Ntianu Obiora

<p>The movement has officially been hijacked and those it was originally created for, the outliers, find themselves once again, on the fringes. Like many popular references, the meaning of the phrase ‘body positivity’ has become increasingly distorted as its popularity increases.</p>

<p>What started out as a political movement to protect fat bodies has become synonymous with self-love and in doing so, has narrowed the window of acceptance for many plus-size bodies, if not slammed it shut altogether.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The body positivity movement began as a political movement that was started as a fat liberation movement by plus size women of colour. It was created in response to the mounting social disregard for bodies that didn’t fit into accepted beauty norms. It was created as a means to protect and uplift the bodies that simply were not seen as ‘beautiful’.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fat women have now found themselves decentered from a movement that they created and fatphobia is still rampant. With our safe spaces fast diminishing and being overrun, where else is there left for fat bodies to go?</p>

<p>A body positivity movement that does not center fat people is simply yet another place for slim people to feel good about their bodies in a society that already celebrates them. There must be a distinction between self love and body positivity.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Body positivity is not about &quot;finding worth in all people,&quot; it&#39;s about seeing value in fat people AS people. It is about humanizing fat people. It is about creating space for fat people. Not about &quot;a seat at the table&quot; or &quot;respect&quot; &amp; love &amp; pixie dust....</p>&mdash; 🏞️ - 🌊| they/them (@DaShaunLH) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaShaunLH/status/1143089606470115328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just as we fought against &quot;All Lives Matter&quot; in light of the BLM movement, I am going to fight against thin people&#39;s &quot;all bodies matter&quot; responses to the body positive/fat acceptance movement.</p>&mdash; 🏞️ - 🌊| they/them (@DaShaunLH) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaShaunLH/status/1143092183752433665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>In order to understand the importance of the body positive movement to marginalised bodies, we must first understand its origins. The body positivity movement has roots in the fat acceptance movement which began in the 1960's. It was a social change movement and aimed to change the anti-fat bias and reprogram society's attitude towards fat people. Sociologist<strong> Charlotte Cooper</strong> has argued that the history of the fat activist movement is best understood in waves, similar to the feminist movement, with which she believes it is closely tied. <strong>Susie Orbach</strong>, a British psychotherapist and author, argued that popularised ideas such as dieting and body hatred are oppressive and that body dysmorphia and eating disorders are rooted in misogyny.</p>

<p>In a similar vein, Cooper believed that fat activists have suffered similar waves of activism followed by burnout, with activists in a following wave often unaware of the history of the movement, resulting in a lack of continuity. However, the body positivity movement could be seen as a resurgence of all these long-forgotten theories</p>

<p>Charlotte goes on to talk about the dominant model in which, <em>'fatness is contextualised as pitiful and/or many of the following: lacking in moral fibre, diseased, potentially diseased, greedy and lazy, not just ugly but disgusting, pathetic, underclass, worthless, a repulsive joke, a problem that needs to be treated and prevented.'&nbsp;</em></p>

Why I’m no longer talking to slim people about body positivity [Credit: Mashable]

<p>Whilst the movement was widely criticised for promoting obesity, it in fact sought to humanise fat people and protect them from a society that was fundamentally opposed to their existence.</p>

<p>In essence, body positivity is the radical act of loving your body even when society tells you not to. The sad truth is, worldwide, women who are not slender, white (or light-skinned), and cis experience devastating discrimination at some point in their lives. Women of colour, LGBTQ+ women, and women with different body shapes and sizes are constantly dictated to about how they should look, how they express themselves, their sexuality, femininity and beauty.</p>

<p>However, body positivity gives a much-deserved middle finger to everyone who reinforces those harmful and ignorant tropes and in doing so, puts limits on the way people live their lives. It’s a recognition of the fact that every single body is deserving of love and respect and a necessary reminder that woman’s body should never be a vehicle for discrimination, judgment and abuse.</p>

<p>The Fat Acceptance Movement and all its waves were an important segue into the body positivity movement which dominates popular culture today. Now, the movement serves to help people with marginalised bodies feel entitled to self-love, something that had previously been reserved for people in privileged (e.g. thin, white, fit) bodies.</p>

<p>As a fat, black woman, growing up was a constant battle between my insecurities and my notions of self-worth. I learned pretty quickly that I was not the standard of beauty and struggled to see ‘myself’ in celebrities and people celebrated in the media. As a 28 year-old woman, it gladdens me to see the transformative effects of the body positive movement both personally and to society at large.</p>

<p>Finally, those of us who grew up on the edge of everything have a safe space to celebrate ourselves. If that’s a strange notion to you then know that you are the rule and not the exception. Also understand that means that the movement was not created for you to participate because you were never excluded from the mainstream narrative in the first place.</p>

Why I’m no longer talking to slim people about body positivity'[Credit: Bustsle]

<p>Social media also has a huge part to play in the devaluing of the movement. Bitch Media’s <strong>Evette Dionne</strong> explored that aspect of the movement (among many other things) in an article called “The Fragility of Body Positivity: How a Radical Movement Lost Its Way.” In the piece, she explains how the body positive movement has ended up isolating people who don’t fall into a certain category that it promotes.</p>

