Reflections of All Kinds
My intentions when I began this project were to help spread messages of positive body image. I have left many, many fitting rooms in tears ever since childhood. I can remember going home to look at the messages I had written to myself on my bathroom mirror. I wrote messages that reminded me to keep a healthy body image.
Over the years, I've had the idea to leave messages on the mirrors in these closets of self-aspersion. My intentions in leaving these messages on mirrors in fitting rooms was to spread the idea of positive body image. Throughout this project I began to realize there is more than just the reflection to change, its an entire system of corporate body shaming that destroys people, and it needs to change.
According to a national survey done by the National Eating Disorder Association there is an increased awareness of eating disorders and how they are viewed. In this survey people from all walks of life from the ages of a first grader to an adult were questioned and the results were sickening. For example 42% of 1st -3rd grade girls want to be thinner, over one half of teenage girls and one third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors, and of American elementary school girls who read magazines, 69% say the pictures influence their concept of the ideal body shape and 47% say the pictures make them want to lose weight. 30 million people suffer from eating disorders annually and only 28 million dollars goes to funding which is less than a dollar per person (http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders). Target alone reported a 19.21 billion dollar gross profit in 2013 (http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/tgt/financials)
I started by experimenting with dry erase markers on my own mirrors. While I have left myself many messages of encouragement I have never taken the time to photograph them before. With a plan in hand and several locations scouted I began my journey through fitting rooms ready to leave my whispers of encouragement to the masses.
First stop was Target. I figured with the number of younger customers frequenting this store Target would be a good place to start. Not to mention this is a store I frequently leave in tears to this day. Their clothes look so perfect on the hangers but on me they are nothing but an unwilling mess of fabrics clinging to my curves.
One of the first most notable pieces of “attractive” bombardment was a huge, overly idealized, poster of perfectly photo shopped, rail thin teens. Hanging in corporate perfection just above their wall of teeny, tiny bikinis.
Ah the fitting rooms. So warm, friendly and inviting. A girl joyously bangs her drums on the wall beckoning those brave enough to try on their “perfect” styles into the hall. I wonder if she knows the immense pain of what goes on in the rooms she is promoting?
My message for the many women starving themselves, killing themselves in the gym for hours, shoveling diet pills down, detoxing and stressing over how they will look in those teeny, tiny bikinis.
Another room another message. CAUGHT. A sales associate found me and promptly asked me what I was doing. I explained I was making a work of art by spreading positive body image through dry erase markers. I was told to clean it off, which I did, and then was escorted off the premises by security. I did managed to impulsively buy a bag of Hershey Kisses and walk out with them position over my ass as I left for all to see. Kiss my ass Target! It’s a shame you don’t encourage positive body image.
Macy's an upper crust store with high prices all for a name. The first time I was in this store I was blocked into a dressing room after being caught by a sales associate. I mean literally blocked in by a rack of clothing. I quickly erased the one mirror I had successfully written on and made the sales doubt her own vision.
After failing at my first attempt I went back to Macy’s a second time. I took the time to photograph some of their displays. It was shocking to me how every image was a white female, gaunt and frail. And this is where I ran into yet another sales associate who informed photography is not allowed at Macy’s. I explained I am an artist looking to document retailers promoting negative body image and attempting to change that by leaving message of encouragement instead. A sales manager was called and although he could not tell my why such a policy was in place I was again escorted out by mall security. I wonder what they’re afraid of?
Sears was an entirely new experience for me. There were virtually no sales associates in the store at all! I liked the fact that a majority of their in-store ads included mature models and their mannequins were all arranged as little families of faceless figures.
High dollar, ambiance enriched and flashy. I went into Dillard's completely unnoticed. I slipped in to leave my whispers. They spared no expense in their experience for customers. Each fitting room included a button to press for assistance. I wonder if they can assist me with the changes needing to be made to our societies and images of our selves?
No matter what curves life throws you embrace them. Around every turn a new experience waits for you!
