Forget about the number on the scale. It’s time for a three-day Love Your Body event held on campus today through Wednesday, put on by the Cal Poly Women’s Programs and Services.
Student coordinator of Education Programs and nutrition senior McKenzie Hall modeled the three-day series after the National Organization of Women’s Love Your Body campaign.
Hall’s main goal for the three-day workshop is to promote a healthy body image and she emphasizes that the event is for both women and men.
“Obviously I work at Women’s Programs so we cater to more women on campus, but I think it’s important that we realize that men deal with the pressures that women deal with all the time,” she said.
Today, the center will present “If Looks Could Kill,” which will display advertisements of negative and positive images of men and women.
The exhibition’s goal is to protest against negatively stereotyped images while recognizing and appreciating the true depictions of both sexes in the media, Hall says.
“I tell people I’m a peoplist because I believe that men and women are both stereotyped in the media and are both portrayed the way the media wants us to be,” Hall said.
“So I just wanted to bring awareness that we are perfect just the way we are.”
Two 45-minute short films “Redefining Liberation” and “Hollywood’s Smoke and Mirrors: Women’s Health at Risk” will be shown later in the day.
Dr. Jane Lehr, assistant professor of ethnic studies and women’s and gender studies, will lead a post-discussion about the films.
On Tuesday, various community members and groups will gather for “Reclaiming Our Bodies,” a health fair.
Different resources from eating disorder specialists to fitness groups will be in attendance. Jess Hawley, SAFER/AmeriCorps Promise fellow for the Cal Poly Student Life and Leadership and journalism graduate said that student participants will be asked to sign a pledge on “No Weigh! Declaration” to stop the abuse of unhealthy eating habits while encouraging healthy habits to form.
“The (No-Weigh!) declaration is important for body image because it is such a problem on a college campus and especially since college freshmen are new on campus: it’s important to take a step back and be happy with who you are,” Hawley said.
On Wednesday, a student wellness Whole Body and Soul Fair will have different students from kinesiology, gender studies and nutrition classes to talk to their fellow peers about different health-related topics like physical fitness, the importance of physical contact, good nutrition and body image.
Afterwards, licensed marriage and family therapist and eating disorder specialist, Michele Lamarkin, will lead a workshop, “Real Beauty, Real Body,” in Chumash Auditorium.
“I want it (the workshop) to appeal for everyone, whether you have an eating disorder or not,” Hall said.
“Eating disorders are very prevalent in our society and it’s not talked about very often.”
Hawley said that all of the events are trying to push healthy eating as well as a healthy workout routine instead of trying to just be super skinny.
“This event is really a celebration of your body,” said Hawley.