Abstract
Strides have been made to include plus sizes within the fashion industry; yet, the plus-size body continues to be marginalized within a broader context. By understanding the experiences of plus-size female bloggers, and their creation of an online community for alienated individuals, the Body Positivity Movement (BPM) can be understood. This critical look into the public, online lives of plus-size bloggers serves as a counternarrative that relocates them from the margins to the “mainstream media landscape.” This community of activists utilizes blogging to establish and bolster an online platform. According to Cho (2012) blogging creates a “safe place to share your voice and finding a community” (p. 7). Blogging provides an avenue for plus-size individuals to find an audience and community in which to belong. Thus, these bloggers became social activists encouraging cultural representation and inclusion within media. Using a womanist lens (Collins, 1996), we examine the power of collective agency and the consciousness of raising a marginalized group. Womanism, is used to explore how the positionality, intersectionality, and the invisibility of plus-size females is both personal and political. Moreover, this will provide insight into how the BPM can aid girls and women in developing a positive body image.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
"Blogging", " Marginalization", " Counternarrative"
