Simple living was a concept first introduced to me back in 2008, when I attended sleepaway camp for the first time. It was an all-girls traditional camp in the middle of Maine. I remember the initial feeling of exhilaration as I drove up the main road on my first day. The camp reminded me a lot of the one in The Parent Trap: the vast lake, the green and white uniforms, the campers abundant with glee and moxie.

With the anticipation of celebrating Independence Day growing every day, people all across America seem to be getting ready, picking up paper plates and plastic cutlery, standing in long lines at the supermarket, or stocking up on red, white, and blue clothing to be extra patriotic this year. Among all the excitement of rejoicing in the independence of our country, we may be less attentive to our own needs and sometimes reject our personal cues to re-energize and uplift ourselves.

In the wise words of the High School Musical 2 cast, “What time is it? Summertime!”

How often do advertisements and social media posts generate discussion not about the cause of the post or advertisement, but because of the way the message was delivered?

There is enormous cultural pressure to have our bodies look and feel the same after pregnancy and childbirth. These narratives about “getting your body back” are presented as a focus on health, but there is nothing healthy about the expectation that your body will be unchanged by birthing a baby.

Our bodies, and our relationships with our bodies, are complicated. We bring our whole body history to birth—our stories of pleasure, pain, strength, weakness, successes, failures, belonging, and outsiderness. These histories are also shaped by lifelong and shifting relationships with food, weight, culture, and identity. As labor doulas, we support pregnant people navigate their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period, and see firsthand that with the right support and a bit of planning, pregnancy and birth can be a profound opportunity to live in your body in a new way.  

Marcela Sabiá is a 26-year-old Brazilian illustrator who loves dogs, astrology, and creating art that makes the world a better place. She first started creating art professionally in 2015, and now, nearly three years later, she boasts an Instagram following of over 20,000. We chatted with Marcela about her art, her feminist awakening, and what she’d tell young women who are struggling with body image issues or eating disorders. Check out our interview below!

In kindergarten, my mother helped me put together an elaborate project about butterflies. When my turn arrived to present to the class, I cowered behind my teacher, absolutely terrified of the dozens of pairs of eyes on me. This pattern continued throughout school—even during my college years. I was so afraid of my perceived flaws that I kept my ideas to myself and starved my body in the futile quest of achieving perfection. 

As a teenager, I’d often be in a group with other girls when the subject of our bodies would come up. My friends traded anecdotes on which aspects of their body they loved least, and what was wrong with them. Because I didn’t chime in, most people assumed I had fantastic self-confidence.

Colleen Werner, a professional ballerina in New York City, first got involved with dance when she was only three years old. Today, after overcoming body hatred and an eating disorder, Werner hopes to inspire others to stand up to an industry that pressures dancers to meet often-impossible body standards. The creator of #BopoBallerina, Werner has inspired other dancers to unite and share their stories.