Crown on...

Sometimes in life you get inspired by things that you were not expecting to resonate with you.  Sometimes those things are so badass that you have to permanently ink them on your body.  

As a non-diet dietitian who follows the Health At Every Size philosophy, mindfulness, intuitive eating and feminist approaches I have often felt like I live and work in no mans land.  As a person who lives in North America- a continent that is steeped in diet culture- it can be hard to constantly stand up for what you believe in and fight the battle daily.  I will admit there have been days that I get tired- tired of challenging, tired of questioning, tired of pushing back- but I try to keep pushing.  I push because I believe in a world of body acceptance.  A world where we do not spend time and money "fixing" or "correcting" our bodies but just living our lives.  I believe this in the deepest part of me.  Which is why I was brought to tears during a scene in the Wonder Woman moving this past summer.  There were so many moments in that movie I loved (yes I know it wasn't perfect) but one in particular resonated with me and the work I do.  Spoiler alert- which really it came out this past summer so you should have had time to see it if you wanted to but the scene has Diana (Wonder Woman) on the Western Front during World War 1- she looks around at the despair and suffering and can not understand why nobody has moved forward.  She is informed that they have not moved an inch in a year.  She very clearly sees what she must do.  She turns her back to the camera and puts on her crown.  It is the first time in the movie you see her wearing the crown of the greatest warrior from Themyscira (where she is from).  She runs into no mans land and battles- alone.  She is strong and brave and she takes everything thrown at her.  The men at the front lines eventually follow her.  They make it across no mans land and take the front.  So what does this have to do with anything I have ever written about before??

I have put on my crown.  I will continue to run into no mans land- no matter how tired or how frustrated- to move us all forward on this journey.  There are more voices- amazing and strong voices- that are doing incredible work.  And the movement is growing. 

To all those that have been fighting diet culture for decades to those that have only started dipping their toes in we are strong, we are brave and we will take the front one day- soon I hope.  

Until next time be Unapologetically you while I be Unapologetically me