BRAW: Volume 1 Issue 2, Body Positivity Edition

CO T N

CONT

01 02

CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT: THE SPIRIT OF PHTOTGRAPHY

1

EDITOR’S NOTE

2

BODIES IN NATURE

3

THE PERFECT BODY IS A MYTH - SO NOW WHAT

5

BEGINNERS GUIDE TO CHEST BINDING

7

THE SIZE MYTH EXPOSED

9

T TN NE

TENT 03

MY FACE HASN’T CHANGED SO WHY 11 DO YOU LIKE IT LESS?

04

THE CANDID STRUGGLES OF A BIG CHEST

17

REDEFINING ACCEPTANCE

19

SPIRIT OF PHOTOGRAPHY LOOKBOOK HAIR IDENTITY AS A GOTH GIRL WITH ALOPECIA

13 15

WHISTLE STOP TOUR FOR STYLING 21 BIGGER BOOBS ALL OR NOTHING: A LOVE LETTER TO THE MID-SIZE COMMUNITY

23

CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT: ‘‘ THE THE SPIRIT SPIRIT OF OF PHOTOGRAPHY’’ PHOTOGRAPHY

THE SPIRIT OF PHOTOGRAPHY IS A QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT AT FORTH VALLEY COLLEGE IN STIRLING. THEY SHOT THE COVER FOR THE FIRST-EVER EDITION OF BRAW, AS WELL AS THE BODY POSITIVITY ISSUE YOU ARE READING RIGHT NOW. READ ON FOR AN INSIGHT INTO THEIR INSPIRATIONS AND HOPES FOR THEIR WORK. FOLLOW THEM ON INSTAGRAM @THE_SPIRIT_OF_PHOTOGRAPHY_

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY?

I got into photography because I won a little camera in raffle when I was in primary school. I just went from there, I like capturing moments I suppose.I used to set up models, like my dolls would be my models, and I’d take loads of photos on my DS too. The DS had filters and stuff, I really liked messing around with those.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

What inspires me most is probably people. I love capturing the intentions that people have, whether they’re going somewhere, doing something, expressing certain emotions.

As for other photographers, I really like Samuel Fosso. He didn’t have a lot of models so he chose to just use himself, his stuff is really funky and out there. And of course Nan Goldin, she is so real and driven. She captured so much queer culture and issues like addiction and domestic abuse.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR WORK?

I want to make people happy most of the time. Sometimes I like exploring the darker, more macabre I suppose, but mostly I want people to come away from my photos with some sort of feeling left with them.

WHY DO YOU PHOTOGRAPH QUEER PEOPLE? THEY FEATURE FREQUENTLY IN YOUR PORTRAITS.

I just know a lot of gay people! But also I think queer people are always having to hide away in one way or another.

Whether it’s hiding sexuality or their gender because they don’t feel safe, I just want queer people to feel confident and see themselves reflected in media.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR SUBJECTS SO AT EASE? YOUR WORK LOOKS SO NATURAL DESPITE MANY OF THEM HAVING NEVER MODELLED BEFORE.

I just talk a lot. I think the best way to make people feel comfortable is getting them laughing, getting them chatting back. I let them pose themselves a lot so they have a lot of control.

I want them to know that they have control over the situation and that it’s not all on me. It’s them making themselves feel more comfortable and confident because they’re building that up – they help themselves more than I help them.

CHECK OUT THEIR WORK IN THE CENTRE FOLD

Image Credit: Spirit of Photography

EDITOR’S NOTE When I was asked to go do this edition of BRAW. I knew I didn’t want to do the same thing vibe as last time. The first BRAW mag will always have a really special place in my heart however it is no way up to the standards ( design wise)we know have; but we learned a lot from it.

When asked what I wanted to do with this issue Body Positivity was top of my list. Its speaks to what BRAW represents which is candid and inclusive writing about topics that represent the concerns and interests of the student body: no matter the taboo.

Body positivity is the pinnacle of that. We all have one (a body) we all have some form of a relationship with our bodies good, bad or in-between. Especially with the media changing and adapting to a new approach when discussing and highlighting body positivity.

This edition could not be made possible without the incredible work of Spirit of Photography and we are so lucky to be able to feature some of their work in the center fold.

We also had the amazing help from Andrew Scott our head of design help that is clearly evident by our amazing front and back cover.

As always BRAW would be nothing without the continued support of are two heads Charlotte and Freya and the incredible work from our chief of subbing Emma.

