Body Positive Club helps students redefine the meaning of beauty
Half of Mayfield students said they go on diets because “I hate the way I look or want to lose weight.” Nearly three quarters of girls said that at some point in their lives they would have felt happier if they looked different. When asked if they could change one thing about the way they look, 72% said “the shape of my body.”
These were some of the responses from a school-wide survey initiated by Mayfield’s largest student-run club, the Body Positive Club, designed to help students develop skills to live peacefully and healthily in their own bodies.
At a powerful assembly, club members released the results of the survey taken by 230 of our 330 students and spoke to the importance of redefining beauty and lovingly accepting their bodies.
“The purpose of the survey is not to show that we lack confidence or are insecure,” said Lucy Howell ’20, who is club co-chair along with Haley Eaves '20. “It’s to show that we all share the same issues, no one is alone. We are opening a dialogue because we want to improve ourselves.”
Such responses, she said, would likely be common among all high school-age girls. The popularity of the new club shows that Mayfield students have the courage to take up uncomfortable social issues, like societal pressures about girls’ body image, and take action to care for their whole selves with the guidance of trusted adults.
School Counselor Cristina Perez, who has worked extensively with club members, opened the assembly with a quote:
“Your body is an instrument, not an ornament.” The words are from Lindsay Kite, Ph.D., a leader in the growing “body positive” social movement, which embraces the philosophy that all bodies are created equal.
Ms. Perez told students that body positivity is about “deciding what feels good and healthy for you personally, and letting other people do so for themselves.” It’s not about being self-absorbed or judging others.
She asked students to embrace the amazing feats and phases of their bodies and how it will change during the different chapters of their lives.
Ms. Perez and several students also discussed eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, explaining that such conditions are not lifestyle choices, but are caused by complex biological, psychological and social factors.
One question in the survey addressed social pressures among students, asking if social media has impacted their self esteem. A vast majority of respondents, 78.2%, said yes.
In a strong response to media and marketing images of women’s bodies in the fashion industry, Zoe Cerillo ’20 said of brands like Victoria’s Secret that “the problem is they try to fit women into a standard of being perfect. It’s honestly unattainable.”
“Society has made women out to be thin, tall, blonde and blue-eyed—and there is nothing wrong with that—but not everyone looks like that,” she said. While she applauds the inclusion of plus-size models, she said women “in the middle,” women whose thighs touch, women who are short or who have body fat—women of of all sizes should be portrayed in the media.
The assembly was followed by a brown bag lunch in the Student Commons at which a nutritionist answered questions from students about healthy eating habits.
“I’m not here to say good, bad, black or white,” she said. “I want you to focus on how your body is working, and shift from dieting to self-care.”
Head of School Kate Morin said the popularity of the Body Positive Club and the honest and very real survey answers from students speak to the importance ongoing dialogue and education on health, wellness and body image among our girls. Formation of Self classes will continue the discussion and the student-run club is a healthy sign of students’ awareness.
The message of the assembly can best be summed up with another quote from Kite selected by Ms. Perez:
“There is no beauty finish line you have to cross before you deserve to feel good about yourself,” it said. “You are worthy of love exactly the way you are.”
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
