The Women of Strength Sports Project
At the start of this year you might have heard me talking about my plans to release a book, a book that represents a less “insta perfect” view of the bodies of female strength athletes, a rebellion against the idea that we are constantly fed of how we should look in this space.
But after discussions with some friends in the industry about the direction that I’d like to take this book, the aims of it, and the weight I want it to carry, I’ve decided that this shouldn’t just be a book.
I want to turn it into an exhibition too.
These are the kind of images that NEED to be seen. the power behind them is immense, I want to show other women in this world that they don’t need to look a certain way to consider themselves a strength athlete that fits in these spaces.
For those who might not wish to purchase a book but still would love to see the images, to feel the impact of having their bodies represented, whether they be smaller framed, carrying more body fat, narrow hipped, broad shouldered, short waisted, long limbed, short limbed, missing limbs. I want to showcase the beautiful diversity of bodies competing in this space, to honour them as the temples they are.
I know for a fact that when we see a wider variety of bodies, we feel more at home in our own.
Once huge thing I’ve gained from running a number of nude shoot days due to being exposed to so many different shapes and sizes, is that I no longer perceive the parts of me I consider less than perfect as a flaw. I now see my body as a wonderful, individual work of art.
Representation really fucking matters.
We are constantly bombarded with a very singular ideal of how the female body should look, even in strength spaces where we are choosing to step outside the narrative of “smaller and thinner is better”. We’re now fed that we have to be extremely lean, when that’s just not healthy for a majority of us. We’re fed that we have to have tiny waists and huge glutes, whereas in fact for those of us in strength sports, our waists have been trained to be considerably thicker to perform the incredible feats of athleticism we go out there to achieve.
This is my way of adding another form of access to these images, to get them in front of even more people. And I also consider it a wonderful way to connect on a much deeper level with the people who are seeing themselves represented. I want to get to know the people these images are impacting, to hear their own stories, to see how what we’re creating over this enormous project touches the lives of so many.
So please, do stay tuned as this project grows, evolves, and unfurls over the course of this year.
And if you think you’d like to be involved, I’m looking for the following types of women:
• Those who have been training in and competing in strength sports, be that powerlifting, strongwoman, or Olympic lifting
• Any age is welcome above 18, I’d really love to have some older lifters as a part of this, but every age is welcome!
• Happy to be shot in the nude, and for images to be seen publicly (These images will be tasteful art nude, not full frontal)
• Able to travel to my studio space in Market Drayton, Shropshire
If you fit this criteria, please get in touch so we see if you’re a fit for the project!
