I prepared these two German pieces for an audition and they’re both so floating and lovely! “Die Lotosblume” (“The Lotus Flower”) is a poem written by Heinrich Heine, and published in his Buch der Lieder (The Book of Songs, 1827). Set to music by Robert Schumann in 1840, this Lied is part of Schumann’s Myrthen…
Learn more about body acceptance, body positivity, fat acceptance, intuitive eating and health at every size (HAES) with these fat-positive zines! You might be thinking… what exactly is a zine?! A zine (pronounced ZEEN) is a self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images usually produced via a photocopier. Zines are great because they…
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lindley Ashline (she/her) (@bodyliberationwithlindley) on Aug 26, 2020 at 9:29am PDT I never intended to get involved in the eating disorder community. I’ve never had an ED. But the prevalence of ED treatment clinicians and patients in the health at every size (#HAES) community forced me…
The first two paragraphs of the thought below deserve a content note for violence and fat hatred, though the rest doesn’t. Please protect yourself as needed. I got my first death wish this week. One of my anti-diet Facebook posts was apparently shared in a Facebook group for bodybuilders that spends some of their effort…
One vital skill I didn’t expect to develop so thoroughly as a photographer is the ability to read someone instantly upon meeting them and then tailor an entire session to not only their personal style, but their personality, the clothing they’ve brought, and any mobility needs or limitations they might have. It’s a process that…
Today I’m thinking about the mental load of living as a fat person and how it’s affected by one small example: this Renfrew newsletter mess. (Trigger warnings apply.) If you live in a smaller body, you can say, “Oh, that’s terrible” and move right along with your life. But if you live in a fat…
One of the reasons my studio is located in my home: It gives me the ability to offer intimate, private spaces both indoors and outdoors. For Ms. J’s session, we took advantage of both kinds of spaces for lush, botanical photographs, starting with a sunny open space, then moving to leafy images that remind me…
Content note: Open bigotry; fatphobia in a medical and healthcare treatment setting. Image is Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” “As I sit across from my 5’ 8” 350-pound client, I am filled with discomfort and fear. In the grip of my terror, I want to fix her, to make her healthy and to protect her from…
Imagine a (pre-COVID) concert hall, filled with a cheering, applauding crowd. Imagine a stage full of performers in bright colors and full voice. Imagine a marquee on the front of the hall, flashing brilliantly in the darkness with the words, LET’S TALK ABOUT FAT! And imagine that, as you skim that concert hall again in…
This was one of my most memorable recital songs! Not only is the composer’s name (Engelbert Humperdinck) fun to say, but playing the Dew Fairy in this scene was a delight. I will happily wear fairy wings any time. The Dew Fairy Aria is from the opera Hansel & Gretel, first performed in 1893 in…
This is the Body Liberation Photos Ask a Fat Creator (and Allies) series, in which we find out more about the lives, work and breakfasts of all kinds of large-bodied and marginalized creators and their allies. Meghan (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian by training. She specializes in working with folks with eating disorders, disordered eating,…
Dear fat admirers and chubby chasers: We don’t care whether you find us attractive. At all. Every time I talk about the innate desirability, attractiveness or sexuality of fat women, men roll up to let the world know that unlike the rabble, they like fat women. A lot. In fact, they even have a thing…
“All relationships need boundaries. A boundary is an imaginary line that separates me from you. They separate your physical space, your feelings, needs, and responsibilities from others. Your boundaries also tell other people how they can treat you – what’s acceptable and what isn’t.” – Sharon Martin I didn’t learn to start setting boundaries until…
One of the more frustrating things about living in a fat body isn’t just finding something to wear — it’s warding off helpful advice that does more to help the suggestion-giver feel good than to help the suggestion-receiver. Clothing is both the classic and constant example. A couple of years ago, I mentioned — in…
One of the factors of living in the Pacific Northwest is that the landscape tends to look like the Pacific Northwest — for better or worse. We tried three times (!) to have a sunny, summer beach photo shoot, and finally decided to roll with what Mother Nature gave us: low clouds, seaweed, chill, and…
“But what I find so interesting about this whole conversation and about trolls in general is they’re so quick to put the onus on individuals. It could be really alleviating and lift all this fear – I guess except for the fear of change – but it really could alleviate a lot of fear to…