<p><em>“The body-positive media economy centers these affirming, empowering, let-me-pinch-a-fat-roll-to-show-how-much-I-love-myself stories while failing to actually challenge institutions to stop discriminating against fat people. More importantly, most of those stories center thin, white, cisgender, heterosexual women who have co-opted the movement to build their brands. Rutter has labeled this erasure ‘Socially Acceptable Body Positivity.’”</em></p>

<p>She continues, <em>“On social media, it actually gets worse for fat bodies: We’re not just being erased from body positivity, fat women are being actively vilified. Health has become the stick with which to beat fat people with [sic], and the benchmark for whether body positivity should include someone.”</em></p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">hmmmmmmmmmmpH still struggling with the term &quot;body positivity&quot; as it has been co-opted by brands and turned into the concept of self-love/acceptance rather than a movement fighting for social justice for fat people, POC, the disabled, LGBTQ folx... marginalized bodies.</p>&mdash; andrea (@whtegrlinacrowd) <a href="https://twitter.com/whtegrlinacrowd/status/1144273077855014918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Huge corporations use ‘body positivity’ in the name of marketing without really taking the time to understand what the movement stands for and also end up watering down the message in their campaigns. Suddenly, women see size 10 women in a body positive campaign and believe its for them, it isn’t.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With so many mixed messages being put out there, the salvation of the body positivity movement lies with individuals. Like many political movements, you must question the validity of your existence within that space or whether you are simply taking up unnecessary room. You can be an ally and support a movement without centering yourself in it. Until people learn to take more accountability for the space they take up and where, we will continue to run into these issues.</p>

<p>So until, these much-needed boundaries can be re-established and these safe spaces restored, I am no longer speaking to slim people about body positivity.&nbsp;</p>

Why I’m no longer talking to slim people about body positivity [Credit: Pulse]

As my good sis <strong>Reni Eddo- Lodge </strong>is no longer talking to white people about race, I am no longer talking to slim people about body positivity.&nbsp;

Why I’m no longer talking to slim people about body positivity

<h1>Are today's young people more narcissistic than previous generations and is the advent of the digital age completely to blame?</h1>

<p>Social media allows us to share major life events and daily thoughts with friends, family, and colleagues. It makes connecting with people around the world easier, and people who use platforms strategically can develop online followings. However, posting too many photos, including selfies, may have its pitfalls.</p>

<p>Over a century ago, <strong>Sigmund Freud</strong> wrote his essay ‘On Narcissism’ which identified a form of self-adoration which described someone who saw themselves as an object of desire and since then, the term has filtered right down from psychology books and papers into colloquial conversation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The word is now used freely to describe anyone that may display an overt sense of self and in doing so, the word has been watered down considerably. However, in the modern context, the idea of narcissism has found its own niche and is often used to describe the Millenials and Gen Z.<em> “It’s a buzzword,” </em>says<strong> Marianne Vicelich</strong>, author of the self-help book Destruction: Free Yourself From the Narcissist.<em> “Every time you have dinner with a few girlfriends someone uses the term, their boss is a narcissist, or their husband, or their ex, or their mother.”</em></p>

<p>But what exactly defines a narcissist and how does it apply to younger generations?</p>

<p>Narcissism is a personality characteristic that can involve grandiose exhibitionism, beliefs relating to entitlement, and exploiting others for personal gain. Sound familiar?</p>

Look at me! Has the digital age succeeded in breeding a generation of narcissists? [Credit: Firstpost]

<p>Well, a study conducted by researchers from Swansea University and Milan University showed that those who used social media excessively, through visual postings, displayed an average 25% increase in such narcissistic traits over the four months of the study.</p>

<p>What we need to deduce whether this is simply what young people or millennials are like these days or whether there’s a more sinister pattern developing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Younger generations are powered by the endless opportunity for self-promotion and self-reflection afforded by social media,and that, combined with a developing culture which has clearly placed greater emphasis on the importance of self-esteem has had a significant impact on the way they view themselves. Many could argue that these factors have caused young people’s personalities to change from previous earlier generations and become more narcissistic and inherently selfish.</p>

<p>It has become a trend to look at a positive correlation between narcissism and social media use and there is research out there to support both sides. In some cases narcissism does predict taking a greater number of selfies, having more followers and posting more pictures, but that is not a given. Visual social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat do play on people’s narcissistic appetite because they’re based on what you look like and how you present yourself to others. That euphoric feeling of self-enhancement is one the reasons people post on social media and quite literally get high off the positive feedback.</p>

Social media may be responsible for the raise in narcissism in the younger generation [Credit: Alphr]

<p>Psychologists however, are divided. Some say the evidence that the young have become “Generation Me” is overwhelming whereas others as still insure about the overall impact social media has had on younger generations.</p>

<p>In a foundational 2008 paper,<strong> Jean Twenge</strong> (coauthor of The Narcissism Epidemic) and her colleagues reviewed 85 studies that surveyed more than 16,000 college students between 1979 and 2006. The research follows up on years of studies that suggest younger generations are more narcissistic than previous ones. A test known as the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) can be used to score how narcissistic someone is; the test has been administered to college students for years, and, as the co-authors note, there was an upward trend in scores between the years 1976 and 2006. The researchers found that college students were becoming more narcissistic, by a full 30 percent from 1982 to around 2006.</p>

