EX T R A S Our Manifesto 1 Contributors 4 Editor’s Letter 5 P O P C ULT URE Pop Culture Gems That Shaped A Decade 8 A Quick and Easy Guide to Making Your Social Media Feed A Happier Place 12 4 Reads To Bring You Body Peace 14 White People, Welcome To Race 101 16 The Dancing In Your Underwear Playlist 20 B O DY POS I T I VI T Y Time To Break Up With Diet Culture! 24 The Ugly Truth Behind The World’s Most Famous Diet Plans 26 How Body Positivity Is Helping Men Fight Toxic Masculinity 30 Here’s How You Can Swerve + Shut Down Diet Talk 32 I Share My Scars, Not My Wounds 36 F EMI N I S M White People And Our Relationship With Performative Activism 40 Is Your Feminism Intersectional? 42 Who’s Your Feminist Icon? 44
MOVE ME NT Why Don’t We See Bigger Bodies In Sport + Fitness? 48 How Becoming An Amputee Changed My Relationship With Dance 50 Here’s How You Enjoy Exercise Without Thinking About Weight Loss 52 The Warm Up 56 FA S HI ON Fat Girl Goes Shopping 68 Loud Bodies 70 Saccharine Dream 74 How We Wear 82 ON T HE C OVER MEGAN JAYNE CRABBE: Behind Bodyposipanda 84 BE A UTY Botox On The Clock: The Rise of Lunch Hour Cosmetic Surgery 198 Colorama 102 How I’m Finally Learning To Fall In Love With My Hair 108 ME N TA L HE A LTH How Do You Talk About Mental Health When You Don’t Have The Words? 114 Can Imposter Syndrome Actually Be A Good Thing? 118 Got Anxiety? Time To Give It The Boot 120 How Did Millennials Become The Therapy Generation? 122 Take 10 124
H EALTH What’s Health Got To Do With It? 128 How To Advocate For Yourself At The Doctors 130 Why Is Invisible Illness Still Faced With Such Stigma? 132 IDENTITY Sexuality: What Is There To Prove? 136 These Are The UK Initiatives Helping LGBTQA+ Youth 138 What Happens When Your Five Year Plan Goes Up In Smoke? 140 Who Are Your Fab Five? 142 CAR EER S Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves 146 Should You Talk About Your Salary? 152 The Busy Epidemic: Why Do We Put Work Over Welfare? 154 LOVE + SEX Why You Should Try Ditching Your Dating Apps 158 Why “Awkward” Sex Conversations Don’t Have To Be 160 Questions From 2720 Days Of Monogamy 162 Dump Them! 166
P OP C ULT U R E MOMENT S T HAT S H A PED A DE CADE WORD S SCA R L ET T HATCHWE L L A s we m ove i nto a new dec ade, it’s hard not to paus e and appreciate a l l t h at t h e 10 s h as g i ven us . From B eyoncé’s ris e to ultimate s t ard o m an d th e p ro p elled succes s of s elfie culture, to the s tar t o f t h e # M e To o movement and the found ing of B lack Lives Matter, grou n d- bre a king events h ave not b een few and far b etween.
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2011 sent the world wild as Game of Thrones started airing, and hot off the heels of 2009’s Kanye-Taylor VMA gate, Beyoncé once again took to the stage, not only to receive an award, but to announce her first pregnancy live on air post-performance. Practically breaking the internet, she sent Twitter into overdrive with 8,688 tweets about the announcement posted a second. Also in the world of music, Lady Gaga dropped the long-anticipated single and album, Born This Way. A work of art championing the LGBTQA+ community, it became an anthem for many and was the catalyst for the Born This Way Foundation. Snapchat was the new kid on the social media block, and we were introduced to the idea of disappearing snaps, and another way people could get away with shady shit.
