Women receive a great deal of scrutiny when it comes to their bodies; regardless of where they are located, how old they are, or what their lifestyle is and the reason for that boils down to the toxicity of the culture we live in, which just may be the culture we have always lived in. The media plays a huge part in how our fellow humans perceive us and when we’re being bombarded with weight loss ads and 40-foot billboards featuring women with a waist as thin as some of our arms, those ideas get embedded in people’s heads and now it has become quite customary for women to be insecure about their bodies while also openly receiving judgment on their bodies from anyone and everyone in their life. These forms of media are not only reaching young girls and teens, but is also being targeted towards them and we’re seeing young girls obsessing over their bodies at younger and younger ages, which is never right or ethical when it comes to these advertising companies who are targeting them.

The Women’s Therapy Centre Institute has just launched their LOVED BODIES, BIG IDEAS Contest, which asks what your BIG IDEA would be in response to the question, What is one bold action that could make the world truly value the diversity of women and girls’ bodies?

If you have a BIG IDEA submit it to the LOVED BODIES, BIG IDEAS Contest by emailing a 500 word (maximum) BIG IDEA essay to the Contest Manager, Shirley Kailas at shirley.kailas@gmail.com by December 1, 2010, 6:00 p.m. Don’t forget to include your name, age, email, phone number and any organizational affiliation you have on the top of the page. All of the BIG IDEAS will be read and considered by a team of expert judges and the three most thrilling, radical, awesome and original ideas will be chosen as the winners. The winners will be invited to present their BIG IDEAS in 10-minute presentations at the Endangered Species Summit in March of 2011 in New York City.

This is an awesome opportunity for activists and people who have noticed this toxic culture we live in when it comes to the judgments placed on women’s bodies and a great way to spread your BIG IDEA about body acceptance.