Dinah
Founder of Bodykind Festival
How many young people are living limited lives because they have concerns over their appearance?
The cosmetic industry, the beauty industry, diet and exercise industries – they’re all thriving because we’re so keen to change some aspect of our external visual appearance… to look more like who? Some photoshopped image that sometimes even the models themselves wouldn’t recognise?
We live in a world where 60% of British adults are on a diet… and where 97% of those diets will fail. Which other industry would thrive on such failure rates? This definition of diet includes so-called ‘lifestyle changes’; anything that restricts is a diet. Yet it’s the diet user that tends to feel like they’ve failed, rather than asking questions of the industry which is making megabucks out of its own failure.
How many young people are living limited lives because they have concerns over their appearance?
Where is the sense of wonder for these incredible vehicles we live our life through, the organs and functions that we totally take for granted?
It’s time to challenge the judgements we make about our own body, and other people’s.
There are festivals for mud-wrestling, festivals for golden retrievers, radish carving and even moose dropping. It’s incredible that this is even the first festival for body acceptance!
Bodykind festival takes place in the quirky little town of Totnes in Devon (population: 8,000) on May 3rd and 4th. We have Instagram megastars, a double-amputee dancer, naked stand-up, trans identical twins, come-apart puppets, strutting, an alternative take on May-pole dancing, and body-part bingo.
It’s time to take a stand, and to start living our lives with the bodies we have right now.
This is an excuse to rant, rave, sing and dance our way to greater acceptance of and appreciation for our bodies.
Whether it’s your wrinkles, your stretch marks, double chin, saggy skin, cellulite, scars or ‘blemishes’, here’s a place to have a laugh, shake a leg, cock a snoop at anyone who suggests you’re anything but damn perfect the way you are.
Buy tickets here: www.bodykindfestival.com