2010
2010 might have been a slow intro to the decade, but it was by no means ordinary. Pinterest released its first BETA, which meant hobby enthusiasts finally had an online portal to store their ideas. FaceTime was introduced by Apple along with the first iPad, connected more of us together than ever before. 2010 also birthed two cultural heavyweights: Instagram and One Direction. Both became phenomenons in their own right, and the world’s not seen anything better since. Sounds like success to us, right? Honourable mention goes out to The Great British Bake Off, which has now cemented the age-old routine of sitting down with a cuppa and some biscuits to watch a new episode.
2013
2012
2012 saw a lot of things, and the rapid growth of dating apps was one of them. Enter, Tinder. The massively successful – and in some cases, wildly controversial – dating platform came onto the scene and revolutionised the way we date. Along with it came a world of new dating terminology – were you even on Tinder if you never got ghosted? In the book world, Fifty Shades of Grey was smashing it and sending women across the globe into a frenzy. While it’s arguably trash with an overwhelmingly problematic plotline, one thing it did do was open up the conversation around sex for women in a way that nothing else had since the days of Sex and the City. Also, just in case you forgot, Call Me Maybe was stuck in our heads.
2013 gave us Orange Is The New Black, and it was the first time we ever really saw women of all shapes, sizes, races and ages represented in a single series, all while exploring the complexities of a life lived by incarcerated women at the intersection of America’s prison-industrial complex. That same year saw the founding of the first of the decade’s biggest social movements, Black Lives Matter. The movement saw growth through the popularity of its hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, in response to the acquittal of a white murderer in the shooting case of Trayvon Martin. Bringing light to the the injustice faced by African-Americans at the hands of white police officers, BLM continues to campaign against systemic racism.
2014
2014 was the year of Frozen-mania and saw both Idina Menzel and Demi Lovato’s versions of Let It Go release into the world, driving p arents across the globe to the brink of smashing every sound system in their vicinity. On the celebrity front, 2014 had some moments. From tabloid coverage of that Solange and Jay-Z’s lift spat to ‘conscious uncoupling’ becoming the new way to announce a divorce, all thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. There were no shortages of scandals but plenty more in the years to come. At the same time, the body positivity movement finally began to pick up some steam across circles in the UK – yet, it would remain very under the radar and anti-mainstream for some years to come.
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TH E UGLY TRU T H BE H I ND TH E WO RL D ’ S MOST FA M OUS DIE T PLA NS
If you’re reading a copy of this special edition issue, there’s a pretty good chance that you already know that diets don’t work. And if you didn’t know that, let this be a perfect entrance into the anti-diet world. Over 95% of diets fail, with 80% of people gaining back not only the weight they’ve lost, but in some cases, inheriting some extra pounds too.
WO R D S T ER R I WAT E R S
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We live in a messed up world where we believe that we’re the problem when dieting fails, rather than the diet. That’s all wrong. Try looking at it from a different perspective, perhaps. I mean, you’d be pretty pissed if you bought a pricey car that promised the best ride of your life and it broke down beyond repair six months later, right? Buying into diet culture is a bit like that. You’re promised the world, a better life in a slimmer body, you’ll likely drop an obscene amount of money on memberships, special foods, and so on. And then in six months time, the diet company is laughing its way to the bank and you’re either starving and miserable, or heavier than you were to begin with and filled with self-hatred. Not exactly a fair trade, is it? Whilst these companies are selling us false hopes and broken dreams, and profiting off of ‘thin’ (there’s so much to delve into there, but now’s not the time), what they’re failing to disclose is that there’s a real dark and dangerous underbelly to the plans that we spend our time, money and memories on. Of course, we’ve heard of some weird and notso-wonderful diets that you’d just never even spare a moment to consider embarking on, but you’ll be surprised to know that even some of the most popular diet plans and companies have their secrets. Not knowing these little nuggets of information not only leads us into a false sense of security by risking our own wellbeing – because so often diets are sold as a health solution, too – but it means we’re actively paying someone to put us in that position. The lack of disclosure around these risks is terrifying, and just adds to the multitude of reasons as to why diet culture is so damaging.