<p>Looking at social media in the context of influencing, a lucrative new career which is based on social media, perhaps it’s not narcissism but younger generations have simply found a hack which leads to bigger monetary rewards. The most important thing to understand in the social media landscape is that attention is a currency and people who attract the most attention are often the ones who reap the most rewards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to <strong>Alice</strong>, a contributor to<strong> Kinfolk </strong>during an interview about ‘Narcissism, Social Media and Power’,<em> “When you think about the types of behaviors that get attention, they are not the behaviors that make for a good society or a good public culture. You’re not going to get attention on certain forms of social media for being kind, empathetic or thoughtful. The dark side is that people are rewarded for behaviors that might not be for the public good. Do you think that Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton and Donald Trump are the people who should get the most attention in our country? No! They are people who are very good at gaming the system. As long as we have an attention economy, as long as there are economic incentives to try to get a lot of attention, then we are going to have people producing content with the only aim of getting attention.” </em>It’s this constant striving for attention, the need to do more controversial things and display more attention-seeking behaviour that can lead to one displaying narcissistic tendencies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the same interview, contributor <strong>Miranda </strong>continues,<em> “One of the most adaptive components of narcissists is that they make really positive initial impressions on people, so we are immediately drawn to them. They appear very confident, charismatic, they are often attractive and they can be quite extroverted, so they are good at actually getting our attention.”&nbsp;</em></p>

Social media influencers have created a career based off of themselves and a little bit of narcissism is necessary to sustain that [Credit: Y Charsima]

<p>However, we have to recognise that the ability to attract attention is in itself a talent. It might not be a talent that older generations find respectful or necessarily understand but it is becoming increasingly important for a lot of the new wave of careers such as being a social media influencer or Youtube star. What may be mistaken for narcissism might simply be a new model for success in the contemporary context.</p>

<p>In essence, there is no denying that younger generations are more narcissistic than the last but they are also the most emotionally fragile (the snowflake generation) and the least confident due to constantly being on display (the downside of social media). Like many generations before, millenials and Gen Z are far from perfect but are also trying to carve out their own niche using the tools they have to their advantage. If a slight increase in narcissistic tendencies is a byproduct of that then perhaps that’s something we will just have to deal with.</p>

<p>What are your thoughts? Do you believe the digital age has bred a generation of narcissists?</p>

Look at me! Has the digital age succeeded in breeding a generation of narcissists? [Credit: Pulse]

The digital age has ushered in a new way of living and whilst, for the most part, it’s been nothing short of amazing, it has also created a self-obsessed generation who are all about ‘me, me, me’.

Look at me! Has the digital age succeeded in breeding a generation of narcissists?

<h1>Sisterlocks were created a little over 20 years ago by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell and are a smaller, modern twist on the traditional style.</h1>

<p>The woman who developed Sisterlocks is an African American Studies professor named Dr. JoAnne Cornwell. She wanted to provide a way for black women to do their hair in a way that didn’t involve the use of chemicals or extensions.</p>

<p>The brand is trademarked and protected under a patent, so you need to book an appointment with a certified Sisterlocks consultant if you want these particular locks.</p>

<p>Dr. Cornwell invented the hair styling method in 1993, and it remains popular today among naturalistas.</p>

<p>If you're considering Sisterlocks, you should first find a certified consultant who can guide you through the process to ensure optimal results. Certified Sisterlocks consultants have been approved officially by the creator of the technique, Dr. Cornwell. Since Sisterlocks are so thin, improper installation can lead to severe hair breakage and even baldness.</p>

<p>Sisterlocks are tiny, stylable locks that are formed using an interlocking method. Interlocking is where you use a tool to create the locks instead of using a palm roll or a two-strand twisting technique. Sisterlock technicians, or “Sister Lockticians,” make the lock from the ends to the roots, so there is very little pulling at the root or damage to the hair follicle.</p>

<p>The Sisterlocks website has an exclusive list of certified Sisterlocks technicians from the U.S. and international locations. The hairstyle comes with a heavy price tag, but you can justify some of the cost by considering how much you would save on product and styling. Sisterlocks cost anywhere from $500-$2000, so they’re not cheap.</p>

<p>But you may be able to find a trainee Sisterlock technician who can do the style for $300-$400.</p>

<p>However, once you’ve made the initial investment, you’ll probably find them easier to maintain on a daily basis. Proper maintenance is crucial to the survival of your sisterlocks. You must have them re-tightening every 4-6 weeks or risk having them thin and break you hair off altogether. This makes sisterlocks quite a high-maintenance and pricey investment.</p>

All you need to know about the protective style sisterlocks

Deciding to lock your hair&nbsp;is a huge decision, not to mention permanent one. In addition to the traditional locking method, many naturals opt for Sisterlocks.