Happy Reading

EDITOR’S NOTE

BOD I NATU

BODIES IN

By Alice

FINDING THE WILD IN THE WATER

Stripping off your warm safety net of layers and facing a large body of water is incredibly therapeutic. Find a loch, head to the coast, or even a big pond will do the trick. You don’t have to go out of your depth – you don’t even have to get your hair wet to get the mental benefits.

Take two minutes before you take the plunge. Notice how the ripples on the water reflect the stretch marks on your thighs, how the great rolling waves mimic your relaxed tummy, and how this huge ecosystem before you is so full of life. Know that in this water, you are only another insignificant fish in a big sea. The fish won’t judge your body, nor will the crabs or the people on the shore. So what if they do? You are your harshest critic – let that part of you wash away with the tide.

I find that wild swimming provides a mental reset – like turning my brain off and on again. Worries are washed away, and it’s easier to remember what’s Image credit: Deakin and Blue important.

A DOT ON

Put on those dusty boots and cli Going hill walking permits the space to think my problems into perspective, and moving clarity and confidence grows as you look dow doesn’t matter if you have walked one mile or t The mountains offer another world, providing chance to r

DIES N TURE

N NATURE Pollard

N THE MAP

imb a hill. It’s easier than you might think. k. Getting outside into a big landscape helps me to put g and breathing helps me to feel alive. An element of wn on where you came from, so small and far away. It ten miles – your body got you there, and that’s amazing. g escapism from Vogue and TikTok, and giving you the return to your roots.

MAKING ROOM FOR MINDFULNESS

Yoga might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It comes with connotations of ‘mid-life crisis’ almond mum tries to be cool - but that’s not the case.

Yoga allows you the time and space to move your body and connect with it. Being outdoors adds elements of fresh air, sunshine (if you’re lucky) and a cool breeze to provide the ideal environment to load up YouTube and follow some guided yoga.

There’s a huge volume of resources available, from wheelchair-friendly yoga to sleep yoga; go forth and discover how this movement and mindfulness gives room to feel grateful for the body that you have – it has got you this far after all.

Don’t be ashamed of something so strong and beautiful.

SO, WHY NOT

With any luck, this wee article will have encouraged you to get outdoors and find the positivity and confidence that you deserve (instead of giving you the ick – a significant risk factor when writing this). There’s no reason not to give at least one of these a shot. You might be surprised by what you find.

THE PERFECT BODY IS A MYTH

Image Credit: Cheeky Physique

By Julie Brinking

‘‘WIDENED HIPS, AND BIGGER BREASTS’’

While this is being typed out, I am sitting with a bloated stomach, mild abdominal pain, a little bit of nausea, and my skin is somehow crusty and oily at the same time. The punchline is that my period has not even started yet. It’s in moments like these where it canbe extremely difficult to love your body. At times it feels like my body is fighting a battle against me. I’ve never hated it enough to be under the impression that there was something wrong with me, but if you asked me to write a list of things that I am unhappy with I wouldn’t even have to think about the first handful of items I’d change if I could.

It’s like that scene from Fleabag where she and Claire are at a women’s seminar and the speaker said: “Please raise your hand, if you would trade five years of your life for the so-called perfect body.”

The sisters are the only ones to raise their hands without a hint of hesitation. And it’s no surprise when more than six out of ten of both young adults and grown-ups have negative views on their body image, according to a UK study from 2020. The report also found that most people felt worse about their bodies during the Coronavirus lockdowns.

Although it’s been some time since the pandemic, it is, perhaps, from that time that I remember my insecurities settling in me. I was 19 and thought, “this is my body!” I bought a cute little red summer dress just before graduation and I wore it all summer and into university. And then it stopped fitting me. A combination of lockdown immobility, widened hips, and bigger breasts in what felt (and still feels) like a second puberty made it almost impossible, certainly uncomfortable, to button the dress.

Image Credit: Cheeky Physique

Image Credit: Chee

SO NOW WHAT ?

Image Credit: Curvy fashionate

But I kept it hanging in my closet for nearly two years with the faintest hope that now that I was being more active it would fit me again. I finally let it go last year.

As much as I have come to appreciate the marks on my thighs and the shape of my body, there are still things I do to stop inferring more negative images of myself. I don’t go on the scales anymore if I can tell that I’m healthy. I don’t believe knowing the number will add value to my life. I also try not to worry about the tags in my clothes because if there is something I know with full certainty it is that there is no consistency in fashion.

So, I would rather make my own clothes, not knowing the size tag but knowing that they fit me. One mentality that is difficult to maintain, but perhaps the most important of them all, is remembering that the list I’ve created in my head is just a list.

