Photo: Via Kickstarter.A casual stroll through Twitter (or the comments sections of most websites) will show you that the internet can be a profoundly depressing place, full of soul-crushing negativity and even full-blown hate. Of course, there are pockets of light in the darkness — pinpricks of inspiration that remind us the world is not all cynical and sad. Today's dose of wonderful comes via Taryn Brumfitt, an Australian mom who has been making headlines as an advocate for positive body image.
Like any new mom, Brumfitt's body changed after having kids. She entered a body-building competition in order to get her pre-baby abs back, but found that she continued to struggle with low self-esteem. Brumfitt decided to undergo plastic surgery in order to feel better, but just before her procedures, she had an epiphany: She didn't want her daughter to grow up with the same body-image problems that she dealt with on a daily basis.
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So, Brumfitt set about creating the Body Image Movement, which has been gaining steam as she continues on her journey of self-acceptance. But, it was her "before/after" photo that really went viral. In response to "Fit Mom" Maria Kang's fat-shaming selfie, Brumfitt posted the above photo, writing, "I just wanted to share with you that I loved my body on the stage, prancing around in a bikini, as much as I loved my body sitting butt naked in my girlfriends studio." The photo generated over 50,000 likes and catapulted Brumfitt and her movement to international attention.
Now, though, Brumfitt is taking the movement a big step further; earlier this week, she announced a Kickstarter campaign to fund a feature-length documentary project aimed at helping women to learn to love their bodies — imperfections and all. Called Embrace, the movie will "explore why body loathing has become a global epidemic, and what we can do to create a brighter future for women everywhere."
Head over to the project's Kickstarter page to check out the full-length trailer, learn more about Brumfitt's story, and see how you can help. Despite all the trolls and Fit-Mom sympathizers out there, this project proves we shouldn't give up on the world just yet.