Hi friend,
When we see other people doing their thing out in the world, I think we – I know it’s true for me – have a tendency to assume that:
a. they were magically born as seasoned experts
b. they’re not necessarily growing and changing over time unless they explicitly tell us about it
But of course that’s not true. No matter how polished someone seems, they have to start somewhere.
Let me tell you a story:
My first podcast guest appearance was on Christy Harrison’s podcast Food Psych, back in 2018. And I was terrified. Christy had to keep stopping the conversation so that I could take deep breaths.
She was very gracious and friendly about it, and many people have told me since that they found that episode helpful, but I never felt that I truly represented myself well that day.
I think I’ve improved quite a bit since that long-ago recording. Time management is easier for me, as is retrieving information from my brain; I can more reliably return from tangents; and most of all, it’s easier to keep breathing.
You can judge for yourself with this brand-new episode of the podcast Taking Up Space with Cassie Krajewski, titled Allowing Yourself to Be Seen: Reclaiming Your Body Image through Photography with Lindley Ashline.
In this episode of Taking Up Space, we discussed:
- My story going from corporate America to fat activist
- How photography can be a way to reclaim one’s body image
- How I create visibility and representation
- The emotional process that can be a part of body liberation photography
- The racist roots of “flattering photos”
- The importance of connecting with body liberation and fat positive community
Hi there! I'm Lindley. I create artwork that celebrates the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional "beauty" standards at Body Liberation Photography. I'm also the creator of Body Liberation Stock and the Body Love Shop, a curated central resource for body-friendly artwork and products. Find all my work here at bodyliberationphotos.com.