They are things that I cannot change, so I don’t want to think about them Trading five years of my life for the so-called ‘perfect body’ is not an option, so why keep daydreaming about the future where I fit into the red summer dress again?

There are still attacks coming from all sides, including friendly fire – so now what? I’m not sure, but I think you should keep doing what you do that makes you feel happy and beautiful. It’s a complicated and complex relationship; the body and its owner. That’s the case for many. Like all other relationships, it should be nurtured. It changes, and there are ups and downs because nothing is perfect. The what-ifs and hypotheticals don’t matter.

eky Physique

‘‘THEY ARE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT. I AM – AND SO ARE YOU’’ Image Credit: Cheeky Physique

BEGINNER’S GUIDE

By Niamh Brook

Chest binding involves flattening the chest with strips of fabric or underwear designed for the purpose. It is practised by anyone who may wish to change their appearance, and can be incredibly gender-affirming. Trust me, I know. So, for all you delightful people who want to try binding, here is a comprehensive (and friendly) guide for how to get started.

WHAT FEELS RIGHT?

GET A GOOD BINDER

While fabric or bandages may be cheap and Amazon is a good starting point for low prices, but check speedy, it restricts your movement and breathing. the reviews to make sure you’re getting the best quality. You So, it’s best to invest in a good quality binder. deserve it. Gc2b is a trans-owned business that first created These are available in a variety of shades and the binder with gender affirmation in mind. They’re comlengths, and designed for comfort and durability. fortable,durable, and budget-friendly. They offer free global Buy the same size as you would a t-shirt. A tooshipping, and even run an initiative where they will send small binder, or wearing two at once for extra com- you a binder completely free Spectrum Outfitters are UKpression, is harmful to the skin, lungs and ribs. You based, queer-owned, designed for comfort, and made from should be able to comfortably take a deep breath recyclable materials. They also sell gender-affirming underwhen wearing your binder. Listen to your body wear and swimwear.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

FIND YOUR PEOPLE

As we’ve said, wear one correctly-sized binder at a time. Binders should not be uncomfortable or painful.

Medical experts also advise that you wear a binder for a maximum of 8-10 hours a day, and take breaks for a day or two at a time. Never sleep in a binder, and never put a binder on wet skin.

Bind safely, friends!

A physical step to affirm and express your identity is incredibly exciting, but can also be really daunting. It’s great to surround yourself with a network of people who support you. Whether it’s friends, family, the university LGBTQ+ society, or online communities like TransPulse, Binder Boys

image credit: Them

TO CHEST BINDING

‘REMEMBER, YOUR IDENTITY IS VALID, AND YOU DON’T NEED TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF.

image credit: Them

IF BINDING IS FOR YOU, IT IS RIGHT, AND IT IS FOR YOU’

SIZE MYTH

EX

image credit : Paula leon

‘I WAS LEFT WIT SOUR AFTERT THAT NONE OF JEANS TRULY AD TO MY BODY THE WISHED THEY W

‘TRUST ME, THE NUMBER REALLY ISN’T THAT DEEP’

XPOSED

TH THE TASTE THESE DAPTED E WAY I WOULD’

By Paula Leon For this experiment, I decided to try on clothes ranging from sizes ten to 14. In recent years I have fluctuated through these sizes, as I gained weight and my body changed from my late teens to my early twenties.

The chosen jeans were a pair of wide-legged, high-rise ones.

I started this experiment by going to M&S, where I tried on the first three pairs of jeans.

Size 14 fit me too loosely. I continued trying on size 12, which is my current size.

However, this was yet again a bit too loose for my liking.

However, when trying on size ten, it felt a bit too tight to fit comfortably.

I was left with the sour aftertaste that none of these jeans truly adapted to my body the way I wished they would.

Walking into Levis, I was excited to try on the legendary jeans brand. I was greeted

by American sizing which at first really confused me, but after a quick query with the shop assistant, I quickly figured out the three sizes that could work for me.

Size 24, which translated to a UK size 10, was so tight I couldn’t even button it up.

This didn’t faze me; I had seen the jeans on the hanger and thought to myself it was way too small to fit me.

It was not the next size up that fit me either, but the third in line. A size 12 worked out as my jeans size in this store.

But just like with M&S, the fit was just not right, leaving me wishing the waist was just a couple of inches tighter.

At the final store, Zara, I repeated the process, only to find myself not fitting into any of these sizes.

The funny thing, however, is that only a couple of months prior if this same situation had happened, I would’ve left the store in tears.

