Women of My Generation

It all started in January 2019. Social Media was filled with ads on the latest diets trends and detox teas, the display windows on the high streets had signs saying “Get fit with us” next to mannequins wearing yoga tights, and the queues outside the gyms were suddenly twice as long as one month before. This isn’t unusual in the beginning of a new year, but this time I decided to once and for all question this obsession of the perfect body.

As a young woman myself I know how much impact media has on body image and self esteem, and the lack of representation leads to more and more people suffering from eating disorders. As a photographer who uses art to raise awareness of social injustices, I decided to challenge the beauty standards seen in media. I reached out on Instagram looking for self identifying women who wanted to be portrayed in their bedrooms, wearing whatever underwear they felt comfortable in. This resulted in me spending most weekends in different houses. After speaking with all these girls, I’ve understood how similar our experiences are in terms of our relationship to our bodies, but how stigmatised it is to show vulnerability. The aim with this project is to remove the stigma by starting conversations surrounding the female body. I also want to raise awareness of the photographic medium’s responsibility, and how it can be used to avoid more people from getting eating disorders due to lack of diversity. This ongoing documentary series proves that it is possible to feel confident regardless of body size, sexuality, ethnicity or social economical background.