This week is Love Every Body Week, a series of discussions and workshops throughout campus inviting people to be a part of the conversation about body image.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Month was in March, but Love Every Body Week events cover more than eating disorders.

Michelle Morris, nutrition and food science professor and Embodied Club adviser, is involved with the event.

“I think this week supports the wonderful efforts of our campus to celebrate size diversity,” Morris said.

Love Every Body Week brings an opportunity to people on and off campus to come and learn about health and well-being.

“The wonderful lineup of speakers that we have, and some of them are recovering or have recovered from their own eating disorders,” Morris said.

During Love Every Body Week there will be open discussion after the events and resources and referrals available for those that need them.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, nutrition and food science department, representatives from the Housing and Food Service Office, The Counseling and Wellness Center, UMatter, Wildcat Recreation Center, Student Health Advisory Committee, Gender & Sexuality Equity Center and the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center have all supported the events.

Morris discussed how the media portrays women as skinny and men as having muscular bodies.

“There is a lot of weight discrimination in our culture, and I am really committed to addressing that,” Morris said.

It’s the Embodied Club’s first year involved with the event. The Counseling and Wellness Center organized the event last year.

Crystal Vasquez, a senior nutrition and food science major, is the vice president of the Embodied Club.

She has experienced yo-yo dieting and has had body issues in the past.

“I am bigger than I was but I am happier and much more comfortable in my skin than I was when I was dieting,” she said.

She has two kids of her own and four stepchildren.

“Having kids does a lot to your body,” Vasquez said. “One day you can feel great and the next, not so great.”

“Having a positive outlook on your body can be a slow process and that’s ok,” Vasquez said. “It’s a journey of body acceptance and it’s different for everybody.”

Everyone is welcome at the events.

“What I would say to the men out there is that this is for you too,” Morris said.

Upcoming events for Love Every Body Week include:

• “America the
  Beautiful” documentary and discussion
• Keynote presentation:
  “The Positive Body: Options for Health, Happiness & High
  Self-Esteem”
• The Road to Recovery: Eating
  Disorder Panel Discussion
• Find Your Way to Yay!
  Scale-making Workshop

Amanda Hovik can be reached at [email protected] or @AmandaHovik on Twitter.