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Graphics by Kate Haussman
It’s no secret that the holidays are a joyous time, but it can be hard to embrace the holiday spirit when body image stress and discomfort overwhelm the holiday joy. SEMO’s new Body Positive Alliance explains why the holidays are hard for some people and how to embrace self-love while indulging in holiday festivities.
Holidays can be difficult for a number of reasons, one of which is feeling the need to overeat. To make matters worse, some family members may be insensitive to the topic of weight, causing some to feel uncomfortable talking about their struggles with body positivity.
The newly formed Body Positive Alliance provides a place for students struggling with self-love to talk about negative thoughts or behaviors related to their bodies.
Club President and Senior Psychology major Katherine Hallman and Senior Psychology major Sierra Skinner are co-founders of the Body Positive Alliance.The alliance, which started this fall, has held three months of meetings so far, with the next meeting on December 1 at 8 p.m.
Holman noted that going around a lot of food, especially on Thanksgiving, can be difficult for some people.
People with a poor relationship with food may feel overwhelmed by seeing so much food on the table and feel ashamed if they eat too much or not enough, Holman said.
A great way to combat negative thoughts that may come up during holiday dinners is to head to a safe place in your heart. Setting up coping skills during times of stress can help distract people from what’s going on, Holman said.
During a club meeting, Holman said some examples of coping skills might be positive affirmations or deep breathing. A positive affirmation might be saying three good things to yourself.
Holman said she has difficulty discussing body positivity and other sensitive topics with her parents. She says it helps her feel confident and stand her ground when the topic comes up, to make sure they know how serious the topic is.
Even if your family doesn’t support your body image journey, Hallman says having a support system helps.
“Find people who can help you, and then keep in touch with them; being able to have someone you can talk openly about your struggles can really help you support you,” says Holman.
According to Holman, body positivity means accepting yourself in every way: body shape and size, race and gender.
Carly Williams, a Junior Applied Technology major, is on the Executive Committee of the Body Positive Alliance, and she is a graphic designer for the club’s advertising. After a disturbing experience with her parents, she felt the only coping mechanism she could offer herself was starving herself.
“I believe that body positivity should be like this, whether you’re thin or big, you should be able to look in the mirror and absolutely love what you see,” Williams said.
Williams said she hopes the Body Positivity Coalition will reach more people and give those struggling with body image a safe place to share their experiences.
“This group is for men, women, non-binary [people] and anyone who wants to join,” Williams said. “I really want to see it grow [during] its time here [at] SEMO, because I think it can really bring a lot of benefits,” Williams said.
Contact Kathryn Holman kahallman1s@semo.edu Learn more about the SEMO Body Positivity Coalition.
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