Refinery29 Launches Take Back The Beach, A First-Of-Its-Kind Multimedia Program That Reframes The Conversation Around Women & Body Image
80% Of Women Surveyed Avoid Social Activities Because They Feel Self-Conscious About Their Bodies
NEW YORK, June 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading lifestyle digital media company Refinery29 continues to push boundaries as it launches Take Back The Beach, a global multimedia initiative that approaches the "summer beach body" narrative in a new way. Refinery29's programming celebrates women's bodies, empowering them to have a great summer, no matter what their skin, body-type, or clothing may look like. The Take Back The Beach governing principle is "It's Your Body. It's Your Summer. Enjoy Them Both."
Take Back The Beach features a groundbreaking body image survey of more than 1,000 millennial women on their body issues and experiences, and finds out how body image can shape everything from relationships to career choices. Additionally, the program includes original images of women on beaches across seven international locations, including Cuba, Turkey, Ghana, Miami, and Bangladesh, showcasing how women of all cultures dress for the beach. Girls' Jemima Kirke and plus-size model Tess Holliday also share personal body image stories and what it means to feel confident in their own skin. Refinery29 will also release a comedic video looking at the five phases of one woman's "bikini mind" at the beach as well as editorial essays examining modesty, and one titled, "Being The Wrong Kind Of Fat."
Refinery29's research reveals how body image is formed and the ways it impacts a millennial woman's life. Survey findings include:
- Body image impacts social activity. 64% of respondents avoid going to the beach because they feel self-conscious about their body and 42% avoid parties based on their feelings about their body.
- Perception of body image is tied to those who are closest to us. 85% of respondents say their mother influences body image.
- Millennial women begin to form opinions about their body at a young age. 70% of respondents said that they felt self-conscious about their body by age 13.
- Scrutiny plays into how millennial women feel about their body image. 59% of millennial women said that they feel judged based on their body, yet 68% of respondents admit to judging others' bodies.
"We want to reframe the conversation around body image in time for summer and restore a sense of confidence and joy to what people find to be a stressful season," said Refinery29's Editor-in-Chief, Christene Barberich. "We're showcasing real women who share experiences with their bodies—both the positive and the negative. It's not about finding tips to lose 10 pounds or where to get a wax so you can feel good in a bikini; this is about accepting yourself as you are right now. We hope that our audience will carry that confidence all year long, not just when they're wearing a bathing suit."
In conjunction with the debut of Take Back The Beach, Refinery29 is re-launching the "Anti-Diet Project," the Digiday Publisher of the Year award winning column penned by senior features editor Kelsey Miller. As Refinery29's expert on body positivity, sustainable fitness, and intuitive eating, Miller chronicles her experience of quitting dieting and regaining her health and self-respect after a lifetime of yo-yo diets and disordered eating. The Anti-Diet Project will increase from one to three columns per week and expand into video content, celebrity interviews, and an array of guest contributors. Some of Kelsey's upcoming essays include: "Why I Don't Own A Full-Length Mirror," "Why I Hide," and "Big Girl At The Ballet." Big Girl, Miller's first book, comes out in January 2016.
For more Take Back The Beach, visit: www.refinery29.com/take-back-the-beach
About Refinery29
Refinery29 is a digital media company for a new generation of women with a loyal following of over 25 million monthly. Through exclusive lifestyle stories, original video programming, and social, sharable content across all platforms, Refinery29 provides its audience with the inspiration and tools to discover and pursue a more independent, stylish, and informed life. Please visit www.refinery29.com to for more information and to browse content.
Contact:
Nikki Mendell, Refinery29
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646-480-4134
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SOURCE Refinery29
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