disorders without thinking about food deserts, and we can’t think about fat people without the racialized images designed by white people.
- Danni aslo notes that beauty isn’t sustainable, as it changes so much. In the early 2000s it was “heroin chic”, and black has never been the standard of beauty. So she personally feels that she can’t chase beauty standards and really have care for herself at the same time.
- We all have our inner critic, but our environment can make our inner critic so much louder. And there are so many other factors that impact the way that we see ourselves. So that’s why it is our responsibility to watch the things that we say and watch the things that we do, because if we’re going to practice community care, we’ve got to look out for people’s critic.
- Start curating a social media that empowers you!
Studies, References & Products
- Body Image Remix: Embrace Your Body and Unleash the Fierce, Confident Woman Within by Summer Innanen
- Fat Girls in Black Bodies: Creating Communities of Our Own by Joy Arlene Renee Cox Ph.D
- The Body Liberation Project: How Understanding Racism and Diet Culture Helps Cultivate Joy and Build Collective Freedom by Chrissy King
- It’s Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women’s Bodies by Jessica Wilson MS RD
- Body Belly Soul: The Black Mother’s Guide to a Primal, Peaceful, and Powerful Birth by Nicole Bailey
- Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings
- Reclaiming UGLY!: A Radically Joyful Guide to Unlearn Oppression and Uplift, Glorify, and Love Yourself by Vanessa Rochelle Lewis
- The Body Is Not an Apology, Second Edition: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
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Note: Stacy and her guests are not medical professionals. This podcast is for general educational purposes only. It is NOT intended to diagnose, advise, or treat any physical or mental illness. We always recommend you consult a licensed service provider.