WEIGHT WATCHERS WAS DEVELOPED FROM A DIET FACT SHEET It’s safe to say that Weight Watchers is one of the biggest diet franchises in the world. But it didn’t start out that way. It actually started in a Queens living room belonging to 40 year-old housewife, Jean Nidetch, in the early 1960’s. Having tried countless fad diets that hadn’t worked, she reached out to six friends who were also trying to lose weight, and began holding ‘support group’ type meetings in her home in order to stay motivated. It’s said that Nidetch started the group after a neighbour mistook her as pregnant, effectively birthing (no pun intended) what came to be Weight Watchers out of shame and body hatred. Nidetch had no professional or clinical experience; she relied solely on information from a single-page factsheet that she’d received from a prescribed obesity clinic, then, as the groups grew, charged people for attending. When you think about it, it’s a bit like someone reading a chapter of a book and pronouncing themselves an expert in the field. Yet, by the beginning of the Seventies, Nidetch was a multimillionaire, with the company releasing books, weight loss camps, branded foods, and more, before it was sold in 1978 for $72million. Not bad business for someone who wasn’t actually qualified. Weight Watchers was championed for dismissing the concept of calories and replacing them with their own-brand Points system, citing more food freedom and easier dieting. In reality, switching out one food tracking system for another creates an equally toxic ‘measuring’ mindset around food and portion control – this was just for brand benefit rather than for members. For years, Weight Watchers has relied on celebrity endorsements to keep people attracted to the brand, even more so since it’s poorly-executed rebrand to step away from dieting and into ‘wellness’. Whilst they’re not the only diet company to involve celebrities in their brands (pounds lost for dollars gained can sound a very friendly offer to some), one might find it a bit suspicious that main ambassador Oprah Winfrey – who seemingly lives and breathes WW – actually owns 8% of the company’s shares. You would say something works if you’re getting an 8% piece of the pie! 27
THE WARM UP
PHOTO GR AP H S + STYLING TERRI WATERS FI T N ESS CONSULTANT HAN N AH LEW IN FA S HI ON ASSISTANT SCARLETT HATCHW ELL M ODEL KITTY UN DERHILL
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Ki tty w e ar s b o d y su i t + trai n e rs, b o th A di da s
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SACCHARINE DREAM PHOTOGRA PHS + C R EATIVE DIR ECTION LINDA BLACKER FA S HI ON DI RE C TO R S LIN DA BLACKER + TERRI WATERS HAIR AND M AKE UP ASHLEIGH B UN CE FA S HI ON ASSISTANT SCARLETT HATCHW ELL M ODEL LUISA CHRISTIE
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Luis a wears velvet pyjama t op Playful Pro m i ses; bra + brief, b ot h G abi F re sh x P lay f u l Pro mise s; bow Claire’s; jewellery + so cks mo de l’s own ; shoes stylist’ s own
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Me g an w e ar s ve st + jewe l l e r y, b o th A S OS ; tro u se rs A S OS C u r ve
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BEH I ND BODYP O S IPA NDA Whe n you’re a s up e r-in f l u e n ce r, social m e di a c a n bri n g so m e o f t h e hig he st hi g hs , but a l s o t h e l owe st l ows. M EGAN JAY N E C R A B B E talks im p os t e r s yndro m e an d t h e a nxie ties t h a t c ome w it h b e in g B odyp os i p a nda . P H OTO G R A P HS L AU R A KR ZYS TO N WO R D S + S TY LI N G TE R R I WATE RS P H OTO G R A P HY A S S I S TA N T BIANCA M UÑ IZ Megan still remembers the first ‘positive’ post she uploaded to Instagram. “It had a yellow background, and it said something like, ‘when you’re down, lift yourself, and when you’re up, lift others’. I remember thinking to myself, people are going to judge the fuck out of you for this, who do you think you are?” Fast forward five years and 1,500 posts later, and she still has anxieties around her content, but her anxieties are different now. She’s different now. That sunshinecoloured inspirational quote was just the start as she began to explore the body positive community, and now she’s one of the UK’s largest non-celebrity influencers, with 1.2million followers and a very loyal fanbase. When it came to writing this piece and doing this interview, I didn’t really know how it was going to turn out. Megan and I have
