Girl Warrior: The Magazine!

Imagine a magazine filled with body-positive content and empowering messages for girls everywhere. Now, imagine you helped fund it.

OH SNAP, IT'S A FUNDRAISER! Girl Warrior is making a MAGAZINE and we want you to be a part of it. We are calling for donations to help fund the first issue of Girl Warrior: The Magazine, which will be filled with selected submissions from the public and fellow Girl Warriors (stories from them, including the GW photoshoots that we've been doing).

Even just $1 would help us in our pursuit to empower girls and bring you a kickass project!

If you can't contribute money OR you just want to submit your own story, artwork, article, etc. then please send all submissions to girlwarriorproject@gmail.com. We are specifically looking for body-image topics, empowerment topics, and other goodness! If you would like to submit an article, please have proper sources documented. We are not just looking for girls to submit! As long as you support women and your message is within our mission statement, you are welcome to contribute. LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE!

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! TELL YOUR MOM AND DAD! TELL YOUR CAT!

We will be adding a Paypal option as soon as we get technical clearance (hopefully within the next day or two), so for now you can only donate with a debit/credit card. The aimed date of the issue is to be decided, but we hope by the end of May to have it finished.

If you have any questions, please e-mail girlwarriorproject@gmail.com. If you are not sure whether a specific submission you have aligns with our message, then please e-mail us! Actually, just e-mail us. You're HOT.

The link: click here!

What's up?

What's up?

Girl Warrior has been busy! Let me give you a quick recap, babes.

1. I did my first body image presentation at the 2013 Louisiana Queer Conference. I got to talk to an amazing group of people and met a lot of new friends. Girl Warrior is a non-judgmental environment and accepts all people!

Dress Challenge Day 5

2. Plus, I did the Dress Challenge for all 7 days. It definitely brought me out of my comfort zone, but I'm so glad I did it. My legs thanked me everyday for finally showing them off. I'd like to think we are going to be great friends. I hope other babes will be inspired to embrace their beautiful bodies!

3. As the image at the top suggests, The Reveille has done an awesome article on Girl Warrior. I practically cried when I read it. The writer wrote an amazing piece, which you can read online HERE. I'm so thankful for the entire newspaper staff and for the other Girl Warriors that they talked to.

Laura and her fabulous kimono

Featured with a picture in the article is Laura, an amazing Girl Warrior. Her beauty declaration: "I feel beautiful when I dress up for myself."

Girl Warriors write love letters to one another.

5. Yesterday, I hosted a brief meet-up with some Girl Warriors. We wrote love letters to each other, decorated them with doodles, and had a wonderful time. It was an incredibly positive way to start the week and I hope to do it again soon. I've saved all my letters to read everyday this week. It's a wonderful reminder of the love our community contains.


I'm incredibly thankful for the press that Girl Warrior has gotten over the past few weeks. I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who has gotten involved with the project so far. You are awesome!

I've asked some Girl Warriors if they would be willing to share some quotes from their own body image stories. I'm so thankful to hear their voices and I hope that sharing them will inspire you to think about your own journey towards body acceptance and loving yourself. After I read a story, I often like to say thank you to the girl out loud. I invite you to do the same, because we should be extremely grateful for the women for sharing their stories. Maybe you can share your own?

"Some days are still hard, but as I learn to love myself, I'm learning to love others, too. And to me, that's more beautiful than any standards society decides I need to fill." - Lexi
Thank you, Lexi!

"Now I appreciate my bone structure and body. I think of it as poetry now, poetry written as a gift to my soul. I just learned to love the body I have, for at least I have a body." - Amelia
Thank you, Amelia!

"Suddenly I’m being told that who I am isn’t good enough. Everyone is so sorry about my weight but hey, its ok, they can fix me! Fix me? I’m not broken." - Belle
Thank you, Belle!

May your Tuesday be filled with positivity and love for yourself and others. 

XOXO
Girl Warrior


 

Dress Challenge Day 4: Sucess can be scary as S**T!

Happy to report: very few doubts today. :)

Dress Challenge Day 4: Success can be scary as S**T!

As of three weeks ago, Girl Warrior used to be just my workout mantra. So, it's a little surreal to hand out cards with this phrase printed on it and try to be all cool about it while inside I'm doing my own personal victory dance-off/panic attack. 

Because, let's be honest: success is one of the scariest things around.

Let me be clear and say that this post doesn't come out of any sort of personal vanity. It is my sincere belief that just reaching one girl is a success. Before I launched this project, my goal was to get 5 girls to sign up for photoshoots and maybe a few body image stories. Since then, I've captured the beauty of almost 30 girls and luckily I've got more BABES ahead of me! 