<h1>Sometimes, keeping your hair under wraps is the best way to get your hair to grow and flourish.</h1>

<p>Here are 3 protective styles that your hair will love.</p>

<p><strong> </strong>Protective styles give your hair a chance to rest from daily physical or chemical manipulation.</p>

<p>Whether your hair is relaxed or natural, it is at the mercy of the elements. Everything from humidity to heat can cause your hair to become dry and break. Black hair is far more temperamental and needs to be treated with the upmost care.</p>

<p>If your hair is thin or breaks often, you can reduce breakage and give your hair a chance to repair itself whilst inside a protective style.</p>

<p>If you live in a very cold, very dry or an area with a high level of pollution, you can guarantee that your hair is suffering right now. Protective style keeps your hair away from harmful elements that could hinder its growth and health.</p>

<p>More simply, if you lead a busy lifestyle and cannot afford style your hair everyday, protective styles are a great grab and go alternative. You can also change your look regularly and transform into a different woman with different styles. Now, who wouldn't want that?</p>

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<p>Bear in mind that protective styles are <em>not </em>a cure all and are not the only way to get your hair to grow. Your hair still grows when not in a protective style but they provide optimum environment for your hair to do its thing. Either way, being consistent about your hair care will yield results.</p>

<p>In order for a protective style to do what it needs to do, it needs to be well installed and maintained. Make sure you are going to a qualified hair stylist who understands what's best for your hair. Any style that is too tight will definitely cause breakage and hair loss, especially around the edges.</p>

<p>Protective styles also, are not an excuse to forget about your natural hair. The ultimate goal is to make sure your natural hair thrives. Make sure you keep it washed, and moisturised.</p>

<p>Finally, do not leave your protective style on for too long. Although it may be tempting to get some box braids and forget about it, leaving your hair unexposed too long promotes dryness, tangling and breakage. Protective styles should be left on for an average of 2-6 weeks.</p>

<p>of the hottest protective style out right now. With then advancement of the hair industry, the options for different styles and textures are endless and allow your the opportunity to dramatically change your looks. Always wanted locks? no problem! Want big curly hair? No problem.</p>

<p>Check out these 3 fantastic protective styles below!</p>

<p>Instagram user @Bohobabe has been credited with creating these fantastic style, also known as Spring Twists for her clients. These twists are far from the ordinary and create a pretty bohemian vibe whilst still staying true to one's natural hair.</p>

<p>Passion twists use the same tools as goddess locs although they do not need to be wrapped and are therefore slightly easier to install.</p>

<p>Passion twists get there lovely look because of the texture of the hair use. They easy to install, light, natural-looking and low maintenance. Just make sure uyou keep your scalp moisturised and re-twist when necessary. They look great worn down or styled in up-do's making them versatile and wearable. The best thing about these twists is the older they get, the better they look, win-win!</p>

<p>Crochet braids are probably the most versatile protective style in existence because every type of hair can be crocheted and any style achieved. Crochet braid styles have been heavily influenced by the natural hair movement with the textures we often see being more natural-looking and the styles we see typical of naturalistas such as Havana twists, braid outs and twist outs. In fact, it's not uncommon for crochet braids to be confused with one's natural hair.</p>

<p>When we say crochet braids, we are really referring to the method in which the hair is installed. The crochet method is a way of adding extensions to one’s hair using a crochet needle.</p>

<p>In order to have your hair styled with crotchet braids or curls, your hair must be braided in cornrows at its base. The hair extensions come pre-styled or pre-braided and it’s very quick and easy to install. The hair extensions are looped under cornrows with a crochet needle. They are fast, inexpensive and easy to maintain.</p>

<p>Whereas before, locks were the ultimate commitment because once you started growing them, you had to keep them forever or shave your head, now, they're simply another option. Thanks to the advancement in hair tech, people are available to achieve the lock look without any of the commitment.</p>

<p>The rise in popularity of Goddess Locs has been staggering with many clamouring to live out their dreadlocks fantasies.</p>

<p>As opposed to other types of faux locs, Goddess locs are made with human hair and are therefore lighter and look more like authentic and natural. Normal faux locs are made with synthetic hair hence with shiny look but these will have people second-guessing if you grew them yourself.</p>

Here are 5 protective styles that your natural hair will thank you for [Credit: Xonecole.

Women who want to get the best out of their natural hair understand the value of protective styles.

Here are 3 protective styles that your natural hair will thank you for

<h1>It was a a safe space for fat people who felt marginalised because of their size so why are they now being erased from the narrative?</h1>

<p>Body positivity is a social movement rooted in the belief that all human beings should have a positive body image, and be accepting of their own bodies as well as the bodies of others. </p>

<p>The movement sets forth the notion that beauty is a construct of society, and poses that this construct should not infringe upon one's ability to feel confidence or self-worth.</p>

The curious case of fatphobia and why those who created the body positivity movement are slowly being erased from the narrative

<p>The body positivity movement has roots in the fat acceptance movement which began in the 1960's. </p>

<p>It was a social change movement and aimed to change the anti-fat bias and reprogram society's attitude towards fat people. </p>

<p>Sociologist Charlotte Cooper has argued that the history of the fat activist movement is best understood in waves, similar to the feminist movement, with which she believes it is closely tied. </p>

<p>Susie Orbach, a British psychotherapist and author, argued that popularised ideas such as dieting and body hatred are oppressive and that body dysmorphia and eating disorders are rooted in misogyny.</p>

<p>Charlotte goes on to talk about the dominant model in which,<em> 'fatness is contextualised as pitiful and/or many of the following: lacking in moral fibre, diseased, potentially diseased, greedy and lazy, not just ugly but disgusting, pathetic, underclass, worthless, a repulsive joke, a problem that needs to be treated and prevented.'</em></p>

