According to one of the most unsettling, and relentless, social norms, a woman’s value is directly proportionate to her physical beauty. It’s the idea that if we don’t meet outdated physical standards- namely small, petite, dainty, meek—then we become invisible. If we are too fat, too tall, too masculine, too loud, too bold, or if we claim empowerment and visibility on our own terms, then society wants to look away. Luckily, there are growing movements to break conventional beauty standards once and for all. The terms fat acceptance and body positivity are becoming more visible and influential than we’ve ever seen before. Artist Gabrielle Meit is joining the body acceptance fight, and her weapon of choice is photography.
In a recent photo series, Meit photographs women who challenge normative beauty standards and frames them front and center. But Meit’s photos are more than just Fatshion photos. They are not glossy and editorial. They have complex stories to tell. We, the viewers, observe their eyes, body language, the way they interact with the world and space around them. Sometimes the message we get is that the woman pictured is fierce as F**K and claims space for herself. Sometimes the message is that the woman has been systematically oppressed and undervalued. These stories can coexist in one woman —and they do in this photo series. Take a moment to look at these photos and support Meit and the women who live inside radical bodies every day.
Images via: HuffingtonPost, Gabrielle Meit