As a girl that has always viewed every body shape, type, and size as beautiful, viewing my own as such has never really been an option.

It hasn’t been until recently that I had finally accepted that I can’t ignore what I preach, and that I owe myself to think of me the way I think of others: with compassion and love.

I have always felt the need to hide what I deem as imperfect from the people surrounding me.

Wearing swimsuits, rather than bikinis, high-rise jeans that will cover my stomach, clothes tight enough to make me feel attractive but not too tight they show I have a ribcage…

What never really faced me is that the same way I can see those “imperfections” other people can as well. Although on the bad days it may seem impossible, no one really cares.

For any person reading this, size two or 18, sizing is just a number on our favourite pair of jeans. And like any other number, it will never define us.

From the girl that would go from starving herself to fit into the jeans her prepubescent sadhfhw16-year-old self-loved, trust me, the number really isn’t that deep.

MY F HAS CHAN

MY FACE HASN’T CHA LIKE IT

Not to brag, but I used to get complimented a lot. What mascara do you wear, those can’t be your natural lashes. Your hair is incredible, what do you use on it? How is your skin so soft? I did have good eyelashes, hair, and skin back then, but none of those things have really changed. What has changed is that I am four stone heavier now, and nobody tells me how shiny my hair is.

I now weigh around 13 stone. As someone who is only 5ft 2in, this is heavy. the charts say its obese .Fat, says the media. Fat, say the trolls online. Fat, says the little voice in my head who never got beyond being a teenage girl. This is alien to me. I look around and see people who look like me all the time. How can I be considered fat? In fact, a quick Google suggests that the average dress size for an adult woman in the UK is a size 20-22; far larger than my 16-18 How can I, and all these other people, be fat?

By Ali

‘‘WHY DO PEOPLE THINK I’M NOT AS SMART NOW? MY FEATURES ARE NOT AS SHARP BUT MY WITS ARE STEEL.’’

Why do they think I am clumsy now? I have always been clumsy. Why do they think I have no moral centre? Eating is not a crime.

The pandemic took so much from so many, and my connection to my body is what i lost.

Complicated a thousand-fold by being genderqueer; society demands androgyny, and that means skinny. Why is it my job to change society with my body? Why are there social norms and why must I challenge them?

I used to like to sit with my knees tucked up under my chin. I can’t do that anymore; my stomach gets in the way. I like to sleep on my front. Now I have to rearrange my breasts so I am not squishing them painfully. The way I relate to the space I take up has not caught up

FACE SN’T NGED

ANGED SO WHY DO YOU T LESS? Rees

Image Credit: Spirit of Photography

time. I also lived on the 4th floor, a whopping 90 stairs from street to home. I didn’t exercise but I didn’t need to. In the pandemic, my daily life changed entirely and the exercise I was getting evaporated. My metabolism slowed immensely between 29 and 31. I also turned to food for comfort. I didn’t know how to make myself feel better so anything that provided even a smidgeon of dopamine became an automatic yes. I refuse to judge myself for this.

But the disconnection from my body, the societal expectations, the change in how I am perceived; these are all things I cannot escape. I understand how the human body works and how unlikely it is to successfully lose weight. I know that my body will look like this for the rest of my life.

‘‘MY HEAD AND MY HEART ARE JUST TAKING SOME TIME TO CATCH UP WITH THAT FACT. ‘‘

But I will. I have stopped trying to fit into my old clothes – I’ve even stopped holding on to them. This was the first part of letting go of my old body and learning to love my new body.

What the next step is, I don’t know, but I trust my body will get me there.

with my body. I’m sure I can get through that gap (I definitely could have a few years ago) Oops, did I bump into you? So sorry.

I spent the year of 2020 going from a successful professional data analyst to someone I hardly recognised. I was made redundant, the world fell apart around me, I turned thirty.

I never got into habitual exercise, but I walked everywhere all the

S P I R I T O F P H O T O G R A P H Y

L O O K

B O O K

HAIR IDENTITYAS A GO ‘‘I HAVE COME TO TERMS WITH IT THOUGH, AND AS DOJA CAT SAID:

Image Credit: Demilee Shand

“LOOKING GOOD, BUT NOW MY ’ BALD HEAD MATCH MY...’’