“Oh, I’d just rather be behind the camera.” Does that sound like you? Are you at the back of every photograph, making sure you’re hidden by as many other people as possible? Or simply refusing to be in photographs at all? For many, many years, that was me. In fact, one of the reasons I…
I first heard the song Caledonia when it was covered by the group Celtic Woman (as it has been by many other performers), but Dougie MacLean’s original version (he wrote it in 1977) is enchanting, too, in a different way. MacLean says it only took him ten minutes to write this song, which sounds unbelievable,…
June’s Ask a Fat Creator interview is with sculptor and illustrator Saya Collins. For Saya, sculpture is more than an art form. It is a connection to their ancestry, to history, and to the earth itself. It is an extension of their mind, imagination and dreams. “The pieces I create are not perfect. They take…
Please stop asking us to describe our pain for your gain. You’re preparing a presentation for your colleagues, or your class, or your professional society on healthcare, Health at Every Size, or weight stigma. You want to include some stories of the harassment, bias, discrimination and hatred fat people face every day, but since you…
In a time of Facebook groups, Instagram threads and blog posts, many of us first encounter Health at Every Size (or HAES for short) and pick up some of its principles in online discussions. But when you’re ready to dig deeper, where should you go first? There are a thousand articles and thousands more blog…
Lyn at Century Massage and I partnered to produce a collection of stock photos focused on massage by and for people of color. It was a privilege to help represent women and men of color while also working with a massage therapist who’s helped me and my body personally. Century Massage is located in Renton,…
Over at Releasing the Phoenix, I’m talking with Ashley Nestler about photography as a liberating force, the Body Love Box’s origins, PCOS and stigma, and how to increase your self-confidence.
Eat the Rules (formerly Fearless Rebelle Radio) was at the top of my podcast speaking wishlist for years, and it was such an amazing opportunity to appear in episode 168 with Summer Innanen! In this episode, we chat about: My story of growing up without television and pop culture and how this shaped my body…
On the Fat Girl Finds Love Podcast, I’m talking with Briana Cavanaugh about fategories, luck and privilege in relationships, finding a doctor you trust, and scars in photography. Give it a listen to learn more about my story as we celebrate the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional “beauty” standards. Today we talked…
Anni Jyn is here to create art that might make you feel good about yourself, be kind to others or hopefully make you do a little laugh if the situation calls for it! Tell me about you! What’s your name? What pronouns do you use? Where do you live? What do you like to eat…
It’s time for a reality check on looks. Think back to the last TV, magazine or online ad you saw that contained an image of a woman. Odds are she was young, very thin, white, stylish, and either happy or appealingly pouty. She probably had perfect skin and brows, no body hair or wrinkles whatsoever,…
I was standing in the aisle between cubicles when I turned my back, gritted my teeth and said, rather shortly, “No, really, you can check the tag on my pants if you don’t believe me.” I’d made a casual comment about not being able to find black slacks that I liked, and a well-meaning but…
I got mentioned on The Mighty! How amazing is that? Check out the full article below.
As we explore the concept of thin privilege and how it affects everyday life over on Instagram, one of the most common questions I receive is, “What am I supposed to do about it?” None of us are singlehandedly responsible for changing entire cultures and systems of oppression, but each of us can take small…
Thekla Richter’s small business branding photography session was so much fun! The weather cooperated perfectly, which is rare for Seattle in November: a beautiful sunny day with air crisp enough to keep us from getting sweaty. Thekla (pronounced Tech-luh — I was dying to know, too) writes middle-grade fantasy books (ask her about the space…
Hi, I’m Gloria, or Glow! I’m one of the creators of Cranky Shop (formerly, Cranky Crafty Cat Ladies). I’m the chief soapmaker and bath bomb wizard, and I’m generally the public face of our operation. I live southeast of Seattle with my husband, tweenager, and lots of pets. When I’m not dreaming up new sudsy…
When you live in a fat body, you live in a world where bodies like yours are so far outside the norm that they’re only used in media to send a message. A fat body is never just a fat body: It’s a symbol, and 99.5% of the time, a symbol of something negative. Video…
It can feel very isolating to be in a space — especially a space that claims to be body positive! — and hear all about how someone in a body much, much smaller than yours “feels fat” or “needs to lose weight.” That’s just one example of diet talk, which is so woven into our…
