Embracing body diversity: Representation in art historically vs. on campus in 2016

As students that spend most of our time navigating campus with a tiny screen shoved in our faces, it's hard to go without seeing all of the emerging ways in which bodies are presented through social media. Although this can provide opportunity for more meaningful representation thanks to the revolutionary “selfie era” we live in, there is also more pressure to “measure up.” By placing themselves alongside some of art history's most iconic paintings, UBC students are reclaiming the right to see themselves represented.

Why did you choose this outfit and how does it make you feel? 

I chose this outfit because I really like to work out. It’s something I do all the time, and it makes me feel really strong and powerful. A lot of times, especially being a woman … lifting weights and stuff like that doesn't necessarily make the type of body [that] people value. So sometimes I get feedback saying stuff like, “Why do you like to do that?” … but for me, it’s always where I've felt the strongest and the best about myself.

What are some of the things you love about your body? Is there anything you like receiving attention about or anything you don’t? 

Just because I’m really into lifting and stuff like that, I really like the strength that I’ve received … I get obsessed with noticing things like “I want my biceps to be bigger!” or “I want my shoulders to be wider!” and stuff like that. It’s always nice when people compliment different stuff that I’m trying to work on.

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

Honestly, I don’t know if I’ve found that space yet.

Is the gym ever that space for you? 

I don’t know if I feel the most body-positive at the gym. There’s just been some stuff like guys will make comments. Girls will usually stand by each other and not take your squat rack or whatever, but sometimes guys will have this superiority thing going on when they’re at the gym. Mostly at the BirdCoop, everyone is really nice, but once in a while you will get a comment or two, especially if you’re a girl I think.  

Why did you choose this outfit and how does it make you feel?

I thought it looked fierce! I’m more into anything that is outrageous and not everybody is wearing it. I [feel] really comfortable. Whenever I feel the most comfortable is when I feel fierce.

What are some of the things you love about your body? Is there anything you like receiving attention about or anything you don’t?

I think one of the things I really like about my body is that I’m trying to love everything about my body right now! I think the thing I get the most compliments about is my hair, but also I kind of hate it because I don’t want to be defined by my hair too. When I graduate, I maybe want to cut it really short to see how I feel — am I defined by my hair only? Can I still be comfortable without having this long hair?

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

I haven’t thought about it. I’m graduating this year and one of the things I’ve become really comfortable about is going to the Women’s Centre. It’s nice that you can knock on the door, you can sit there, you can eat … I think I just feel so safe there. I think in this day and age, you see everybody and you’re just like, “Oh! I’m so small, I’m so petit — I don’t have this and I don’t have that.” …. One day, if you can [leave] your house without makeup on, and be like, “I still feel very kick-ass,” then you got it! You got that comfortable feeling about your body. You don’t have to compare.  

Why did you choose this outfit and how does it make you feel?

I like these jeans because they’re really comfortable. I also felt like not wearing a shirt. My boobs are my favourite part of my body, so I just like to not be wearing a shirt!

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

I would say I feel that way at the Women’s Centre. I feel that way whenever I’m in my sorority chapter room or when I’m with other women that I really love. That doesn’t need to be a physical space, but I’ve found that really female-centric spaces are where I feel the most comfortable and the most positive about my body.

How do you think that social media has impacted how we identify with and construct our body identity?

I think that we are constantly surrounded by images of other people’s bodies, especially with Instagram. I think that women use it that way a lot more than men do. It’s really easy to look at photos on there and think, “Oh shit, I don’t look like that,” so I think that it has made people have a lot more anxiety about it. I've also realized as I've got older how important it is to be really in tune with what makes your body feel good … whether that's sexually or whether it's just in terms of what you're eating. Being aware of that helps you feel really empowered.  

Why did you choose this outfit and how does it make you feel?

It makes me feel really feminine. It’s a skirt and there [are] flowers on it, and I just love it! I just feel so pretty in it! 

