OK, let me ask you a question but you have to answer honestly : Do you think you are sexy and beautiful ? I bet a lot of you just answered no. Which is why Sheila Kelley has launched an inspiring campaign to redefine sexy and improve women's self-esteem. The Redefining Sexy: Believe in Your Beauty campaign aims to redefine the terms “sexy” and “beauty” through a series of provocative videos of true stories of real women. On her website, Sheila explains : "This is more than a campaign, it's a global movement. 80% of women in the United States are unhappy with the way they look. We're not going to let that continue. It's a global epidemic, and elevating the feminine is the cure. The Redefining Sexy campaign will help women, ALL women, believe in their beauty. It's vital for the survival of women."
So far, two videos have been released and, having just watched them, I wanted to share them with you. The first video in the campaign, “Cancer Warrior,” features Diana Schlobohm, a breast cancer warrior who underwent a Bilateral Mastectomy with reconstructive surgery on Christmas Eve morning 2011. Diana was chosen by S Factor Founder and CEO Sheila Kelley, to tell her story in the Redefining Sexy: Believe in Your Beauty video campaign.
Diana explains : "I decided to do the Redefining Sexy video because I felt like my body had betrayed me. I didn’t willingly enter into having this disease. I felt unable to connect with my curve, femininity and sexuality as they were taken from me along with my hair and breasts, which were literally removed from my body. Dancing gave me the permission to fully embody my feelings about being diagnosed with breast cancer. Moving helped me connect to my true essence and not the disease. My true essence is strength and beauty and femininity and that is what makes me sexy. I was filmed dancing 6 days after surgery. When I watch the video with my husband, we are in awe that I was able to move that way."
This raw and gritty video challenges the viewer to answer the question, "Are cancer survivors sexy?" The video went viral last month, with celebrities like Eva Longoria, Rita Wilson, and LeAnn Rimes jumping onboard by asking their Twitter and Facebook followers to retweet it and “Believe in your Beauty” and “Embrace your Beautiful, Powerful Self!”
The second video was released this week and asks the question "Is Motherhood Sexy?". It features Ali Kozoll who underwent an emergency Caesarian 3 weeks before her due date. She explains why she chose to become a part of this campaign: "I love my son Jack deeply. He is the sweetest, most patient, curious and funny little boy and I wouldn’t trade him for anything. However, my arrival into motherhood left me feeling lost, helpless, and alone, even with the wonderful support of my husband. I was desperate to reconnect with myself and to find some semblance of joy I had felt in my body as a woman before I became a mother. I returned to an S class at 8 weeks postpartum - the very moment I was cleared to exercise. My body felt weak, angry, sad, perforated and battered. My journey back into my body has been slower than I would like, but there have been moments of release, joy and strength. They were able to capture some of those moments in the video. I'm currently taking time to nurture my feminine body and I know my son Jack will have a happier, healthier mom, which, in turn, will allow him to thrive. I remain hopeful that motherhood is sexy!"
The second video was released this week and asks the question "Is Motherhood Sexy?". It features Ali Kozoll who underwent an emergency Caesarian 3 weeks before her due date. She explains why she chose to become a part of this campaign: "I love my son Jack deeply. He is the sweetest, most patient, curious and funny little boy and I wouldn’t trade him for anything. However, my arrival into motherhood left me feeling lost, helpless, and alone, even with the wonderful support of my husband. I was desperate to reconnect with myself and to find some semblance of joy I had felt in my body as a woman before I became a mother. I returned to an S class at 8 weeks postpartum - the very moment I was cleared to exercise. My body felt weak, angry, sad, perforated and battered. My journey back into my body has been slower than I would like, but there have been moments of release, joy and strength. They were able to capture some of those moments in the video. I'm currently taking time to nurture my feminine body and I know my son Jack will have a happier, healthier mom, which, in turn, will allow him to thrive. I remain hopeful that motherhood is sexy!"
Sheila Kelley chose Ali to tell her story in the Redefining Sexy: Believe in Your Beauty video campaign because, she says, "When a woman becomes a mother, it's like our culture ceases to see her as a woman. Women lose touch with their sexuality and they swap it in exchange for the joys of motherhood. This is psychologically damaging. 79% of mothers suffer from personal, emotional and physical challenges including low self-esteem. They no longer feel sexy. They no longer feel beautiful. And there isn't anyone they can talk to about this."
I have to admit, the videos have made me look at pole dancing in a new light and any campaign that helps women feel more positive about themselves has to be a good thing.
for more information about the campaign : http://www.sheilakelley.com
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Loved the video! Beautiful!
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