Embodiment is a Social Justice Issue
Embodiment is a social justice issue.
We live in a context of systemic trauma and oppression that may make embodiment unsafe no matter how hard I work.
This experience is true for me as a cis-gender, hetero, middle-class, able-bodied white woman, and even more so for people whose ages, races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, cultures, disabilities, sizes and socioeconomic status have less or no privilege.
Tragically, this lack of safety in my body may become internalized as body hatred.
When I struggle with body hatred, I am robbed of my power to take action in alignment with my values.
When I struggle with body hatred, I am unable to listen to the important messages of my nervous system that are spoken through my body sensations.
When I struggle with body hatred, I am struggling with internalized fat phobia and the oppression and marginalization of people in larger bodies.
When I struggle with body hatred, I am unconsciously aligning with white supremacy beliefs that the thin, young, able, white body is more valuable than others.
When I struggle with body hatred, I am internalizing a culture of objectification.
If I treat myself as an object, how will I be able to treat others any differently?
If I want to be a part of making a difference in this world,
if I want to be a part of dismantling systems of oppression,
if I want to be a part of contributing to equality,
yet I am in a state of freeze struggling with body hatred,
it is time to reclaim my body as a resource.
When I reclaim my body as a resource, I am able to be resilient and stay in a steady and regulated place, and therefore more effectively engage in change making.
When I reclaim my body as a resource, I can diffuse my defensiveness and attend to the work of listening, feeling, reflecting and holding space.
When I reclaim my body as a resource, I build my capacity to engage in difficult conversations.
When I reclaim my body as a resource, I free myself to show up with kindness, respect, deep presence and energy for action to help the world be better.
Embodiment is a social justice issue.
When I reclaim my body as a resource, I am able to bring my whole Self to the conversation.
