Leah

What places on your body do you hope to see differently?

I've always hated my ass, my arms, my stomach, my back, my everything. Feeling, in general, my body could only be one of two things: "sexy" or "ugly." Like every other woman you will ever meet, I got made fun of for what on my body wasn't "sexy." "Shut up, I'm making you look hot" one girl told me as she covered up the part of my arm between my breast and armpit that bulges...

What stories do you tell yourself when you see these parts of your body

I've told myself eating less carbs, wearing the right clothes, exercising the right way, drinking the right fluids, not drinking the wrong fluids, not eating the wrong foods, hating myself for not working out, negatively reinforcing "fat" behavior...that all of that would make me desirable. But I've finally put that behind me, being comfortable in my own body means desiring myself because I am worthy of being desired. That is all.

Who would you be if you really loved your body?

Reducing a woman's body to what is just "sexy" takes away the multitude of capabilities our bodies have. I've begun changing that narrative for myself. Martial arts has helped, realizing that my body could be something more than just "sexy" or "ugly." It can be powerful, dangerous, strong, competitive. Embracing those aspects of myself and physical capabilities has helped me come to celebrate the fact that my ass doesn't look like what you'll see on the airbrushed cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. But it is powerful. And power is sexy.  

What hopes do you have that would arise when others see these images? When you see see these images?

I hope that people begin to look beyond the binary of "good looking" and "bad looking" and that we collectively, holistically unpack the concept of beauty. To embrace the diversity of our selves and to see that beauty doesn't just come in all shapes and sizes, it is all shapes and sizes. Beauty, power, sexiness, it truly comes from the inside out.