Content note: Contains artistic nudity I’ve started calling this kind of session a series of intimate portraits: not necessarily the intentional sexiness of boudoir, more vulnerable than a regular portrait session. An exploration of the body in a relaxed setting, guided but free to move in ways that feel good. This is such a good…
Hi friend, I’ll be honest. I’m grieving. For everyone ill with the coronavirus. For fat folks sick with fear over the weight stigma they know they’ll encounter if and when they catch it. For those who’ve lost their jobs and businesses. And for my beloved cat Tansy, who passed away a few days ago. I’m…
Recently, I talked a little bit about the risks of movement in a larger body. In Ms. H’s hula dance portraits, you can see that the reward for her taking that risk is a beautiful, skilled, graceful performance. Through her Instagram, Danielle Bex (@danielle.bex) also demonstrates daily how joyful movement can be. She often posts…
I am probably the last person who should be making sports analogies, because I’m also probably the least sporty person on earth. I was pretty good at dodgeball as a kid, and I’m not terrible at Dance Dance Revolution, but as far as team sports? “Lulz,” as the cool kids are saying these days. But…
It was such a delight to work with Mia Stephenson of OHME shop for a recent small business branding session! I first encountered Mia’s at Curves in Bloom back in February, and I — and everyone else at the event — fell in love with the clean lines of her feminist, fat-positive jewelry. Mia, makeup…
Content note: Contains artistic nudity Major life changes can cause us to lose sight of who we are: our own needs and priorities, our values and goals, even our sense of self or self-worth. When you feel at sea, it can be hard to know what makes you, you. Ms. R was in the midst…
I didn’t want to write this today. My emotional strategy in this time of pandemic has consisted of three parts: Stay informed of every news update, stay home as much as possible, and distract myself. I’m reviving my love of jigsaw puzzles. I’m texting my relatives, who live far away from me. I’m re-reading the…
Lindley Ashline and Ann Duweke singing Patrick Hawes’ “Quanta Qualia” at the Hope for Japan Concert, November 19, 2011. I fell in love with Hayley Westenra’s rendition of this piece, and from there discovered all of Hawes’ mesmerizing music. It was such a joy to be able to perform Quantia Qualia. This isn’t a recent…
When I started my photography business in 2015, I had never seen or met another fat photographer. I wasn’t sure if it was even possible. (Because what we see around us tells us what is possible for people like us.) Now, of course, I know many fat photographers, both because I’ve deliberately sought out other…
Some events are just events. Some events are transformative for everyone involved, and Camp Heal was one of the latter. Around a hundred people gathered in Angeles National Forest for three days to explore, laugh, cry, improve their body image, be vulnerable, move forward in recovery from eating disorders, and enjoy a body-safe camp experience….
Did you grow up believing you needed to wear a t-shirt over your bathing suit to cover it up? Do you still believe it? In the time and place where I grew up, I quickly picked up on that unspoken rule. Thin, bronzed (white) women wore bathing suits in public. Every other woman covered her…
Shelby Bergen is an illustrator and cat enthusiast from the suburbs outside of the Twin Cities. She loves using bright colors, patterns and shapes in her work, and loves making fun character designs. Shelby prides herself in keeping her work diverse, focusing on showcasing different types and sizes of bodies. When Shelby isn’t making art,…
As people who inhabit larger bodies, when we move those bodies, we take risks. We risk being stared at, made fun of or catcalled. Since often, no one has ever taught us to appreciate those bodies and the way they move, we risk trying to move them in ways that are unwise or not a…
What would happen if paint became a Big Thing? In fact, what would happen if one specific paint brand became a Big Thing, to the exclusion of all else? What if that paint brand became so popular that you were expected to use it in every room of your house? To the point that visitors…
Body Home Fat Dance, created by artist and performer KT Kusmaul, creates performance and offers dance classes centering our fat community. Their goal is to inspire joyful movement, connection with their bodies, and creative expression, while honoring their unique abilities and challenges with self-compassion. They’re co-creating a resilient community, building an empowering and nuanced dialogue…
I stopped briefly in Salt Lake City while traveling, and this session shows how much we can accomplish even during a very limited session. Forty-five minutes, one hotel room, and two generations of one family willing to be vulnerable and explore the stories of their bodies. Most photographers would have done things like “brought out…