OTH GIRL WITH ALOPECIA

By Demilee Shand As a girl who has been changing her hair color every few months for a decade now, getting my alopecia diagnosis this year was life-changing. For me, switching my hair colour has been a significant part of my personality—a way to redefine myself. However, if my roots were too long or my hair color faded, it would lead me into depressive episodes. I did stick with one colour, blonde, for about four years, considering it the only constant in my life during that time. Despite the challenges, having blonde hair from 17 to 20 fulfilled the attention-seeking side of me, even if the bubbly character I played was a mask.

Afterward, I experimented with many colours and styles, like half black and half blonde. Half and half made me feel confident to express my more gothic side. I felt like it reflected both sides of my personality. Then when I entered university, I experienced a severe mental breakdown that led me to shave my hair into a mullet, eventually fully shaving it off. This drastic change made me hyper-aware of societal judgments, especially from men. Honestly, it got me questioning the significance of appearance and societal expectations.

As my hair grew out, I fluctuated between warmer colors during the growing-out process, despite how much I wanted to be less hair-obsessed, I realized my hair was my only sense of control in life. I then experimented with more creative colours including neon pink, red, black, and neon orange, until the horror of 2023 began.

Finding out about a bald spot at the side of my head shattered the progress I thought I was making. Monthly checks and health concerns, including issues with my ovaries, added to the distress. Amidst my hypochondria, I was terrified, people around me dismissed it as excessive hair dyeing. For about six months, I stopped touching my hair until doctors acknowledged the issue was not caused by dyeing. I was still struggling to get a diagnosis, but now it was all over my body, and I thought “fuck it” I’m going to dye it anyway. So, I started dying it again and felt so much better.

Then the bald spots grew like palm size and finally, I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. I wish I could say that now I’m feeling more empowered than ever, but for me, that’s not really realistic.

THE CANDID STRUGGLES OF A BIG CHEST

By Charlotte Sutcliffe Image Credit:Who to Wear “I sometimes worry that I wouldn’t be such a feminist if I had bigger tits.”

Words from our lord and saviour fleabag, Phoebe Waller Bridge. I am here to reassure Phoebe and the rest of the nation that actually having bigger boobs does not incite a lack of feminism, instead an increase of rage and discomfort.

‘‘ MANY GIRLS AND WOMEN I have always had larger boobs. When I was 15 I was a 32F, when I was 20 I was a 32G and now at 22 I am a 34HH/J. I have never been able to buy bras STRUGGLE from Primark or New Look, or even not wear one. My life has always been of straps an inch wide, red indents to my side every day, and anyone I WITH THE IDEA one meet feeling entitled to bring them up. I will never forget going to a tailor to get my dress shortened and the woman having a five-minute conversation THAT THEIR about how I hide them well.

BOOBS ARE NOT Despite never enjoying them and having a complicated relationship with my whole life, I have always been told I am lucky, blessed and how jealBIG ENOUGH, them ous people are of them.

THAT IT Boobs are incredibly difficult in terms of body positivity. Many girls and women struggle with the idea that their boobs are not big enough, that it SOMEHOW somehow defines their womanhood, their sexiness which is just not true.

DEFINES THEIR Porn and Hollywood have taught that a D and above is normal. Whilst smallhad been ‘in’ and ‘fashionable’ for the past few years on red carpets WOMANHOOD, erandboobs leading ladies, the likes of Sydney Sweeney have encouraged the dangerous narrative.

THEIR This is not the individual actress’s fault, the discourse on the treatment of SEXINESS Sydney Sweeny on Euphoria alone shows the strange obsession with bigger as well as how painful half of her red carpet outfits look with squishing WHICH IS JUST boobs her boobs for this ‘sexy look’.

NOT TRUE’’ But as a girl with boobs much bigger than Sweeny it pains me to see this

abnormal expectation return. Because whilst girls with smaller boobs feel as if they should have big boobs it’s this specific idea of the perfect big boobs. Big boobs but still skinny arms, big boobs but not too big that you’d attract too

much attention, boobs that could still be hidden.

It also means that your own personal outlook on your body. I have most of my bikini photos from holidays archived on Instagram because I noticed that many of them have been saved multiple times. Some of those photos are from when I’m 16 or 17 on family holidays or when I was innocently travelling around Australia. The only time I’ve ever edited photos is during uni to make my boobs look smaller to try and combat this happening again.

I don’t have any revealing photos on dating profiles anymore because a lot of guys open the conversations with comments on my boobs. Whilst I did find the opening line of ‘you prove I can focus on two things at once’ quite funny the rest were crass and made me feel almost dirty. Of course none of those received a reply but it’s much worse when I then start speaking to a guy who I think is actually interested in me as a person and then very quickly segways the conversation into being about my tits. Maybe that’s my fault for having high expectations for guys on dating apps but its still a kick in the teeth. It now just means I’m incredibly guarded about anything surrounding that.

