Summer reissue: In the week that a woman was told her bikini was “inappropriate” to wear at an Auckland pool, Alex Casey provided some much-needed reminders for women wearing clothes everywhere. First published on 9 April 2019 Women, you probably already know this but… you’re wrong. Your clothes are wrong, your togs are wrong, whatever … Read more
Amy Russell loves to run, but as an overweight person, she is marginalised by an industry that finds that hard to understand. I love to run. Something about its intensity and rhythm is captivating to me. It’s simple as can be, but physically and mentally all-consuming. When a friend asked me ‘what do you think … Read more
A poem by New Zealand-born writer Rachel Sawaya. It’s That Big my butt is gigantic not in the way that clouds are not a giant peach it doesn’t float like a pair of hot air balloons it’s more of a flatbed truck with a load of timber and a loose tarp or rather, … Read more
The impact of pregnancy and birth on the body is immense, yet we rarely discuss the ways it impacts women’s lives, says Emily Writes. Before writing this piece on pregnancy and postpartum body changes I ran a short survey that I shared in a small Facebook group. Within half a day I had more than … Read more
Alex Casey chats to a group of 16 year-olds about the pressures of Instagram, weird men in the DMs, and their multiple online identities. “I’m planning on getting it,” says Neha. “Just my breasts. They’re just too small. It doesn’t look really nice in clothes and stuff.” Aaliyah would too, but wouldn’t touch her butt. … Read more
The thought leaders of the late 2010s subject themselves to a regimen of terrible eating and self-imposed abeyance. The funniest part is that half the time, so do I. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is a man under pressure. His company’s profit streak conceals an ongoing net drop in its real users. He’s facing renewed criticism … Read more
Sam Brooks has a transcendent experience at the part of the Auckland Writers Festival grown-ups never hear about: the school sessions. A few years ago I could’ve been mistaken for a teenager, especially given that I dress like a toddler recently given autonomy over their fashion. As I walked around the Aotea Centre, a space … Read more
As Instagram comes under increasing scrutiny for contributing to poor mental health and body image, Alex Casey discovers a growing number of local women who are using the platform to empower and educate. The average Instagram user under the age of 25 spends 32 minutes a day on the app. That’s a cool 11392 minutes … Read more
In the first part of a new series in partnership with Women’s Health Action, Anna Beard looks at the effects of poor body image on our health and how to push back against those pressures. Body image is a critical health issue, particularly for women and girls. Recent research has linked poor body image and body … Read more
It’s as predictable as your uncle saying something off-colour during Christmas lunch: the annual slew of scare stories about the risk of gaining a few kilos over the festive season. Let’s make a pact to ignore them all, suggests Kristin Hall. One of the last things I remember my mum saying to me before she … Read more
Plenty of attention is given to the health implications of obesity, but much less thought is given to how a fat-stigmatising culture damages people – women especially. Why can’t all bodies, not just slim ones, be allowed to feel comfortable in their own skin, asks Catherine Trundle. This week a new report reminded us that … Read more
Rachel Smalley’s recent column on the supposed horrors of plastic surgery was a diabolical piece of bodyshaming. For those who’ve recently had surgery, it cut particularly deep. But as Casey McPike explains, a friend of hers found a way to make lemonade out of the bitter column. Rachel Smalley is intelligent, she’s successful, she supports charities. … Read more
Many parents struggle to work out how to talk to their children about their bodies. They want them to have confidence in how they look, but also make it clear that the way their appearance is far from the most important thing about them. Trudy Kessels writes about her hopes for her daughter’s experience with … Read more
What gives people the idea that they’re entitled to comment on your weight, or your appearance, or your eating habits? Our in-house therapist helps one reader deal with the endless unsolicited opinions. Dear Ms X, I am in a bit of a rage and I need to work out why before I go all blood … Read more