Cal Poly Women’s Program and Services will collect old jeans to donate to the Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo until Wednesday.
Cal Poly psychology graduate Clare Teagle Patterson said she organized the event to support healthier body images among students on campus, as well as support the women’s shelter.
“This event allows participants donating jeans to celebrate their bodies, while helping out members in the community,” Patterson said.
She said the title of the campaign, Be Comfortable in Your Genes, is a play on words to remind students that weight is often related to genes. Cal Poly women and gender studies sophomore Kate Sugar said she now realizes her genes have contributed to many things she loves about her body.
“’Genes’ mean appreciating everything about your body, beyond your weight,” Sugar said, “Your genes come from a long line of people, and you should be proud of it.”
Patterson said despite the concentration on genes being a key contributor to a person’s physiology, she received several e-mails that said the event is promoting obesity and unhealthy lifestyles.
“It is about being comfortable and healthy for your body type,” Sugar said.
Cal Poly agriculture business senior, Megan Chicoine, who is helping with the event, also pointed out that Cal Poly has one of the highest eating disorder rates on a college campus and that events like this remind students that body image is an issue that often goes overlooked.
“Body image is very big on campus, especially in the greek community,” Chicoine said. “I have seen more girls concerned about their own weight now.”
At the booth, members of the Women’s Program are also asking trivia questions related to body image issues to educate students.
Some of the trivia that Patterson is using to quiz participants include:
• 80 percent of women are dissatisfied with their appearance
• 42 percent of first to third grade girls want to be thinner
• 80 percent of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight
Other activities and events at the booth include live music, hula-hoop contests and a board where students can dip their hand in paint and leave a print on a board entitled “I pledge to love my body.”
“It’s a pledge to love your body and treat it with respect,” Patterson said.
Another unique item which will be at the booth to inform students is a “yay scale.” Event leaders will invite participants to stand on the special scale with sayings like “you’re hot” in place of numbers.
“A lot of people are obsessed with the numbers of their weight or calorie count. This scale is an interpretation of replacing numbers with compliments for yourself,” Sugar said.
Sugar got the idea for the “yay scale” when she was in high school and first became involved with women’s issues. She then recreated the scale for Love Your Body Day and now has chosen to include it in the Be Comfortable in Your Genes Campaign.
“The idea is you’re walking away feeling confident and beautiful,” Sugar said.
Patterson said she has already collected 20 pairs of jeans and hopes to collect more in the next two days. She also said that men are welcome to drop off old pairs of jeans.
The Women’s Program will be collecting donations Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mott Lawn.