You may be wondering what in the world Yinz Bopo is.
It is a body positive group based in Pittsburgh created by artist and plus-size style blogger Jamie JeTaime @jamie_jetaime (http://jamiejetaime.com/). "Yinz" is what Pittsburghers say instead of "Y'all."
Body positivity is loving the body that you are in, right now. It means telling yourself that you deserve love and respect, no matter what your body happens to look like. Abled, disabled, or otherwise. We are human beings and none of us are perfect. AND THAT'S OKAY! Why spend your life criticizing yourself so harshly? Why continue the hateful narrative that we learned through societal contact?
The first time I was made fun of for being overweight was in kindergarten. A boy said that I looked pregnant. I was thankfully not bullied to the point of depression, but I did learn as I grew up that my body was something to be ashamed of. Thankfully, my mom didn't want me to hate my body like she hated hers, so she never criticized or commented on my weight. I wasn't hearing it through her. Just everywhere else. Magazines, TV, movies, classmates, etc.
I learned about body positivity after following @gabifresh (https://gabifresh.com/) on Instagram. Then I found out about Jamie, Tess Holiday, @glitterandlazers (http://www.glitterandlazers.com/Blog/), Megan Jayne Crabbe @bodyposipanda (http://www.bodyposipanda.com/) and others. The imagery these women create are a powerful refusal to fit into an impossible mold. These women are living life on their own terms, blazing a trail, and lighting the way for all of us to accept ourselves and live to the fullest.
The Yinz Bopo meetup on Sunday was a day full of love and positive vibes. I came away rejuvenated and fired up about being myself, building a community, and having fun while wearing a bathing suit in public. In the words of the badass Yesenia Guadalupe @myxxfly (http://www.myxxfly.com/), appearing in public, in bathing suits, and loving ourselves while doing it, is an act of rebellion.
I hope that a group like ours encourages other body positive people to get together and just bask in all the love and support! It feels good!
(Big ups to ModCloth for supporting Yinz Bopo and sponsoring our suits for the event!)