been best friends for 15 years, so sitting down with her and asking the same kinds of questions that everyone else does didn’t seem right. We agreed that we were going to talk about Megan; not Bodyposipanda who everyone knows and loves, but the human being behind that perfectly pastel Instagram grid. It’s important for me to point out here that when I differentiate the two, I don’t mean it in a way that implies any type of online facade. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Megan is basically the same person in real life as she is online, but her boundaries and what she chooses to share with her audience play a large part in the side of her that isn’t shown too much. Even she describes the difference between Megan and Bodyposipanda as the latter being “who I’d be in real life if I had less mental health issues.” I’ve watched the evolution of Bodyposipanda. 85
COLORAMA
P H OTOG R AP H S EM ILY M ORGAN FASHION DIR ECTOR TERRI WATERS M AKE U P ELLIE YATES FA S HI ON ASSISTANT SCARLETT HATCHW ELL M ODEL N YOME NICHOLAS- W ILLIAMS
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Nyom e wears r in gs TH I S STORY O p p osit e: Nyom e wears b od y TUTTI ROUG E
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HOW DO YOU TA L K ABOUT M E N TA L H E A LT H WHEN YOU H AVE N’ T GOT TH E WORDS? 114
Whether it’s your first time struggling with mental health, or your fiftieth, it’s always daunting trying to find the words to talk about it. With research to suggest over 40% of GP appointments now involve conversations about the treatment of mental health, there’s never been a better time to reach out. Know that you’re not alone in this struggle, and we’re here to help. In collaboration with mental health charity Mind, we’ve come up with a stepby-step guide to getting you talking when it feels like words escape you. With the advice of clinical psychologists and therapists alike, Mind’s mental health experts have masterminded the advice below. Together, we believe nobody should suffer in silence, and hope to help even one of you find the words you need to share your needs.
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STEP 2: LEARN TO RECOGNISE YOUR FEELINGS BEFORE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THEM STEP 1: BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND RECOGNISE THE PROBLEM According to Mind, it’s best to speak to someone when you’re experiencing any of the following: “worrying more than usual, finding it hard to enjoy life, not sleeping, having thoughts and feeling that are difficult to cope with, and that are having an impact on your day-to-day life.” It’s hard to admit that we’re suffering, or that we believe we have a problem. It can often feel like we’re in life alone as we face issues with our mental health, but the most important thing you can do for yourself as you adjust is to take as much practical care of yourself as possible. “Keep trying, [and] don’t give up,” says Mind, who believe that the bad experiences we may have when trying to figure ourselves out will never outweigh the good that comes from that learning. “Planning positive ways to look after yourself while you’re waiting can help you cope. There may be something you haven’t tried yet that’s useful, [and] getting support and encouragement from people who’ve been in a similar situation can be really valuable, even if they can’t change what you’re going through.”
Turning your attention to the things happening inside of you, rather than those occurring around you, may be the most surprising advice on this list. But it is truly almost impossible to get to grips with your mental state without ignoring the things happening around you, and assessing your internal response to them instead. “Write down what you want to say in advance, and take your notes with you.” Why not try taking a piece of paper and answering the following questions: How have you been feeling lately? Has anything happened or changed in your life recently? Are you eating normally? How are you sleeping?” While these questions won’t cover everything you’re experiencing, they’re a great place to start. “If there’s anything else you want to mention – or you just need a bit more room – write it down on another piece of paper,” says Mind, and use all your notes to aid with any conversation. “Writing down responses to these questions and discussing them might help you express how you’re feeling.” Researching the symptoms you’re feeling can often help when trying to put thoughts into words. Having a look around the internet if this feels healthy for you – maybe looking through some support chatrooms or licensed medical sites, such as WebMD – can help with your own understanding of the condition you’re facing. “Highlight or print out any information you’ve found that helps you explain how you’re feeling,” says Mind; a great idea that helps you recognise your own feelings and develop a deeper understanding of them.
