Media can negatively affect how people view themselves. Body Positivity Week is a time for people to appreciate that human bodies come in all shapes and sizes. This year, the week runs from Monday, March 12 to Friday, March 16.
Student Wellness started the 2018 celebration of Body Positivity Week at Elizabethtown College with a table in the Brossman Commons (BSC) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, March 12. Student workers of the Student Wellness Advocacy Group (SWAG) manned the table and educated passersby about body positivity.
“Body positivity is being able to love your body the way it is,” SWAG student worker and junior Emily Derstine explained. “Media portrays a specific ‘healthy, beautiful body,’ but in reality, there is not just one type of body.”
Derstine and other SWAG student workers handed out pamphlets about body positivity, eating disorders, bulimia, restrictive eating and counseling services. There were also free items available, like sunglasses and face wash.
Passersby could also pick up a card with a compliment written on it to give to someone having a bad day and spread positivity around campus. The cards say things like “You are someone’s reason to smile!” and “You are a gift to those around you!”
This event is called “Take a Compliment, Give a Compliment” and will continue through the remainder of Body Positivity Week.
SWAG student workers have also posted inspirational quotes in residence halls and sent motivational mail to randomly selected students through Mail Services.
Another event taking place as a part of Body Positivity Week at Etown is a pop-up selfie station in the High Library. Students can take selfies with props provided by Student Wellness and post them on social media with #BEtownAUTIFUL.
This hashtag was the focus of last year’s Body Positivity Week celebration and was a huge success, according to Derstine.
SWAG student workers also created a corresponding pamphlet encouraging students to accept their size, trust themselves, adopt healthy lifestyle habits and embrace size diversity.
The pamphlet also offers advice on how to help someone who may be struggling with an eating disorder. According to the pamphlet, students should set aside time to talk one on one, make it a caring confrontation, avoid conflicts or battles, steer clear of placing blame or shame on the student, assist the student in getting help and help the student make appointments.
If the student’s safety is immediately at risk, students should speak with a Resident Assistant (RA) or another Residence Life staff member. They can also contact Counseling Services at 717-361-1405.
