FIND YOUR COMMUNITY
Hello there and happy Tuesday! I hope this week finds you leaning into your community. I'm drinking Irish Breakfast tea this morning and thinking about the benefits of belonging.
Last Wednesday, I was lucky enough to sit on a panel for the Vancouver premiere of the Your Fat Friend documentary. The movie was wonderful and even more than that, the space was sold out with folks of all shapes and sizes who were interested in creating a more accessible and fat-positive world.
It was a lot to take in, but what struck me at the end of the day was how comfortable it felt to be in a space where people in larger bodies were not simply being tolerated. We were being welcomed, listened to and celebrated. At one point, I stepped out to grab popcorn and when I came back in, my row was full and I had to do the whole side shuffle through the aisle to my seat. This usually makes me extremely uncomfortable because I take up a fair bit of space (this is why I usually sit on an aisle), but in this space and with these people, I felt just fine shuffling along. I didn't feel like an inconvenience or an unwelcome body in the space.
And as I listened to my peers on the panel discuss and share their own experiences and answer audience questions, it struck me that there is an absolute hunger for this kind of space and community in our city. I should already know that because I have such a solid and fantastic community of students in my classes, but I really felt that desire for belonging and acceptance from some of the wonderful audience members. It at once broke my heart and solidified my desire to do and be more in this space.
Community is a powerful thing. Knowing that you belong and can be yourself is such a mentally healthy thing that many people do not have. When you walk through the world feeling like you constantly have to brace yourself against judgement or worse, it can be exhausting. I have been lucky enough to not only create, but also to be a part of many wonderful communities, and I have been especially grateful for the fat-positive spaces that allow me to feel free in my body.
You deserve to find spaces that celebrate and uplift you. Somewhere you can exhale and simply be yourself.
As always, I'd love to hear about it! In what spaces do you feel most supported? Where and when do you feel at ease in your body? What kind of community or activities are you craving? Let me know in the comments below.
As you move through this week, remember to treat yourself and your body with love, respect and kindness.
Much love,
Helen xo