Is this guy only interested in me because of the novelty of my boobs? Would anyone be interested in me without them? Breast reduction? Lose weight? Move to the Himalayas?

This doesn’t even include half the other fears and difficulties. I genuinely worry that if I got a lump on my breast I would not be able to tell or feel it.

Shopping is exhausting, online is just not worth it with some things arriving and I just laugh at the amount of fabric. I try and follow fashion influencers with big boobs but either their boobs are much smaller than mine or they have these insane proportions and figures that make you want to never leave the house.

However the reality is they are just lumps of fat. They actually don’t define anyone’s intelligence, kindness, creativity, bravery or anything else. They are just part of your body like your leg, your elbow or your ear.

I try to define myself by how loudly I can sing at concerts, the words I write for the student newspaper, the coffee I have with friends, how good it feels to win a game with my netball teammates.

The best thing I think you can do is think of yourself in 40 years. The memories you will remember are those games, the concerts, the articles, all the coffees and cocktails and everything in between. You won’t remember the dress in H&M that didn’t fit right but you will remember the event it was for and how you danced with your flatmates all night.

Image Credit: Laura Byrant

‘‘MAKE THE LIFE YOU WANT AND DEFINE YOURSELF BY WHAT YOU DO IN IT AND NOT BY ANY ELEMENT OF YOUR BODY. YOUR BOOBS ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE’’

REDEFINING ACCEPTANCE: THE POSITI

“IF YOU DON’T L YOURSELF, HOW THE HELL YO GONNA LOVE SOMEBODY ELS

image credit: Them

By Jenna Willcocks

E QUEER EXPERIENCE OF BODY IVITY

LOVE W IN OU E SE?”.

Acceptance and representation. This is what defines the body positivity movement of today. As a broad subject, body positivity is seen as a champion for many people who struggle with their bodies. The underrepresented people of society are often seen struggling more with body positivity due to the lack of acceptance and representation in society. Queer body positivity is complex. Not one queer person feels the same as the next.

Queer body positivity is unique and deserves to be celebrated. The queer experience of body positivity starts with acceptance of your sexuality and gender, then develops into loving your body.

The definition of beauty in queer spaces is wider than that of cisgender, heterosexual spaces. This wide definition of beauty still seems to have boundaries. Many queer people feel the need to dress a certain way in order to appear ‘visually queer’. The standard that often presents itself in the queer community is the need to ‘look gay’, be it brightly coloured hair, a septum piercing (guilty), non-standard fashion, or just being a walking rainbow. The need to visually prove your queerness can be a problem when trying to love yourself. Even in a community of acceptance, queer beauty standards are harmful.

Gender dysphoria and even eating disorders can become a problem when people feel the pressure to dress a certain way. Not all lesbians need to be masculine. Not all gay men need to be feminine. Not all non-binary people need to be androgynous. You are valid in your expression.

Queer influencers are challenging society’s definition of what it means to be beautiful.

Through their platforms, they are able to reach a wide audience to spread the word of queer body positivity. A notable influencer is Matt Bernstein (@mattxiv). Politics meets art when it comes to Bernstein. His make-up and long painted nails are sure to grab your attention and make you focus on the important information he is sharing. A memorable moment was their response to the hateful comments that singer Sam Smith received on their body image. Bernstein responded on his Instagram page saying, “Sexuality is not only for thin, straight people”. His response cements the fact that queer body positivity is valid. Non-binary influencer Addison Rose Vincent (@breakthebinary) is another strong believer in queer body positivity. They gave a strong response of “my body isn’t for you, it’s for me” to societal beauty standards. The media often stereotypes how the queer body should look in accordance with their sexuality. Queer people often see in mainstream media that their sexuality should correspond to certain body types.

Not true. Your body is for you, and no one should tell you how you should look or act.