<p>She goes on to explain that it is this model is maintained by other power structures and stake holders which include drugs companies, food producers and retailers, satellite medical and diet industries, government policymakers, advertising and media, and fashion industries.</p>

<p>This model, more pertinently, is also enforced by friends, relatives and loved ones which has a more profound emotional and physiological effect on fat people. It is this very model that the fat acceptance movement was trying to dismantle because of the self- hatred and helplessness it engenders in fat people and the discrimination and stigma which it promotes.</p>

<p>The Fat Acceptance Movement and all it waves were an important segue into the body positivty movement which dominates popular culture today and has developed an evolved meaning. Body positivity differs from fat acceptance in that it is all encompassing and inclusive of <em>all</em> body types and body shapes, whereas fat acceptance only advocates for individuals considered to be for the overweight; it aims to celebrate all body types.</p>

<p>Body-shaming of all types has been shown to yield detrimental long-term psychological effects such as negative body image, depression, anxiety, as well as eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphia. Many people, especially in these times of social media, base their self-worth on their physical appearance and how good they perceive themselves to look and how they are perceived in a wider context. This is all well and good when they feel they look good but can have detrimental effects when they do not.</p>

<p>However, the very idea of body positivty has become complicated with many confusing why the movement started in the first place and causing those it was started for to, once again, be sidelined.</p>

<p>Despite what we have been led to think, body positivity and self-love are not the same thing. Body positivity and self-love are very different and often, they get lumped together by the majority of people out there and therefore the very crux of the message of body positivity is somewhat perverted.</p>

<p>Body positivity was created to help people with marginalised bodies (fat, queer, trans, bodies of color, and more) feel entitled to self-love, something that had previously been reserved for people in privileged (e.g. thin, white, fit) bodies.</p>

<p>However, as the movement grows and becomes commercialised, its intention has been watered down and adapted other meanings which do not necessarily align with the original message.</p>

<p>The commercialisation of the movement has led to many an eye roll as women, many of privilege, jump on the bandwagon. How often have you seen thin, white women talking about body positivity? </p>

<p>Whilst it is encouraging and people in privileged bodies should be allies and should be aware of the fact that everyone deserves self-love, to conflate their reality with that of those the movement was started for is misguided and dangerous to the efforts and progress the movement has made.</p>

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<p>Body positivity is about finding a community of like-minded people and feeling safe within that community to love your body and who you are but what do you do when you no longer recognise yourself in those who occupy that community? Doesn't that negate its purpose?</p>

<p>Despite all the good work the fat acceptance and body positivity movement has done, there's no denying that many people still have a problem with fatness in general. </p>

<p>Often, we see vile comments under social media comments and many comments masquerading as faux concern.</p>

<p>The very idea of an unapologetic fat woman almost always illicit nasty comments from people who simply believe that the two simply cannot co-exist. </p>

<p>However, telling fat people that they are entitled to self-love is not suddenly going to cause a spike in obesity.</p>

<p>The idea that teaching fat people to hate themselves will make them thin is quite ridiculous. </p>

<p>It's something that we have been doing for decades and it has not led to anything except for increased rates of eating disorders, more health problems, and epidemic levels of body hatred in people of all sizes. </p>

<p>Fat-shaming does not help people lose weight and it's time we embrace something new.</p>

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<p>Yes, the movement is complicated and the road to acceptance and self-love is certainly not linear. Through it all, fat people may still and always feel like outsiders but its important that it does not affect the momentum and through it all, despite the voices of others, we lead by examples. The most important thing you can do? Love yourself.</p>

<p>When it comes to our personal relationships with our bodies, it's incredibly nuanced but we have to learn to find acceptance of self just as we are, not as we <em>could</em> or <em>should </em>be. Try not to preach, judge, or portray a seemingly perfect life online but be a living example of someone who loves themselves and lives in a way that reflects that outwardly. You never know who may be looking up to you to lead the way.</p>

The body positivity movement began as a reaction to society's collective disdain of fat bodies.

<p><strong>UOMA Beauty</strong> burst onto the scene a couple of months ago with an electrifying campaign which was the very definition of diversity. Their campaign video, shot in Lagos Nigeria, featured a variety of models and captured the essence of African culture. Women of all shades were represented as the brand set the tone for their message of inclusion and innovation.</p>

<p>Founder, <strong>Sharon Chuter</strong>, knows all too well the struggle of growing up black and struggling to find the right makeup. Whether the shades were too light or the undertones too ashy, purchasing makeup was a game of risk. Sharon speaks emphatically about her early experiences with makeup. <em>“I grew up in Nigeria, so I was influenced by that standard of beauty. At the time we would use Talc powder or cakey looking powder for face products. These were the only base products available, so it’s interesting that you don’t even realize how bad they were or how inadequate they were for our complexion. It was all that was available, so no one really knew better. We all walked around with chalky skin”. </em></p>

Listed by WWD as one of the 50 most forward-thinking executives shaping the future of the beauty industry, Nigerian born Sharon Chuter is the founder and CEO of UOMA Beauty [Credit: Sharon Chuter]