What are some of the things you love about your body? Is there anything you like receiving attention about or anything you don’t?

I love my legs because they've been sculpted by walking around UBC so much! I didn’t really like my tummy that much because I think people think I’m short, so they naturally just think, “Oh, she must be small too!” That [isn’t] true all the time, but that’s okay!

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

I love walking down Main Mall because everyone can see your fab outfit and you're just like, “Yes! This is my runway!” I feel like you can always eat better, you can always work out more, but that doesn’t mean you have to. I’ve come to a happy body-peace with myself and I can always do more, but realistically, I’m not going to do that all the time. I’m happy where I am now. I accept that, I love it — we all have different bodies.  

Why did you choose this outfit and how does it make you feel?

This outfit makes me feel good. I really like being conservative in the way I dress, but underneath I’m generally wearing socks with jokes on them, fancy lingerie, whatever tickles my fancy for the day. I find more confidence in the stuff that isn’t seen than what is seen!

What are some of the things you love about your body? Is there anything you like receiving attention about or anything you don’t?

I was always made fun of for being fair-skinned [and] red-haired until grade 10 history class when my professor pulled up a picture of “The Birth of Venus” and said, “Isn't she beautiful? Doesn't she look like Parker?” ... and I was flattered and humiliated all at the same time. It was the first time I felt like I could actually be beautiful. It really hit me. I was like, “Oh, wow! What if I was born in the Renaissance?” I would have been so hot then. I love my fair skin now … it’s so easy to put art on too! That’s always been such a weird point for me because on one hand, I know I’m privileged for having white skin and all that stuff that follows with that, but at the same time it’s always been such a source of insecurity. I grew up in California, where everyone’s tan and perfect. Any time I’d take my sweater off, people would scream “ginger!”

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

GRSJ class, definitely. Other than that … it comes from finding my own strength. Sometimes I get anxious walking across campus where I’m like, “I look so gross right now.” I got rid of my full-length mirror at the beginning of the summer and at first, it was really stressful to not see what I looked like when I walked out the door every morning. But I started realizing I got so much more confident wearing things that made me feel good versus what I thought looked good.  

What are some of the things you love about your body? Is there anything you like receiving attention about or anything you don’t?

I remember when I was really young, one of my mom’s friends told me I have really expressive eyes. I don’t even remember her name, but that really stuck with me … It’s something I’ve always thought about and something I’ve always felt confident about.

Is there a safe space on campus that makes you feel the most body-positive?

I go to business school, and we have a lot of presentations and these networking events. I love dressing up while everyone else thinks it’s a pain in the ass — and it kind of is! It’s hard to show up to school wearing a dress even though you want to be comfy. There’s a certain kind of power … you get from making yourself look very put together. Going into an interview wearing your power-outfit or power-lipstick … everybody’s got that.

How do you think social media has played a role in defining how students on campus conceptualize and identify with our bodies?

I think there’s definitely been a lot of movement toward people becoming more body-positive for sure. Especially with all these YouTubers and bloggers that don’t hesitate to wear a bikini, even though people might not say they look “flattering” in it. There [can be] pressure to look perfect for a photo because they see that someone else looks really toned or skinny, or has the perfect amount of cleavage. There’s a lot of scrutiny because of social media, but at the same time, I think it provides a space for people to see confident women who don’t have the “perfect” body as defined by Instagram or Vogue.

As an Asian person, I think you face a lot of pressure to be tiny, and like, waifish. I never was a small girl, like I was literally born nine pounds. My poor mother! But there is a lot of pressure. My aunts and my distant relatives would say things like, “When are you going on a diet?” and that type of stuff. That affected me for a long time until I realized an extra serving of fries makes me a lot happier than being a little bit skinnier, and I think it just [comes down to] understanding what makes you happy. Is it French fries? Is it Netflix? Do what makes you happy and don’t care about what people think about you because it’s not their life. People that don’t have your life shouldn’t have a say in what you do with it.

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