It is easy to promote queer body positivity. Something as small as changing the way you compliment someone can have a positive effect. Focus on yourself and celebrate your beauty, you are valid, and no one can tell you otherwise.

image credit: M and S

WHISTLE STOP TO BIGGER

By Charlotte

‘‘It has taken many years to figure out how to try and be confident with cloth thought I would spend some time giving some advice on a topic I have over s ing it to your size and body type as these can affect how things will look an sam

‘‘YOUR IT ALL STARTS WITH IT ALL STARTS WITH THE RIGHTTHE BRA BOOBS ‘‘YOUR RIGHT BRA MAY NOT BOOBS LOOKS MAY NOT THEIR LOOKS ABSOLUTE THEIR PERKIEST ABSOLUTE BUT THEY PERKIEST DESERVE BUT THEY A DAY DESERVE OFF’’ A DAY OFF’’ Get measured at a specialist shop or one that stocks your size. My personal favourite is Bravissimo where cup sizes start from D and go up to L, and their band size goes from a 28 to a 42. They do free Get measured at aand specialist or one that your size. My permeasurements, every shop time I’ve been in stocks I’ve had wonderful sonal favourite is Bravissimo where their cup sizes start from D and go service. They also explain how your bras should fit, an underrated up to L and theirisband sizea from 28 toshopping 42. Theyfor dobig freeboobs measurings feature as there always pointawith that and every time I’ve been in I’ve had wonderful service.

They also explain how you give up on the idea of the bra not cutting in or spilling out. your brasalso should an about underrated feature as often there people is always a point They’re veryfit, kind the fact that so come in with shopping boobs giveIup on in thetwo idea of the braI was not cutting wearing for the big wrong brathat size.you When went years ago, in or spilling out.

They’re also very kind about the fact that so often peowearing a 32G, I was a 34HH and I just felt mortified. ple come thehave wrong bra size.

When I went in two years ago I Try toin getwearing bras that a second clasp at the top. This is an was wearing a 32G, I was a 34HH and I just felt mortified. absolute game-changer for support. It takes the pressure off your Try to get bras have secondit’s clasp the top. is an absolute lower back andthat side andameans lessat likely yourThis boobs may fall game changer foralso support. takestopressure off your out or spill. It’s a greatIt way wear halter neck,lowerback strapless, and or side and means its less likely your boobs may fall out or spill.

It’s also a great backless tops as you can get some pretty lace elements to the back way to wear halterneck, strapless or backless you can get some of the bra that can look nice withtops theas top. pretty lace elements to the back of the bra that can look nice with Accept they are not going to be cheap. This may be incredibly hardthe top.

Accept they are not going be cheap.

Thisbra may for so many people as an to average decent forbe bigincredibly boobs canhard be for so many people an average bra for of bighow boobs canyou be around around £30 toas£40.

Whilst decent the bitterness much have to £30 to £40.

Whilst the bitterness of how much you have to pay never pay never really goes away you do just have to look at it as an reallyinvestment. goes away you doyour just have to lookslowly, at it aslook an investment.

Build Build collection, out for sales, and your collection, slowly, look out for sales, and even if you feel comfortable even if you feel comfortable look for newish second-hand options. look for newish second-hand options.

When you’retrying first starting outa I’d recWhen you’re first starting I’d recommend to go into ommend trying toother go into a Bravissimo caters Bravissimo or any store that catersor to any largeother bras,store M&Sthat now go for large bras, M&S now go up to a H and try things on, ask the assistants.

If up to an H, and try things on, ask the assistants. If you’re going to you’re going to invest invest, it has toit fit hasright. to fit right.

Get yourself at least one non wired Get yourself at least one non-wired one. one. There There are are going going to to be be days days where you doyou notdo want feelthe of feel wire,ofyou areyou tired, you’re not doing where notthe want wire, are and tired, and you’re not something strenuous.

Whether this is this bralette, non wired sports bra or a doing something strenuous.

Whether is a bralette, a non-wired random one you found in T you X Maxx that youthat needworks, something sports bra, orthat a random one that found in works TK Maxx foryou those gentle days. Your boobsgentle may not looks absolute perkiest need something for those days.

Yourtheir boobs may not but they deserve a day off. look their absolute perkiest but they deserve a day off.

OUR FOR STYLING A R CHEST

e Sutcliffe

hes and figure out what works for me and after much time figuring this out I seven years of experience with. The key element with all of these tips is adaptnd fit. Similar to snowflakes no two sets of boobs are the same and look the me.’’

THE NIGHT OUT

Now the night out is simultaneously easy and difficult. On the one hand, it’s super easy to look sexy, wear a tight or low-cut top and a pair of jeans, and bam! sorted. Many a time this has been my go-to and there is nothing wrong with this, it’s a classic and a reason half my night out wardrobe is halter neck tops.

A long sleeve mesh moment can work nicely too. There are lots of tops that have varying levels of mesh so you can decide exactly how much you want on show. It also means you can wear a bra underneath for more support when dancing.

Speaking on wearing a bra, a bodysuit is a great way to go. Everything stays in place, and you can get bra-friendly ones which means you easily get to show off your waist. I have aquick couple that are my go-tos if I have last-minute drinks that I can wear with jeans or a maxi skirt.

