You can buy the print on the left here https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/jasonrainville/the-bather/
It came up in my newsfeed today even though it’s been circulating for awhile.
I’ve been interested in the lack of representation of larger women’s athletic bodies in representations of fitness and women in sport for awhile now.
See Big women and strength and Where are the muscular, larger women’s bodies? and Bigger, better, stronger? On women and weightlifting and From the Olympics to the Biggest Loser? Say it ain’t so Holley
Why?
Well, partly so that girls and women don’t think their larger bodies rule them out of athletic pursuits. I’d like to see more girls and women taking part in sports.
But also so that those who do start out in sports don’t let our society’s preference for smaller bodies hamper their athletic achievements. While girls and women who are physically active have a better relationship to their physicality than those who aren’t (fewer eating disorders etc) many report trying to balance their sports achievement with looking a certain way.
Until we have young women who don’t let aesthetics constrain their athletic goals, we have no idea how strong, fast, and powerful women and girls can be.
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