 

I'm incredibly grateful. The Girl Warriors, who have banded together with kickass girl attitude, have made this project possible. I have YOU to thank. So, thank you! I appreciate you and I'm grateful.

Girl Warrior has become successful in a very short time, which is just smashing and frightening all at the same time! When I log onto Facebook and see a slew of new messages, it seems like I'm in a dream. It has quickly taken over a significant portion of my life, which has its overwhelming ups and occasional downs. It's like I just became BFF with 30+ girls and I'm simultaneously trying to plan them all a surprise birthday party on the same day. I love it, but it is overwhelming!

With that being said, I want to relate my own journey of success (or rather OUR journey of success, gorgeous) to the body acceptance journey.

In psychology, the "Stages of Change" Model describes the process of giving up a "bad" habit to adopt a healthier lifestyle. An example could be quitting smoking. Or in our case, body acceptance/loving yourself/finding your confidence. Essentially, the model presents five steps of behavioral changes that break down the entire process of making a change. It illustrates that change occurs in progressive smaller stages, rather than just happening overnight.

The Five Stages of Change:

1. Precontemplation: may not be ready to change and may not be aware there is a problem
2. Contemplation: acknowledging the problem, but may not be ready to change
3. Preparation: prepare to take action
4. Action: take the action/make a plan
5. Maintenance: keeping up with the change

This particular model comes from my old psychology textbook (The Science of Psychology by Laura A. King) and I like it well enough, but I'd like to present my own Girl Warrior Method that is specific to body image issues.

The Girl Warrior Method of Change:

1. Hanging Out: Stay here as long as you need, do not move on til you're ready.
2. Girl Brain Power: Use that beautiful brain to think about what makes you feel beautiful and what has historically brought you down. Journal your heart out. Scream when you want to. Cry and don't be sorry about it.
3. On A Mission: Get ready to jump in to the GW world.
4. Warrior Mode: Using all your amazing abilities, loving yourself, and loving others. 
5. Boss Level: You are so boss. Could you get any MORE boss? We don't think so! 

The Girl Warrior Method believes that you can be in two stages at one time, perhaps even three. Overlapping of two stages is also very normal, known as the "Transition to Kickass" period. We invite you to write down these five steps and plan out your own Girl Warrior journey. Change it, edit it, or whatever...after all, this is all about you.

It's my personal belief that SUCCESS is in every step. If people tell you differently, politely inform them that they will not be invited to your victory dance-offs. They would probably be the ones to bring the vegetable tray anyways.

Success can be scary and pleasant all at the same time. Every emotion we have comes with a variety of different experiences. Don't be afraid to go to BOSS LEVEL though, because girl, I believe in you.

In other news, a writer for The Daily Reveille (the LSU newspaper) mentioned Girl Warrior in her wonderful opinion piece, which can be found online at this link. She made me feel like a rockstar on campus today!

BRB, just sweating in my school newspaper 

What's that? MORE good news? We are having a great Thursday here at Girl Warrior. The lovely Jade has been one of the first girls to submit her own GW photo. She is basically the bomb, just like all the other fellow Girl Warriors! 

Her beauty declaration: "I feel beautiful when I tell my story and speak out against rape culture, because no girl should ever feel like the uninvited invasion of her body is her fault. As a writer, I want to change the world one reader at a time even if it means bleeding my heart onto the pages."

Hope you all have a fantastic Thursday, BABES!

XOXO 

Girl Warrior

Dress Challenge Day 3: Today, I Totally Cried!

Dress Challenge Day 3: Today, I Totally Cried! 

Today was the third day of the dress challenge and I totally cried before I even got my dress on. For the record, I'm not a good crier. I'm more likely to cry over the cookie place in the mall running out of cookie cake before I can buy six slices. When it comes to emotional numbing and shutting down, I'm the queen. But, I'm working on it, babes! Girl Warrior is about progress.

So, let's talk about my glorious sobbing (read: "ugly" crying). For the record, I think crying is great. Please try to tell me that crying doesn't make you feel better and I will personally buy you an ice cream sundae, provided we can split it. 

Take Ron's example.

Over the course of the past few weeks, I've been honored to receive body image stories from a variety of girls. Friends, total strangers...all amazing Girl Warriors who have added their own amazing voice to the discussion. In every story, there is pain. Overwhelming, gut-wrenching pain that forces me to sit down and think, These girls are hurting. We are all hurting. And it's true. So, why aren't we talking about it?

