Sense Project

Hi folks! Just wanted to let you know that during the month of February, Sense Project’s “e-division” will be tackling the topic of body image.

As stated in our lovely Peer Education Manual, “body image is how we feel about our physical selves and how we think others see us. Our body image is influenced by our family, our friends, the media and society in general. It’s influenced by what we think  we ‘should’ look like in order to be attractive and how we think our bodies ‘should’ perform”(p.227).

Of course, having a poor body image has an impact on a person’s sexuality. Here are a few points to consider:

-It can make us settle for unsuitable partners and unhealthy relationships because we don’t think we deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.

-It can make us use sex as a way of feeling “good enough”.

-It can lead us to take sexual risks in order to feel desirable.

-It can interfere with pleasure by bringing up feelings of inadequacy and shame.

-It can make us waste a lot of time, effort and money trying to be something we’re not, while neglecting our own unique qualities (Peer Education Manual, p. 227).

Therefore, this month is an opportunity for all of us to resist “negative-trashing” beliefs and promote inclusive “body-positive” messages.

Cheers!