Merriam-Webster’s definition of the word husky is as follows: "Burly, Robust, Large."
Burly: strongly and heavily built
Robust: having or exhibiting strength or vigorous health
Large: exceeding most other things of like kind especially in quantity or size
In reading those definitions, one can determine that being called husky is not necessarily a bad thing. It almost sounds like a compliment. And, to those whom have used that term to differentiate body types, it probably seems apropos. I can buy that. But…have you ever been called HUSKY? Shopped in the infamous Sears HUSKY section as a child?
Felt the emotional weight of living in a larger body?
I was a husky kid. For all intents and purposes, some may consider me a husky adult!
As a middle-aged woman trying to maintain muscle mass and strength, I can now accept that moniker and wear it with pride. But as a pre-teen obsessed with fashion, magazines, and rock’n’roll, having to shop in ridiculously stigmatized sections of department stores felt shameful and demoralizing.
Huskiness has weighed on me (pun intended). It has made me different during times in my life when I so painfully wanted to fit in. It’s haunted me for decades, always showing up to tell me that I am not enough, that I need to be fixed, that I’m unworthy. It's taunted me when clothes don’t fit, when stores don’t carry my size, and every time that I've stepped on a scale. It's robbed me of joy. Being husky has kept me out of photographs.
I wonder...what else has being husky kept me from? More importantly, what have my THOUGHTS about being husky kept me from becoming? Menopause Nutritionist Jennifer Salib Huber reminded me of a very important question, “Who benefits when we hate our bodies?” A recent episode of her incredible podcast, The Midlife Feast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-midlife-feast/id1589611177?i=1000708972898) really got me thinking about body appreciation.
Is being husky really such a bad thing? Not for me, not anymore.
It’s just a word, neither good nor bad.
I’ve photographed thousands of people at this point, and I find every single one uniquely interesting. Perfectly imperfect. Special. Noteworthy. Important. But sadly, almost all of my clients start our relationship by giving me reasons that they are not "photogenic,"
or request deep edits to their appearance. I fell in love with photography because of the magic...spontaneous moments, quiet captures, unexpected outcomes. I think that you can learn to love it too. Everyone has a magazine spread deep inside just waiting to happen. What is keeping you from being in pictures?
Is there something that has haunted you, year after year? Whispering inadequacies, telling you that you must manipulate or change the things that make you…YOU.
Are you tired of the conversation that runs the show? The one where you suck and everybody else has their shit together? The one where you aren’t attractive enough
to go for the things that you want in life? The one where you must look PERFECT (whatever that means) to be credible?
I'm changing that conversation, and kicking those “husky feelings” to the curb.
I'm seeking people ready to transform how they see themselves in photographs, which translates to leading a life of confidence and joy. All bodies, all backgrounds, and all attitudes encouraged. You, unscripted. Reach out if you're ready to rewrite your story.