<p>Growing up in Nigeria, Sharon was also unable to escape the ideals of beauty which plagued many young women who simply didn’t match up. She speaks about her experience with colourism and unlearning the Western standard of beauty to embrace her own. <em>“The ideal beauty at home was fair skin, so bleaching products were the best-selling skin care products. Even today, if someone says to you “you’re dark or darker” most people take it as an insult. </em></p>

<p><em>Even in a country with a predominantly black population, the western idea of beauty managed to become the standard. Skin bleaching and hair straightening is just the status quo. It took me to become an adult to start seeing the damage this ecosystem causes. As a woman of color, you learn from a young age that you are all wrong – your skin is too dark, your hair texture is wrong, your hair isn’t long enough. It’s crazy how widespread the singular Anglo-centric idea of beauty is. This is the same in Asian countries– people try to lighten their skin to fit with this standard.”</em></p>

Sharon Chuter and singer Estelle at the LA launch of UOMA Beauty [Credit: Hollywood Reporter]

<p>Despite the challenges, Sharon’s love of beauty blossomed and she ended up carving out an enviable career at some of the most premium global beauty brands. <em>“I have always been a beauty junkie; I’m that girl with a full face beat most days and always have been. So, considering that and the fact that my career has always led me back to beauty, I don’t think anyone is surprised that I have ended up in this space. Add that with the fact that I have always been a rebel and the one to stand up and speak up – I’m never one to shy away from fighting for what I think is right. </em></p>

<p><em>I remember being in Nigeria and it was considered a really bad trait for a woman to be so outspoken and rebellious, so my mum would always get the sympathy of people saying things like “this one will live with you forever. No man will cope with her. Ha!” So, I think everything to this point has been in my DNA and I have had to stay true to myself and love myself even when the society I came from was not welcoming of those traits. You put these things together - Love of beauty, rebel and champion for authenticity, and self-love and there you have it – UOMA Beauty.”</em></p>

<p>Like many entrepreneurs, UOMA Beauty was born out of need. Sharon found herself constantly complaining about the lack of options in the beauty industry and decided to put lip service to rest and take action. <em>“I knew I wanted to do something when I found myself complaining all the time – I am a big believer in “talk is cheap” – “be the change you want to see”. We all complain about the things we are not happy with, but no one is prepared to risk it all to be part of the solution. This is why I embarked on this journey. I’ve put it all on the line and hope that at the end of the day I play a small part in making the world a better place – a place where women who look like me understand that they are truly beautiful and have the courage to explore that from the outside in. We feel beautiful when we are confident and are genuinely confident and at peace with ourselves; women are unstoppable. Every person deserves to have that feeling of being enough, being worthy, being beautiful. It is quite a liberating feeling.”</em></p>

Sharon Chuter reveals who the UOMA Beauty woman is what beauty means to her [Credit: Pulse]

<p>Having built a career as a beauty executive, I was curious to know what Sharon’s take was on the push we are experiencing towards diversity and inclusion in the industry and whether she believed we were making positive steps towards it or whether it was simply tokenism at work.<em> “I think they say we have come a long way and I say we still have a long way to go! The industry is still learning what it truly means to be inclusive; today it’s all about “hey, I have 40-60 or even 100 shades of foundation and this must mean I am inclusive.” It’s quite sad that the industry doesn’t understand that it goes beyond that. Everything should not be one size fits all. This is why we came out with a foundation that completely changed the game – unique formulas for different skin. </em></p>

<p><em>Inclusivity starts from home, how many people working in these cosmetics organizations are of diverse backgrounds? Until the industry fixes its house inside, we will not see the output. As an industry, we need to learn to embrace differences, uniqueness, heritage and identity. We need more diversity at the top of organizations – more women and more people of color. At the moment, most of the major brands are run by Caucasian males, which is crazy since the majority of beauty shoppers are females.”</em></p>

<p>The name UOMA was inspired by Sharon’s Igbo heritage and just an example of how she expertly weaves parts of her culture into her global brand.<em> “UOMA beauty is inspired by the Igbo word OMA which means beautiful. The U in front is shortened from Umu – So it should be umu-oma which means beautiful people, but it’s such a long word and hard to brand so we went with UOMA. I enjoy the debates I hear about the validity of it as an Igbo word.”</em></p>

<p>UOMA’s brand is centered around encouraging women to be unapologetically themselves; it’s a vehicle for authentic self-expression. It’s a brand that inspires confidence and pushes women to be the very best version of themselves. Sharon wants women to embark on a journey of self-discovery and truly revel in their uniqueness. In a world where a lot of the beauty industry is geared towards transformation, it really is revolutionary to have a brand that simply wants you to be yourself.</p>

<p>The brand launched in such a powerful and intentional way and it led us to wonder, who exactly is the UOMA woman [person] and in Sharon’s words, what does she stand for? <em>“The UOMA woman or person, I call them the UOMA Tribe, is a gathering of individuals that live by their own rules. It’s a very colorful tribe that consists of all the misfits who have embraced their authentic selves and have found a deep level of joy from getting really well acquainted with their unique selves. It’s a really self-loving tribe. Ha! But think about it, if you can’t love yourself, how can you love anyone else, and how can you expect true love in return. </em></p>