Babes, I've had the honor to do photoshoots with over twenty girls so far and many more lay in my future. Talking with these girls, meeting with them for coffee, and hearing their stories was bound to bring me to tears someday.

Well, that day was today. My morning classes had been cancelled and I woke up feeling it. The voices of every girl that I'd talked to, their faces when they described their pain...how could I not cry? To be honest, I tried to stop it. I tried to stop myself from crying for you, because I used to associate crying with weakness. I'm wiser now. Being a Girl Warrior is not about never crying. It's about embracing all your awesome emotions, because personal honest feelings should never come with apologies.

I cried and sobbed and sniffled until I was done. And then I felt better.

Ladies, we have suffered from the pain of hating our bodies, but I'm here to tell you this: You don't have to suffer anymore. 

Really. I want you to repeat that to yourself: You don't have to suffer anymore.

What would it be like to feel truly beautiful? That is what I asked myself at the beginning of this journey. The scary thing about feeling beautiful is that it is an everyday battle. But guess what? I believe in you.

You're beautiful. Let me repeat that again, because you need to hear it over and over, because you deserve to feel that way. You're beautiful.

You don't have to suffer.

Love your body. Let go of the hate. Accept yourself.

XOXO

Girl Warrior

Dress Challenge Day 2: How I Mess Up Everyday

 

Dress Challenge Day 2: How I Mess Up Everyday

Things that I thought about today:

• I don't do enough. I should try harder.
• I'm so sleepy. I didn't get enough sleep. I should try harder at getting sleep.
• Oh wait, right after I have this cup of coffee so I can work harder at trying to work even harder. 
• Maybe I'll take a nap.
• I want to eat every chocolate chip cookie in the world.
• Maybe I'll hibernate.
• I want to be able to sleep and eat chocolate chip cookies at the same time.
• I wish I was a bear, so I could hibernate.

I suffer from "Do More" Syndrome. It's a pretty dangerous disease, although my doctor isn't treating me for it. Mainly because I made it up. But, hey, I think it exists.

So, what is it? Let me lay it down for you, babes. In the morning, we get up and we are immediately assaulted by the idea that we are already failing at life. I should've gotten up earlier, this skirt makes my butt look big, I shouldn't have eaten that pizza last night.

 For me, just like many other girls, my thoughts are often focused on my appearance. Today was the second day of the Dress Challenge and I slipped on a plain black sundress littered with some deodorant marks with all the glamour of a bear (so, yes, I probably could be good at hibernating.) My legs thanked me again for wearing a dress, so it was totally worth it. I sunned them while I answered messages and e-mails from you awesome Girl Warriors. The amount of positive feedback I get in a day always astounds me!

Am I trying to distract you with positive compliments so we don't have to talk about my sickness? Probably. Yes. Maybe. Ok, yes.

I know I'm not alone in the "Do More" Syndrome. I see it everyday in the faces of other girls. We don't like to talk about, but that's probably because we're all pretending we don't have it. Well, babes, I have it. I have it BAD. I make mistakes everyday.

Seriously, here is a typical scene: I'm yawning and hunched over a keyboard, thinking about what I did and didn't do, how I should be doing more than I am right now, planning a trip to get coffee so I can do more work...This is a recipe for disaster. Constant destructive talk motivates the human soul to retreat further into negativity. It results in sadness, anxiety, procrastination, you name it.

And it's even more devastating when the focus is the human body. I want you to think about everything that you tell yourself from morning to night in a day. Are you constantly telling yourself that you could be skinnier/prettier/curvier/better? You may have the syndrome. Or you may just be having a bad day. Either are absolutely OK, because you are a Girl Warrior and we can do this.

We have to combat negative thoughts with positive resilience. It's absolutely okay to make mistakes. It's what make us beautiful. We aren't going to wake up tomorrow, magically loving our bodies and prancing in the streets with confidence that blinds people. Life is an everyday process, just like "mess ups" are. I love that I mess up, because it reminds me that I'm a human being with a lot to learn, just like you.

So, what can you do when it comes to body image and the "Do More" Syndrome? Think about all the negative things you say to your body. Now, I want you to imagine that your body is a separate person, perhaps a romantic partner or a dear friend. Think about telling them all those things. "I would never!" you might be screaming. Yes, you would never. If you think someone you love doesn't deserve to hear those things, what makes you think that you do?

