Boards covered with manipulated photos of models and lists of facts about a modern ideas of thinness lined a sidewalk on Hayden Lawn at the Body Pride Resource Fair Monday.
ASU Student and Cultural Engagement organized the fair, which kicked off Body Pride Week. Along with the panels of pictures and information, different student groups and campus resources manned tables to provide more information.
The main focus of the fair was to draw attention to body image issues and on-campus resources to deal with them, Student and Cultural Engagement spokesman Ryan Carkhuff said in an email.
“(Our goal is) to raise awareness and educate the campus community about eating disorders and body image issues while promoting campus resources, normal eating, active living, self-acceptance, self-respect and appreciation of size diversity,” Carkhuff said.
Art education sophomore Katie Bandy stopped by the event because she had time to kill.
She said she was fascinated by one of the panels, which showed photos altered to make the subjects look more attractive next to their original pictures.
“I think people are aware of body issues, but they don’t want to admit it,” Bandy said.
Other campus groups at the fair included ASU Counseling Services, the Farmers Market at the ASU Tempe campus and ASU Wellness.
Women and gender studies sophomore Shannon Jenkins came as part of the student group Real Food Challenge.
Real Food Challenge focuses on educating students about consuming local, organic and fair trade food.
“If you love your body and you have pride in it, you’ll care about what you’re putting into it,” Jenkins said.
Another group, ASU Womyn’s Coalition, passed out free cards with compliments such as “your hair looks awesome” to anyone who stopped by its booth.
Global studies senior and ASU Womyn’s Coalition President Dilim Dieke said the cards were inspired by the free hugs offered at other events.
The notes should be a personal self-esteem boost or given to friends who needed some positive encouragement, she said.
“These events are important because it helps you look at yourself more positively,” Dieke said.
Sociology junior and treasurer of the coalition Salma Abdalla said her club, which encompasses other feminist movements on campus, is devoted to helping girls love themselves and their bodies.
“Ads show negative things about women, and we want to show positive things about them,” Abdalla said.
Although much of the event focused on women’s issues, there were also posters devoted to how body issues can affect men. One of these showed the evolution of men in popular culture, as the shirtless men pictured in movies and magazines became much more muscular.
The fair was the first of several events scheduled for the week. Between Tuesday and Friday, Student and Cultural Engagement will also host a panel with survivors of eating disorders, a nutrition expo and Devilpalooza, a campus-wide party on the Student Recreation Center fields featuring a concert by the All-American Rejects.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter.
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