<p><em>The UOMA journey is always one of self-awakening, restored pride and the products are just ways to express this freedom. The UOMA girl knows she doesn’t need make-up to be beautiful. She is beautiful but she wears make-up to express herself. She’ll do a red lip because it’s that type of day and you’re feeling like you want a bit more… The number of women of color I have had to work with to get comfortable in wearing their true foundation shade is staggering. It’s a psychological journey, but once she comes on the other side she is just walking on air. This is what our tribe is all about. I don’t sell lipsticks, I sell self-love.”</em></p>

<p>UOMA’s campaign video was shot in Lagos, Nigeria and features supermodel <strong>Halima Aden</strong> and rising Nigerian star <strong>Aduke Shitta-Bey</strong> amongst others. It was a chance to show to range of Nigerian creatives and shed light on the bustling and vibrant Lagos scene. Shooting the campaign in Nigerian was intentional on Sharon’s part and truly set the tone for the direction the brand.<em> “For me celebrating heritage is very important and is at the core of my message. Having pride in your origin and using my platform to change the false and outdated ideas the rest of the world has about Africa is crucial. I am so excited about the continent, the current generation of creatives and the resurgence of identity and national pride. The unification of the diaspora is also very exciting to me! We are going to be doing so much in the continent – I don’t want to spoil anything but stay tuned.”</em></p>

<p>Launching one’s own brand can be a nerve-wracking undertaking but Sharon has been overwhelmed by the positive response. Between the London and LA launch, UOMA Beauty caused shock-waves through the industry by bringing its unapologetically African style. <strong>Tiwa Savage</strong>’s performance at the LA launch was the talk of the town. Sharon says, <em>“It has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am so humbled. I tend to take each day at a time. We are a brand of the people, so I guess the people will tell us how we can serve them in 5 years. In the meantime, we have our ears and hearts open and the focus is expanding our tribe and creating more awareness.”</em></p>

<p>Finally, coming from a beauty executive and now- founder of a global beauty brand, I wondered what the most valuable piece of beauty advice that Sharon had received that she wanted to share with Pulse readers. <em>“Other than self-love is the highest form of beauty, it would be to look after your skin. It is the base on which everything sits. So for me, it’s keeping my skin hydrated and protecting it from the sun via sunscreen. I wear SPF 50 every day. It’s the key to healthy skin.”</em></p>

<p>There we have it; from a tenacious young woman growing up in Nigeria to a global beauty executive and now the CEO of her own beauty brand, Sharon’s story is simply inspirational. She’s a living testimony to the power of dreams and following your passion. As UOMA beauty begins to gradually make its way onto the faces and into the hearts of beauty lovers the world over, we wait with baited breath to see the impact that this afro-centric brand will have on the direction of the global industry.</p>

Meet Sharon Chuter, the powerhouse behind new afro-centric beauty brand, UOMA Beauty [Credit: Pulse]

The name Sharon Chuter has been well-known in the beauty circles as the charismatic founder of UOMA Beauty has worked with<strong> L’Oreal</strong> and <strong>Benefit Cosmetics</strong> to name but a few but now, Sharon and her brand are on the lips of the masses.

Meet Sharon Chuter, the powerhouse behind new afro-centric beauty brand, UOMA Beauty

<p>In a time when mass-consumerism is at an all-time high, fast fashion is thriving but who are the true victims and what is the solution to reinstate a much-needed ethical balance within the design industry?</p>

<p>According to <strong>Investopedia</strong>, ‘<em>"Fast fashion” is a term used by fashion retailers to describe inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to meet new trends. As a result of this trend, the tradition of introducing new fashion lines on a seasonal basis is being challenged. Today, it is not uncommon for fast-fashion retailers to introduce new products multiple times in a single week to stay on-trend.’’</em></p>

<p>The fashion industry is working at an alarming pace to keep up with the insurmountable demand from insatiable consumers. About 20 years ago, clothes shopping was an occasional event when new sizes were needed or a special event was coming up. </p>

<p>Then, something changed. Clothes became cheaper and the life cycle of trends accelerated meaning that the way in which we sought out clothes also changed. Clothes became cheaper and with the rise of e-commerce sites, more accessible and instead of shopping out of necessity, people began shopping because, well, because they could.</p>

<p>Suddenly, buying clothes because a favourite pastime and catching onto the latest trends, somewhat of a sport. Fashion because increasingly dispensable with people wearing outfits once and throwing them away. Everyone could afford to emulate their favourite celebrities and low budget stores were churning out runway knockoffs giving an unprecedented level of accessibility to the masses.</p>

The horrific Rana Plaza collapse claimed the lives of thousands of workers in Bangladesh [Credit: Al Jazeera]

<p>However, in 2013, this rise in relentless consumerism got a sobering wake-up call. The building which houses<strong> Rana Plaza</strong> clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed killing over 1,000 workers in a preventable tragedy which sent shock-waves all over the world.</p>

<p>People began to wake up to the true cost of the fast fashion industry and began questioning just <em>how</em> it were possible for them to be $5 items on this side of the world. Who was producing these clothes? What were they being paid? What conditions were they working under? The day of reckoning had arrived for the fashion industry at large and consumers started asking the tough questions.</p>

