My Best Friend and I Wear Different Sizes But We Wore the Same Dress. Here’s Why.
Last week, my close friend Colleen and I were invited by NEDA to see the NYC premiere of Fattitude. This documentary film was created by Lindsey Averill and Viridiana Lieberman and it explores the discrimination fat people face—done by society, strangers, and even by loved ones. As a fat woman, the concept of this movie […]
Ugh. It’s 2017 and Women Are Still Judged by Their Looks on Job Interviews
I’ll never forget the day I arrived at a job interview with my hair dyed black with a subtle hint of blue. I didn’t think it would be an issue at a supposedly young and innovative media company, but my interviewer couldn’t see past my hair to my qualifications. Instead of listening to my responses […]
Media and Your Body Image: What You Need to Know
We spend more time than ever using media and everywhere we turn there are messages telling us how we should look that can make us feel less confident about our appearance. While we’re probably not going to use less media, we can protect our self-image and body confidence from media’s narrow body ideals that reinforce […]
Are You Media Literate?
It’s National Media Literacy Week, and you might be thinking, “I’m a savvy Millennial who knows everything there is to know about the Internet.” At least that’s what I thought until I read this really awesome, easy-to-use, super weapon called the Get REAL! Digital Media Literacy Toolkit. Before reading the toolkit, I thought I knew […]
The Hemendinger Family Successfully Reaches the Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro to Raise Funds for NEDA
Last month, the Hemendinger family of Amity Harbor, NY successfully reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Together, as a family, they completed the 10 day journey of the highest free standing mountain in the world at 19,341 feet. The 91 mile round trip journey consisted of daily hiking through five different climate […]
How the Media is Failing the Disabled Community
Note: this piece uses identity-first language (autistic, disabled, etc.) based on the preferences of many of our community members. When I started watching Atypical, I was hopeful. Finally, there was a show purportedly centered on Sam, an autistic teen. Sure, Sam is the white, intelligent, relatively affluent, and male autistic person we’re all used to […]
BEDA/NEDA Conference Recap – Part 2!
Yesterday marked the final day of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA)’s National Conference in partnership with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Titled “Building Resilient Communities Through Collaboration,” the conference united survivors, caregivers, and treatment professionals for vital conversations about binge eating disorder (BED), body image and weight shaming, and marginalized communities. Life After […]
To the Coach Who Never Gave Up On Me: Thank You
The day I began treatment for my eating disorder was the August before the start of my sophomore year of high school. It was also the day my season of cross country track was scheduled to start. After my pediatrician was unable to sign off on the medical clearance forms, I was forced to go […]
BEDA/NEDA Conference Recap – Part 1!
The Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) in partnership with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) kicked off its 2017 National Conference in New York City. Titled “Building Resilient Communities Through Collaboration,” the day united survivors, caregivers, and treatment professionals for vital conversations about binge eating disorder (BED), body image and weight shaming, and marginalized communities. […]
You’ve Never Seen a Pageant as Woke as Miss Peru 2018
The world, at times, can feel like an overwhelming place and it so critical for those in the public eye to speak out against the daily injustices committed against the most marginalized. You’d expect politicians, activists, and even celebrities to speak out, but over in Peru, beauty pageant contestants used their time in the spotlight […]
