Discussing thinness and obedience

In case you missed it, a few weeks ago now, the Australian brand Witchery announced they were moving in a ‘bold new direction.’ They wiped their Instagram account of all previous images and slowly started to tease images of their new, ‘bold direction.’

In short, the new bold vibe they were banging on about, equated to white supremist heroin chic. They also removed their largest size from existence (size 20) Needless to say, the comment section was wild, and people were outraged. Witchery didn’t back down.

I saw and heard lots of commentary on this: TV, podcasts, social media and in newspapers. Personally, I found it incredible because I don’t remember a time when women have used their power to call out lack of size inclusion and diversity in such a public way.

Viva la revolution.

This situation happened quite a few weeks ago now. But it’s something that I’ve been thinking about ever since. You may think that I’m drawing a long bow, but it kept making me think about the author Naomi Wolf.

She suggests that society's obsession with women's thinness isn't really about beauty at all. Instead, it's about control and obedience. The idea is that by pressuring women to stay thin, society keeps them focused on their appearance rather than their true potential.

It looks like this:

• Control Mechanism: The pressure to be thin is a way to control women, keeping them preoccupied with their looks instead of their goals and dreams.
• Compliance Over Individuality: When a woman's worth is tied to her weight, it pushes her to conform and limits her independence.
• Internalized Scrutiny: This constant chase for thinness makes women self-critical, reinforcing the need to fit into societal norms.

Something to think about right!?

It feeds into my thoughts around the fact that we don’t realise just how much power we personally have to counter this. There are many brands out there that don’t subscribe to this theory and who want to support, encourage and promote diversity and size inclusion.

Some of the ways that I am using Curvature to set fire to those theories around compliance, is by shifting the focus to empowerment. I want you to feel supported and confident, knowing that your worth isn't tied to your size or shape.

I do this by:

• Inclusive Representation: Featuring people of all sizes, shapes, and backgrounds in imagery.
• Body Positive Messaging: Creating content that uplifts and inspires, steering clear of harmful beauty standards.
• Open Dialogue: Fostering a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their experiences and thoughts.

Viva la revolution!

Lisa x