<p>The manufacturing process for fast fashion certainly leaves a lot to be desired with each garment being produced at blinding speed with little thought for quality and longevity; in order to keep the costs so low, manufacturers are using the poorest quality fabrics.</p>

<p>So, what’s the solution? It’s pretty simple actually, slow fashion. Slow fashion is pretty self-explanatory and though the name may not sound appealing, it is a process which holds everyone accountable at every stage of production and ensures that works, artisans and designers are all held to a certain standard and given the rights they deserve.</p>

<p>As consumers, we need to ensure that the values of our selected designers align with ours. We should endeavour to choose designers whose materials are locally-sourced and produced and are proudly purveyors of the slow-fashion movement because these days, what is fashion without a conscience? </p>

Meet the true victims of fast fashion industry [Credit: The Spartan Speaks]

Rather often, the term fast fashion is thrown around with little regard given to the meaning and the impact that it has on the fashion industry itself.

Meet the true victims of fast fashion industry

<p><strong>Naomi Campbell</strong>'s affinity for Africa, Nigeria in particular, is no secret. The supermodel has made numerous trips to the continent and has been linked with some prolific Nigerian stars including <strong>Wizkid </strong>and <strong>Skepta</strong>.</p>

<p>Last year, she shutdown Arise Fashion Week when she arrived and hit the runway for select designers like <strong>Tiffany Amber</strong> and <strong>Lanre Da Silva</strong>. Little did we know that her appearance would spark a series of fortunate events that would position Africa as the next fashion capital of the world with international luxury brands like <strong>Gucci </strong>clamouring to support emerging design talent.</p>

<p>This year's program was noticeably more insightful with the introduction of the Fashion Talks, a series of panels with fashion greats like ex US <strong>Vogue </strong>Editor-at-large <strong>Andre Leon Talley</strong>, owner of luxury concept store <strong>ALARA Reni Folawiyo</strong> and designer <strong>Ituen Basi</strong> as well as people from the banking and finance sector to bring much-needed perspective to the business side of fashion.</p>

<p>During her panel, Naomi revealed that luxury label would begin a design talent empowerment incubator which would take place at the University of Lagos. The news was music to the ears of those struggling for opportunities in the Nigerian fashion industry.</p>

<p>The initiative comes as part of Gucci's Diversity Initiative which came in response to their blackface scandal which happened in February. An emergency meeting was called by <strong>Dapper Dan</strong>, a  member of the Gucci family and a black fashion icon from the 80's, to discuss the pertinent matter of diversity at the fashion house. </p>

<p>Their first step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive company was to be more inclusive in their hiring therefore, Gucci committed to hiring global and regional directors of diversity and inclusion. The goal with this initiative is to find a Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion and execute strategies to foster a more inclusive company.</p>

<p>Gucci’s second step in their plan was to create a multi-cultural design scholarship program aimed at creating more employment opportunities for underrepresented groups. This scholarship program has reached the shores of Lagos.</p>

<p>No doubt, Naomi's influence is clear. Although Nigeria has the raw talent to begin with, many would agree that we struggle with infrastructure and positioning ourselves properly. With the challenges we face in this country from financial opportunities such as loans for SME's and logistical issues making it difficult to import and export textiles and materials, we had struggled to establish our industry in the way it deserved to be. </p>

<p>With Naomi turning her attention towards empowering designers and creatives from the talent, it's causing the rest of the word to sit up and take notice. At one panel,<strong> Segun Awolowo</strong>, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of <strong>Nigerian Export Promotion Council </strong>announced that the government had passed a bill which would remove the import tax on ankara making it easier and less expensive to acquire the material.</p>

<p>This year, Naomi brought in American designer <strong>Pyer Moss</strong>, Colombian fashion designer <strong>Esteban Cortazar</strong> and<strong> Asai</strong> to name but a few. Supermodel <strong>Liya Kedebe</strong> and the Editor of <strong>British Vogue Edward Enninful </strong>also landed in Gidi at the behest of Miss Campbell who was keen to show them all that we had to offer. Having these international designers walk on our stage, international editors sit front row and report on it in their respective publications and popular models wear <em>our</em> clothes, gives legitimacy to our industry and in an impassioned speech, Naomi promised that Arise Fashion Week<em> 'will be henceforth known as the official Lagos Fashion Week.'</em></p>

<p>Instead of us fighting to be recognised on international territory, we can be recognised and uplifted right here at home. Naomi's influence, her belief in the sheer talent of Africans as a whole, might just be the awakening of an industry. </p>

<p>No longer will we have to fight for relevance because slowly but surely, African is becoming the epicenter of it all.</p>

Naomi Campbell and the awakening of the African fashion industry [Credit: Pulse]

The iconic Arise Fashion Week was called Arise Fashion Week with Naomi Campbell this year and for good reason because the international supermodel has big plans for the continent.

Naomi Campbell and the awakening of the African fashion industry

<p>Beyoncé made her official foray into fashion in 2016 by launching her sportswear brand Ivy Park in collaboration with British retail giant, Topshop. Ivy Park is an active-wear clothing line made for women who want to look and feel at the top of their game.</p>

It seems Queen B has chosen stripes over checks as her athleisure brand Ivy Park is set to collaborate with adidas. Would you wear pieces from the collaboration?

Ntianu Obiora

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