Tagged
bodypositivity
How Finding her Identity in Christ Helped Angela Mutie Learn to Love Herself Again
Angela Mutie went from being a domestic violence victim to Mrs Universe Kenya 2018 for Machakos County. She first opened up to The Weight She Carries about surviving an abusive marriage back in 2019.
Celine Njoki's Encouraging Message to Survivors of Sexual Trauma: "You are a Masterpiece"
Celine Njoki has survived severe physical, sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of several people throughout her life. She was abused by family and “friends”, and gang rapped 3 times, with the most recent attack occurring in April 2018.
Multi-award Winning Model Ayanda Candice Sibanda: Learning to Love my Imperfections
Ayanda Candice Sibanda, a multi-award winning model and activist, narrates to The Weight She Carries how she has learned to embrace her imperfections despite what society had to say.
Re-loving my Body After Years of Sexual Exploitation
Grizelda Grootboom’s story is riveting. Her childhood came to an abrupt end when she was gangraped by four boys at age 11. What followed were years of living on the street. At 18, she was betrayed by someone she trusted and became trapped as a sex slave for many years. After what can only be described as sheer horror, Grizelda was finally able to escape that dark world.
#BodyPositivity Day 22: "You can Accept me for who I am or Keep it Moving"
LaTonia Tillman was a teenage when she first noticed some white spots on her skin. Following a series of tests, she was diagnosed with vitiligo. The news was crushing. After years of struggling to love herself wholly, she is now embracing her condition and encouraging others to do the same.
Re-loving my Body After Sexual Trauma, Body Shaming & Binge Eating
Looking back at my life, it always made sense that I had a terrible perspective of my own body – destructive even. When my body was put through so much from a young age – criticized, used and abused – I almost felt like my body deserved punishment in its own way. Equally so, I thought I was comforting my body just trying to cope. Truthfully, I was still being self-destructive.
Re-loving my Body After Losing my Baby and Womb
I remember the next day when I woke up after the surgery. I remember thinking that I was less of a woman. The womb defines a woman, and that is what came to the front of my mind. I felt crushed. I felt that I had suffered a major loss. I compared it to the loss of a person. I saw it as a dual loss – the loss of a baby plus the loss of a uterus.
#BodyPositivity Day 16: "Childlessness does not define me"
When Editah Hadassa married her husband nearly 15 years ago, she didn’t expect to have any difficulty having children. But as the years went by, it became clear that she was having trouble conceiving. Though she had the full support of her husband and family, she felt stigmatized by her community.
#BodyPositivity Day 15: Allow Yourself to be Seen
Dara Cosby was born three months prematurely and diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors didn’t expect much for her. She would have a difficult life and achieve very little, they concluded. They were wrong.
#BodyPositivity Day 14 - "Positive Vibes Only"
Growing up was tough at times for Taida Chikuni because people often focused on her weight. She was body shamed constantly but eventually learned to appreciate her body on her own terms.
Re-loving my Body After Being Publicly Shamed - Interview w/ Lucy Weisiko
Imagine living in a community where everyone shames you for a decision your family has made to protect your body. This is what Lucy Weisiko endured as a child. Her parents made the brave decision not to allow any of their daughters to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) -- a common practice in the community she was raised in.
#BodyPositivity Day 13: "Refuse to be Confined by Society's Perception"
A big congrats to Ayanda Candice Sibanda on her most recent accomplishment -- becoming Miss Africa Zimbabwe 2022!! Ayanda has several awards to her name including:
#BodyPositivity Day 12: "You are your own magic!"
The very first interview I did for TWSC back in 2017 was with my friend Berlange Presilus who embodies body positivity. She opened up about how she hid behind long skirts and pants for most of her life so no one would see her her right leg, which is affected by a condition called KTS.