One of the former models for the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty speaks at Eating Disorder Awareness Week
Stacy Nadeau, who participated as a model in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, was part of the Real Women, Real Curves component of the campaign. She added her voice to Eating Disorder Awareness Week by speaking out about body image.
"The Dove mission is to make more women feel beautiful everyday by widening the stereotypical theme of beauty and by inspiring women to take great care of themselves," said the founder of the Dove Campaign, a psychologist who did the initial research study.
Ms. Nadeau is now taking that statement to heart by sharing her experience as a model with students and the general public. Her presentation focused on the need for people to talk more openly about body image issues, as well as her opinion that negative images of ourselves are perpetrated by society and mainstream media.
"If showing me in my underwear is going to help one woman say, 'These thighs are OK- at least they work,'" she said. "I would have done it a million times over," continues Stacy.
"Start with yourself because you can't really help other people if you don't truly believe it first. Start to change your own mind, and even if you have to fake it for one day, try it and see what happens."
A co-ordinator for the Eating Disorders Awareness Week and executive board member of SNAC, gave positive feedback for the presentation.
"In general, it's good to have anything that is going to promote a positive body image, because no one is the cookie-cutter shape," she said.
Lori Sanders, a 5th year senior in nutrition and kinesiology, agreed: "I see people everyday who have bad body images. I think it's important to show that it's not just the way we look but about the way we feel.
"It starts with us," she continued, "It's our choice what we are going to do and how we are going to do it."
