I found these photos from the Bali trip in 2018, on my friend’s hard drive, and almost two years later, I’m looking at them with a different set of eyes.
I have not spoken about body positivity on this page yet. The reason behind it is both simple and complex. It took me years to accept the body I’m living in, in this life. I am now learning new ways to love my body and myself, work on both, and appreciating. Simply appreciating and being grateful for the strong and functioning body that I have. The same body that I used to feel self-conscious about, is the machine that takes me up the mountains, enables me with joys of surfing, helps me win the competitions, allows me to travel the world and more!
Our society has led us to believe that there’s one perfect body type, usually shown on the covers of Vogue, Victoria Secret commercials and popular bikini campaigns. Even though the world is changing, we shouldn’t wait for the society to accept our body type as beautiful, before we do.
Read more: 7 podcasts that cultivate change
Read more: What is my purpose in life?
Now, should the fashion industry change their way of advertising?
I really hope so! I feel like nowadays, brands who do not include diversity and different body sizes in their marketing campaigns, are getting dissed back and forth. So, if the reason behind changing their way of advertising lays behind the fact they actually want to do the right thing, or they just want a good PR, we’ll never know, but it’s also beyond the point. I think many companies are realizing that the days of selling their clothes and products based on a woman’s vulnerability and low self image are over. Many brands are doing great by how inclusive and open they are, working on being more relatable advertising in all shapes and sizes, including all the ethnical races.
I had a great chat with Sierra Quitquit regarding this topic. She’s a professional skier and a model. She has an amazing, athletic body and unfortunately, in many eyes of the fashion industry, she was market as fat, plus size, or diversity. Something that we cannot understand at this point, still. She describes how many girls she’s worked with, eat absolutely nothing, can’t train or workout because that builds muscle and practically lead a very unhealthy lifestyle.
Those girls end up on magazine covers, faces of campaigns in brands we wear every day! Young girls (including myself a few years ago), really look up to these models, not knowing the harsh truth behind it!
Appreciating the feminine energy.
In extreme sports like surfing, snowboarding, skiing etc…climbing even, has been portrayed to almost celebrating the masculine energy in women. You were congratulated when putting into beast mode, not show feelings or excitement just f****** sending down the cliffs, surfing insane waves, but not the other way around. Most extreme sports can often seem like they’re “boys only” clubhouses. Which is the reason why girls simply had to adapt to this hard, masculine based energy, to be accepted? To be a part of that club. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing badass women sending down some super sketchy stuff, surfing Jaws, skateboarding like the concrete won’t hurt and climbing some insanely gnarly mountains. I mean, I grew up next to one. But I would also like to point out, as a woman in extreme sports, you don’t have to act tough and heartless just to be accepted. You can put on makeup and style yourself the way you want, not dress like a punk when you hang out with your snowboarder friends. Trust me, I was there.
A couple of badass women in the surfing industry have started a movement “Surf Like A Girl”. Celebrating a gentle gliding, surfing in your unique style, rather than going hard. Alana Blanchard is a great example, in this case, she’s one of the best female surfers on tour at the moment, while having a kid and traveling full time and she’s still very down to earth, understands the concepts of her own unique style, not carrying about others think.
I feel like there is so much I want to talk about, regarding body positivity, which is why I am now opening this topic on my website. It is something we should talk about more, and discuss between ourselves I think. For a start, I’d like to point out how we support brands that are getting a certain message out in the world. Research the brands you shop at. Anything, clothing, makeup, gear, sports equipment. Who are they supporting and how do they do their advertising.
I would love to hear more thoughts on body positivity.
☽ Follow me on Instagram – @alenkaamali – to see more of my adventures ☽
More about Alenka
“My name is Alenka and I’m a Squamish based photographer. I love using my medium to capture sports, adventures, underwater shots, adventures in the mountains, and days on snow! Very simply put, I’m one stoked girl, ready to get up at 2 in the morning and hike for sunrise, go to the airport and take a random flight…you name it!
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