Finding authenticity and meaning in my art took me back to creating body-positive pencil sketches. My interest in boudoir and body positivity started in 2015, but I got sidetracked when I started experimenting with digital art, thinking it would be more interesting and impressive.
Recently, I took a look at my old art from before TikTok and Instagram influencers, and I put it back up on my wall. Returning to my roots allowed me to experience more genuine artistic expression.
I reflected on what I wrote about in the Starting Your Healing Journey post:
Change the frequency of your everyday environment. Who’s in your life? Equally as importantly, who’s in your feed?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-soft-life-with-saddie-baddies/id1617158823?i=1000582151392
With the last quote being said, evaluating the people we surround ourselves with is essential to our personal growth. Our environment plays a significant role in shaping our thoughts and beliefs. It is beneficial to seek out individuals who uplift and support us, encouraging our journey of self-acceptance. Similarly, curate a positive and inspiring online space by filtering the content we consume.
I realized I was dissatisfied with seeing content that limited boudoir, self-love, and body confidence to cis women, so I reevaluated my content consumption and actively sought out queer content creators. The individuals we interact with can shape our thoughts and beliefs, influencing our journey of self-acceptance. By actively selecting content that uplifts and inspires, we can pave the way for meaningful encounters and embrace diverse body shapes and genders.
I want to challenge the notion that boudoir, self-love, and body confidence are only for cis women, just like how movies used to mainly feature straight characters. This is why Sonya Renee Taylor says in “The Body Is Not an Apology” that self-care must be radical, meaning we need to go to the root of accepted norms and challenge them.
Going back to sketching has allowed me to find my authenticity as an artist. It made me proud to celebrate queer body positivity and break stereotypes about what art should look like.
Journal Prompts:
In what ways has embracing radical self-care helped you challenge societal norms and stereotypes in your life?
Consider the concept of body shame and its influence on your life. What opportunities or experiences have you held back from due to negative beliefs about your body or other’s bodies? How can you work towards letting go of these hindrances?
My responses:
When I found my love for (age appropriate) boudoir and creative body positive art in high school, I stopped shaving my body and wearing a bra. At the time, I could barely fill an A cup. These changes in my appearance at a formative time in my life allowed me to form more confidence overall and reject norms for the sake of my own comfort.
On the same topic of body hair, I began shaving my legs in elementary school because I got a lot of comments on how hairy my legs were. I developed armpit hair earlier than most as well. In the early 2000’s we did not have the representation we have now, so I was influenced and expected to shave instead of grow confidence and learn to be comfortable in my natural body. I learned to let go of these ideas only a few years later through my artistic self expression as mentioned above.