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SHOULD YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR SALARY? LET T WO O F OUR E X PE RT S C ONVINCE YOU WHY M ONEY SHOU LD B E T H E WO R D ON E VE RYON E ’S LIP S.
ELENA AUSTIN-WILLIAMS OF THIS GIRL TALKS MONEY It’s undeniably one of the most awkward topics for Brits, but I firmly believe we need to start having open discussions about what we earn amongst family, friends and colleagues. Money is a highly emotive subject – the feelings of embarrassment when we earn more than we feel we deserve, or the shame when we feel we don’t earn as much as our peers being just some examples. This lack of openness around salaries is problematic for many reasons. Most of us believe in equal pay, which has been proven in recent years to be a distant dream in both the public and private sectors. Yet, how can we expect to achieve equal pay when we don’t know what our friends, family or colleagues earn? How can we know what we are – or aren’t – entitled to without being open about our own personal circumstances? Social media influencers regularly comment on the lack of transparency in the industry, but I’ve yet to see someone volunteer their accounts to be broadcast online.
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spend. For many women, thoughts about money lead quickly to debt. But before we can open the conversation around debt comfortably – something we need to do to start tackling the vast mental health issues that come with it – we need to be able to talk about income. Trying to tackle one without the other is like trying to walk in a straight line blindfolded. The reality is that everyone is in a unique situation when it comes to money, and salary is only a small part of the wider picture. By starting to have frank conversations about money, I have found my friends opening up about far more than their finances. Money isn’t an isolated issue for anyone, yet our inability to talk about it often isolates those who are struggling most. Especially those with other related issues, who truly fear bringing up the topic of money. Talking about money will only become more comfortable the more we normalise it.
Yes, we have a right to privacy, but sometimes positive change requires uncomfortable action. I strongly believe that in the case of equal and fair pay, transparency is the only way forward.
Some people will put up barriers and won’t partake in the discourse; don’t let this deter you. Be open and sensitive to the discussion. Above all, remember that salary is by no means reflective of someone’s financial situation. You can earn £100k and be in £10k of debt. You can earn £25k and be a homeowner with no mortgage.
I am passionate about empowering women to manage their money confidently, and this involves talking about both what we earn and what we
You’ll never know what’s going on beneath those numbers, but through being more open and transparent we’ll soon start to understand them a little better.”
SADE TAIWO OF THE PENNY PAL Speaking openly about salaries in the workplace can definitely be something that is looked down upon by those higher up. I think the true reason for this is because if there was complete transparency, people would have to be paid what they’re worth instead of what their company has budgeted for. Despite brands enforcing pay secrecy in employee handbooks, there is a massive issue at hand encouraging us all to disregard this rule: pay gaps. More specifically, people being drastically underpaid for the work they are doing. We’ve all discussed the following at some point; Do I get paid enough? How much does my manager earn? Does that colleague on the same level as me get paid more? Before asking these questions out loud there might be some fear, or the feeling that we are expecting too much – decades of tradition and taboo can do that. But this politeness can be dangerous, and doesn’t help anyone. Hiding our salaries means organisations can get away with not paying people their worth, as they continue to count on our fear of speaking on the topic. We probably all know someone who’s had a slap on the wrist for speaking openly about their salary. But are our managers actually allowed to stop up from asking our colleagues how much they earn?
Short answer, no. We have the legal right to discuss pay if we wish to. However, if you like your job, aren’t bothered by the legal stuff and would just like to have an open talk about being fairly paid, do tread carefully. Yes, you are legally allowed to ask a colleague how much they earn but they are not obliged to disclose this. Also, consider if you are willing to share your own salary before asking others for theirs. It’s not fair to expect them to be radically open while you are a closed book. Lastly, make sure when you’re comparing that you’re taking into consideration job role, experience and responsibilities as these all contribute to the pay you receive. If you believe you’re not being paid your worth, speak to your line manager. Always. Opening up about money can be awkward. But if you find you’re being undervalued in line with co-workers of a similar role, then challenge yourself to try overcoming the discomfort society purposefully makes you feel about this topic!
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