Dundee Body Positive Movement

Good morning everyone, happy Monday!

We’re going to do some content creation tomorrow night (Tuesday 12th August) 7-9 at Studio L, Dundee and we need bodies!

If you would like to be involved in having some laughs, showing off real bodies & having a good old wiggle - come along and join us!

If you want more information or want to get involved - drop us a message 🥰

See you soon ❤️

Growing up in the late ’90s and early 2000s, diet culture was overwhelming and, frankly, damaging.

Back then, I believed I had to be a size 0. Tummies were “not allowed,” and cellulite and stretch marks were seen as flaws to be feared. Magazines, TV, and celebrity gossip planted the idea that being “skinny” was the ultimate goal, and that belief had me hooked from a very young age.

I don’t think I’ve ever truly had a healthy relationship with my body. I was always trying to change it, to “look better.” I avoided any clothing that revealed my stomach, hid away from bright colours and anything fitting. I dodged cameras and stayed off dance floors. I was constantly shrinking myself in every way I could.

I had my first child at a young age, and pregnancy transformed my body. But more than that, it shifted my perspective. I realised I couldn’t raise a child in a world where I spoke negatively about my own body. I never wanted them to feel the shame I had carried for so long.

I began strength training, not to change how I looked, but to feel strong, healthy, and capable - just as I started to find joy in this I became seriously ill. After a long and frustrating journey, I was diagnosed with PCOS and Endometriosis, along with infertility. These chronic, lifelong conditions changed my body in ways I couldn’t control. Some days I bloat. Some days I’m bedridden. Other days, I feel almost like myself again.

I had to learn to be grateful for my body as it was and realised I had to accept things I never before.

Then I found burlesque, and with it, I found Taylor who I’m honoured to call a best friend. Burlesque became a space where body shapes and sizes weren’t barriers to confidence and expression. Together, Taylor and I knew we had to take this feeling and build something bigger. That’s how Dundee’s Body Positive Movement was born - a safe welcoming space for humans to unpack harmful language and reconnect with their bodies through empowerment, not shame.

In the most beautiful and unexpected twist, I went on to have a second child, fourteen years after my first. Now, in yet another new body, I’m once again learning to love the skin I’m in. This body grew my family. It continues to carry me through each day. And for that, I am grateful.

We created this movement to share our journey and to help others through the difficult moments we know all too well. Because self-love isn’t linear, and it’s far from easy but we promise it is possible. And no one should have to walk that path alone.

Thank you for reading
🩷 Christina

Instagram vs reality 😅

As a teenager, I was often bullied for not fitting the so-called “ideal” body size — even though I wasn’t particularly large. I was picked on for having big eyes and cruelly nicknamed “fish eyes.” Those early experiences planted seeds of self-doubt and body shame that lingered for years.

But over the last decade, dance — particularly burlesque — has helped me reclaim my body. Teaching and performing has allowed me to view my body not as something to shrink or hide, but as something powerful, expressive, and worthy of celebration. Dance gave me the tools to reconnect with myself, and helped me slowly unlearn the harmful messages I grew up with.

That journey was shaken again three years ago, when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes later in life. Suddenly, I had to navigate a whole new relationship with my body — one that included wearing a visible glucose monitor on my arm. At first, it became a fresh source of self-consciousness. I worried about how it looked, what people would think, and how it made me feel “different” all over again. But over time, I’ve come to see it as just another part of my story — and of my strength.

Now, at 30, I’m proud to be co-founding Dundee’s Body Positive Movement with my amazing friend Christina.A few weeks ago we hosted our very first event — an afternoon of workshops, conversations, and activities all centered around celebrating body diversity and self-love.

Our mission is simple but powerful: to help change the way people in Dundee see themselves and others. We believe all bodies are good bodies — no matter the shape, size, gender, or ethnicity. And we’re creating a space where everyone can feel empowered, included, and proud of who they are.

Thanks for reading!

Taylor 🖤 x

We have created a community chat!

Join us for support chats, event info & recomendations 🖤

https://m.me/cm/AbbvNu037aN9hisO/?send_source=cm:copy_invite_link

❤️❤️

Today’s the day! It’s time for our first event!

Can’t wait to see you all soon ✨🖤

We’re super busy behind the scenes planning out first upcoming body positive event!

We can’t wait to share more information with you and hopefully get you involved.

Until then, we are just going to leave this here ✨