On Wednesday,
Oct. 20 Western will join in the NOW (National Organization of
Women) Foundation’s seventh annual
Love Your Body Day (LYBD) celebration,
which began in 1998 as part of its Women’s
Health Project. Love Your Body Day is
a day of action to speak out against ads
and images of women and girls that are
offensive, harmful, dangerous and disrespectful;
to protest beauty standards that are unrealistic
and unhealthy; and to break down the stereotypes
that discriminate against people based
on size and appearance.
According to Shari
Duffy, Women’s Center graduate assistant
and LYBD co-coordinator, Western will
sponsor activities throughout the week,
including information tables in the University
Union and outreach programs on body image,
eating disorders and self-esteem. This
year’s theme is “Redefine
Yourself: Engage in National Love Your
Body Day.”
“Students,
faculty, staff and community members can
view the NOW Foundation’s ‘Redefining
Liberation’ video, participate in
a national survey on body image (loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/survey.html),
learn how to be a consumer activist and
commit to a healthy lifestyle,”
Duffy added.
The “Redefining
Liberation” video at will be shown
6 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 20 in the Student Organization Center lounge (lower level, University
Union). Also on Oct.
20, the annual “Women’s Voices Open Mic Night”
series, sponsored by the Feminist Action
Alliance, will kick off at 7 p.m. at the
Union Plaza, directly north of the University
Union (rain site: Union Murray Street
Café).
Other activities
taking place Oct. 20 at the Student
Recreation Center include: free fitness
assessments from 11
a.m.-1 p.m.
and from 3-6
p.m. (walk-in
basis); chair massage from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. by Tammy Jo Miller,
member of the National Certification Board
for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB)
and founder of Health & Harmony Therapeutic
Massage, $1/minute (call 309/298-1228
for an appointment; walk-ins are welcome);
and free access to the SRC (all WIU community
members are invited to use the Student
Recreation Center free of charge on National
Love Your Body Day.
In addition, Beu
Health Center’s outreach services,
will host a table in the Union focusing
on breast health awareness and free “Freeze
Frame” computerized stress management
assessments (by appointment – call
309/298-1888 ext. 265).
Faculty members
who wish to offer class credit for their
students to participate in any of these
activities may contact Duffy at the Women’s
Center or via e-mail at SE-Duffy@wiu.edu.
For more information
on Love Your Body Day or to schedule a
presentation for a class or other group,
contact the Women’s Center at 309/298-2242
or visit www.wc.wiu.edu.