Think about tops that are adjustable too! Whether that be through buttons, zips or different ways you can tie it allows you to wear the top differently throughout the night. This can often be key for feeling comfortable and safe so you can cover up if you feel exposed or vulnerable. As I said people have a sense of entitlement around boobs, no more so thandrunk people in bars or clubs. My favourite here is a cute shirt that you can wear over a little top or tie in a knot but allows you to have different levels of coverage.

Alternatively, just wear a cute top you like. It doesn’t have to be sexy or revealing, you’re dressing for you and that’s the most important thing.

THE INTERVIEW A job interview is the one time I will bluntly say we are specifically hiding the girls away. We don’t want to worry about spillage, we don’t want them to be a distraction and we certainly don’t want buttons popping open. However at the same time we don’t want the shelf look.

The best combo for this is your most supportive bra with a buttonless shirt. Without the buttons there is no risk of the shirt pulling or straining at the widest part of your bust. Do not be afraid of sizing up to avoid anything being too tight, the number on the shirt doesnt matter.

A lightweight shirt in a fun colour or pattern with a v-neckline can be the perfect professional look. To still get the sophisticated siolehette pair this with a wide leg trousers that you can gently tuck the shirt into.

For accessories, a nice pair of drop-down earrings firmly keep all the attention up to your eyes and what you’re saying and for the same reason avoid a necklace.

CHECK OUT BRIG NEWS ONLINE TO CONTINUE YOUR WHISTLE STOP TOUR OF EMBRACING YOUR BIGGER CHEST image credit: M and S

AL O NOTH

ALL OR NOTHING: A LOV SIZE COM

Growing up in the 00s I was painfully aware of my body and what was acceptable and what wasn’t.

By Lucie

Image Credit: Spirit of Photography

Now it wasn’t screaming in my face what to wear and what not to look like. More like a subtle background track of Weight watcher carrot, the latest lemon water and cayenne pepper diet and the latest strictly reject fitness dance tape.

However, it was clear there were two boxes. the slim figure no lumps or bumps, pure and pretty or the other.

That probably ingrained a lot of habits that I am working hard to unlearn now in my early 20s.

I was aware from a young age that my legs were bigger than the other girls in PE and when I slouched my stomach stuck out more than I thought it should.

So, I began to make changes subtle enough that it didn’t cause alarm but calculated enough for me to fit into someone else’s comfort level.

I switched to high-waisted leggings doing my best Simon Cowell impression to cover my stomach, concealing what different fit in with what the media and society deemed acceptable.

Like 80% of women in the UK, I was wearing the wrong size clothes up until last year. I would opt for the baggy ill-fitting option than having to endure a wrestling match in a changing room with a top only to hand it back to the women with a shameful look like I had done something wrong.

Now in 2024 the media that demonised my dimply thighs and stretch marked stomach for the most part is changing its tune.

Due to the rise of candid social media personalities and the media waking up to the talent of the plussize community and the cultural shift in the dismal

‘‘HOWEVER MID-SIZE A MIND F BEING NOT SLIM ENOUGH. HOWEVER, ENOU

LL R HING

VE LETTER TO THE MID MMUNITY

e Smith

PEOPLE ARE LEFT IN FIELD OF ENOUGH NOT FAT , I REFUSE TO BE NOT UGH’’

of conventional beauty standards. There is a more diverse sizing range in ad campaigns and in some clothing retailers opinions are changing to what beautiful really means.

However, like any big cultural shift, there is always misgiving and in the body positivity movement the gap is clear. We have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other missing the middle completely.

The celebration of the mid-size community has been for the most part completely missed; when the majority of the UK is a size 16.

Leaving the conventional standards alive and well putting pressure to fit in with the media image of the ideal figure and the liberation of the plus community. However mid-size people are left in a mind field of being not slim enough not fat enough. However, I refuse to be not enough.

Now it’s one or the other but I’ve decided I’m going for the all-or-nothing approach.

I have stood in front of enough mirrors picking myself apart for the things I can’t and don’t want to change. There will still be days when I cry over my stomach and put my comfort jumper on, but I won’t sit in it anymore. I will wear my pinstripe trousers that highlight the outline of my stomach I will thank my thighs for taking me where I need to go and I will show off the curves in my rolls and will hang up my high-waisted jeans in the cupboard.

This approach isnt for everybody and for some days it doesnt work for me . However, its a start and that’s enough for me.