Self esteem and body image are two things that can be difficult to get students interested in talking about, but the Women’s Center is hosting a Love Your Body Day event at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the RUC Multipurpose Room. “An alternative fashion show featuring members of the Tech community will be the main attraction,” said Kassi Thomas, WTTU personality and emcee for the event. “Essentially the ‘Project Reality Runway Show’ is an opportunity for us to present an alternative to the stereotypical, and often demeaning, image of a woman presented in modern fashion advertising.”
Individuals attending the event can wear a specific outfit that they feel fits their unique personality or they may simply celebrate in every-day clothing.
“Students and faculty will be wearing their favorite outfits that express their personality,” said Samantha Clouse, sociology intern at the Women’s Center. “It’s not about trends and style as much as it is about being unique and an individual person.”
The show is meant to display diversity and encourage self esteem.
“We’ve put together a very diverse group of people from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, sexualities, and even genders to model something they are most comfortable in,” Thomas said, “and that they feel best describes themselves as a person, as opposed to what they feel the mainstream media is telling them they should be wearing.”
A photographer will be present to take pictures of people in their identifying outfits to be featured in a “Be You-tiful” display for the Women’s Center.
“The runway show itself is restricted to a small amount of pre-selected people,” Thomas said.
“Everybody should be comfortable with who they are,” said Clouse. “What better way to express this than by strutting down a catwalk that empowers women and men instead of degrading them?”
The Love Your Body Day campaign was established by the National Organization for Women Foundation and the Women’s Center has hosted a variety of events in the past to celebrate.
“We want everyone to come and celebrate their bodies by being an inspiration for others who have not yet come to realize that they too are beautiful,” Clouse said.
For more information, contact Diana Lalani at womenscenter@tntech.edu or in Pennebaker Hall Room 203.