Stop and evaluate what you are doing throughout your day. Are you speaking kindly or negatively towards yourself? Self-love is the foundation of body acceptance.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by pressure or like your body just isn't enough, repeat this mantra to yourself: I am enough. This is the prescription for the "Do More" Syndrome. Stop, reevaluate your situation, and send love inward.

You are enough. You do enough. You are a Girl Warrior.

Happy Tuesday!

XOXO
Girl Warrior
 

Dress Day 1: A Vulnerable Beginning

 “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

― Brené Brown

Day 1 of the Dress Challenge: A Vulnerable Beginning
 
Cloudy with just enough sunshine. You can't back out of a dress challenge on a day like this. Let me be frank, real beginnings rarely seem glamorous. I got back from the gym, showered, and put on my first dress of the week. Grey with flower and flow on the bottom. When I saw it in the store, I instantly gravitated towards it while a little voice of Doubt crept into the back of my mind and whispered, "Oh, that? You wouldn't look good in that."

It would have been easy to agree with that voice. In fact, it always seems easier. But, I'm a Girl Warrior and I know that love is more powerful than hate.

"Doubt," I replied kindly, "You are sweet to worry that this dress isn't in my best interest, but I beg to differ." And I bought that damn dress. And then I wore it today.

I would like to tell you that I rocked that dress with nearly 100% confidence and Doubt didn't say a peep all day, but I didn't and Doubt interjected quite frequently. It was, at best, maybe 70%.

Vulnerable. Exposed. Sensitive. I felt all of these things, because I'm a human being. But, that's the point of a challenge, babes. I was pushed outside out of my comfort zone and yes, it felt pretty weird.

I spent a while outside in the park, laying in the sunshine and staring at my legs. In my previous point, I mentioned that I used to be very self-conscious of my legs and rarely showed them. On this sunny afternoon, it seemed like they were thanking me for finally letting them shine.

All those uncomfortable feelings? Worth it.

Girl Warrior isn't just about being strong all the time, but accepting our beautiful human limitations. I have to be honest, I'm not that good at it yet, but I'm also not sorry. The journey to body acceptance is an everyday challenge.

Now, ladies, I need something from you.

In the past few days, I've had the honor of being interviewed by a couple different people about Girl Warrior and they have all asked me the question, "Where will Girl Warrior go?"

I'm honestly not sure, babes. I've got a lot of ideas, but the response has been overwhelming and I have no idea what to do for the next step forward. Cuties, I've never been good at asking for help. It makes me feel vulnerable. So, here I am, embracing that vulnerability and asking for your humble help, if you feel so inspired.

What should I do with Girl Warrior? I want to hear your voice!

XOXO
Girl Warrior

The Dress Challenge

Website Launch & The Dress Challenge
WOWZA!

Girl Warrior has officially launched its web debut. Check it out! Have I fooled you into thinking this is slightly professional? Fabulous!

Now, for a BODY CHALLENGE. Here at Girl Warrior, we believe in challenges. They push us out of our comfort zones and force us to face our fears. So, here's a challenge for you, babes!

I love dresses. Except, I don't usually wear them. Historically, I've written off my legs as unfit to be seen by anyone but myself. I've confined myself to jeans for as long as I can remember, even during the humid heat of summer. But, I'm a Girl Warrior and I'm over that stage. My legs are beautiful. They take me a lot of places and for that, I'm thankful.

So, back to dresses. I LOVE them. I have quite a few, but I rarely wear them. 'They're just not for me. I'm not a girl who wear dresses.' I had this thought often. When I fingered the fabric of a dress in my closet, I simply shook my head. No, no, I'm just not that type of girl. What would people think if I wore a dress to school? Oh, there she is, overdressing/trying to look cute/insert other discouraging remarks that strangers could potentially have.

Ah, but time is a great teacher and I have realized that I define who I am. And I feel beautiful when I wear dresses, gang. So, I'm going to wear a dress every single day for the next week because I can! To school, to chill, to study...I will be rocking a dress for all of it. Yes, the thoughts about what other people will think about me will arise, but the journey to accepting yourself is an everyday challenge. I will kindly tell those thoughts that I'm a GIRL WARRIOR and babe, I do what I want!

I encourage you to do the Dress Challenge with me. And it doesn't have to be about dresses. Maybe you've never liked your arms and you want to give those beauties a chance to shine with a sleeveless shirt. Maybe you like dramatic makeup, but have always worried about what people thought. Well, do it, girl! Even if it's just for one day, embrace what YOU like. Your body is beautiful.

Good luck with your own challenges.

XOXO
Girl Warrior