So what is Embrace?  Embrace is a feature-length body image documentary made by Australian founder of the Body Image Movement, Taryn Brumfitt.   Sparked by her own journey from body loather to body lover she looks at why we have such poor body image and examines the reasons behind our unhealthy view of what our bodies should look like, as well as inspiring us to change!

 

 

What’s so great about it?  Well, it’s a bit of an eye opener.  We are so conditioned to believe from a really young age what we are fed by the media is the ideal body. This film exposes the truth – that what we are shown is often an unrealistic photo shopped body that cannot be attained.  From clothing to surgery to dieting and exercise, trying to attain that perfect body is something that quite  simply is making us miserable just to make someone else richer.  In reality, your body is the best body for you – and this film inspires us all to embrace that fact.  Add to that Taryn Brumfitt’s refreshingly beautiful, humorous aussie honesty and empathy for the subject matter – and it’s a win, win! 

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But I don’t have any body image issues.  I didn’t think you did either?!  Why are you so into it?  Well, every single person involved in Fabulously Flawsome has at some time gotten caught up in the diet/exercise trap.  No woman I know has never gone on a diet or obsessed about her weight or shape at some stage in her life.  Every single story is different but the common thread is one of relentless self-inflicted diet/exercise suffering for very little benefit.  For me personally, I think the message of Embrace is one that needs to be brought to our schools and to our children from a really young age so that these issues are not ones they struggle with as previous generations have.  Really, it’s not just about body image – it’s about embracing diversity in all it’s glory and loving not just yourself as you are, but about loving and accepting others too. 

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Okay, so it’s all about loving and embracing your body as it is.  That’s great.  But does that not encourage unhealthy lifestyles?  Are you not encouraging obesity and laziness?  The answer is NO, definitely, definitively, absolutely NOT.  The movie, the Body Image Movement, Fabulously Flawsome and all who sail in her can categorically state that this is the not the case. 

Have you ever gotten anything positive from anyone by berating them and telling them they are not good enough, smart enough, fit enough or anything enough to give you what you need?  Has it been a good experience for you and the person involved if you have?  I doubt it.  Now think of telling someone how wonderfully clever, smart, fit and capable they are and see where that takes you both.  Better experience? 

 

You cannot inspire long lasting healthy change by berating your body and punishing it with unrealistic unsustainable diet and exercise plans.  If you love your body as it is now, congratulate it (seriously!) for the small triumphs of daily life and find the positive in all it CAN do NOW, then you inspire love for yourself that can spur you on to live the life you want. 

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Embracing is all about loving your body.  It’s about nourishing it with good food, moving it for sheer joy and pleasure doing things you love to do and basking in the glory of what your body can achieve when you treat it well.  It’s about looking after your body in a kind, loving, gentle way that seeks to inspire you to live your life to the full. 

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A number on the scales or from a measuring tape does not equal health or ill health.  Illness occurs across a wide spectrum of diverse body types and sizes and health at any size happens – in real life – and is documented!   Check out the work of Linda Bacon (also appears in Embrace) at the Health At Every size website.  https://haescommunity.com/

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Okay, so what’s the deal with looking good?  How do you reconcile all this with buying nice clothes, wearing make-up, dying your hair, taking pride in your appearance?  What about people who have plastic surgery?  Is that not contrary to all this loving yourself just the way you are?  NO!  If I choose to dye my hair or not because that’s how I like it for me, then that’s a personal choice I make.  If I wear make-up I do so because I feel like I’d like to, not because I feel I have to.  If I wear nice clothes or get dressed up (it does happens sometimes! ) then I do that for myself because I like to do so and not because I feel it is expected of me.   If I choose to have plastic surgery for the right reasons for me and not because I’m feeling pressured by outside forces to do so, then that too, is my choice and my business – no one else’s! 

 

 

You are a bunch of lefties who are going to tell me not to shave my pits…  Seriously – we really did get this recently!  What you do with your body hair is entirely up to you and none of our business.  As long as you make your choice for yourself and no one else then we hope you and your hair or lack of it will bring you comfort and joy. 

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This seems to be a really female issue.  Why is it geared so much towards women?  This particular group and the movie Embrace do concentrate on the female issues.  That’s because Embrace is made by a woman about her experience and what she encountered as a mostly female problem.  Men however, do suffer body image issues and we would love to see someone make a documentary about that too!  We had three men come to our first screening of Embrace and they all enjoyed it, but we believe something male oriented would be equally fabulous!

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Is this really an issue at all?  Oh yes. Watch the movie!  It is an issue that has been ingrained in us from a really young age and one we’d love to see removed from the thought processes of our children.    

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Is it not just a matter of you not being silly and buying into it?  Is it all in your minds?  Well yes, it is all in our minds because it’s been carefully placed there by a media intent on selling us body myths from a young age.  You don’t buy into this – you pull yourself out of it when you see a movie like Embrace and meet like-minded people to help you wake up. 

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So what’s next for you all?  Please see our mission statement and join us on Facebook for updates and upcoming events. 

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