Curvy Culture Podcast: Recent Episodes
Andrea Westbrook
Imagine a world where body size doesn't matter? Where everyone feels like they belong. Where we can all show up, exactly as we are, where we can thrive and reach our full potential? For people who are fat, curvy, or plus-size - a world like this simply does not exist. How can we create a world where fat and plus-size people feel safe to be our best? I’m Andrea Westbrook and this is the question I set out to answer with the Curvy Culture podcast. Grab your favourite drink, put your earphones in, find somewhere cosy and join me each fortnight as I chat all things related to being fat!
Katrina Van de Ven, is the co-creator and CEO of plus-size fashion marketplace, Lukbook.
With a mission to revolutionize fashion for the 66% of Australian women who wear a size 14 and above. With her background in psychology, decades of lived experience as a plus-size woman, and an unwavering desire to help women look and feel their best, Katrina is the perfect person to lead the fashion technology company, LükBook. And with it, she's spearheading a movement for a more inclusive fashion industry.
In this episode, we dive deep into the key moments that have shaped the Lukbook journey so far. From removing the shame and stigma of shopping as a plus-size woman to the challenges faced by female-founded businesses to the reasons why investment in them remains disappointingly low, we explore it all.
Katrina also shares her invaluable advice for brands looking to attract a plus-size customer base. Whether you're a fashion enthusiast, a business owner, or simply someone passionate about inclusivity this episode is a must-listen.
So sit back, relax, and get ready to be informed and inspired as we dive into this insightful conversation with the incredible Katrina Van de Ven.
Let's get started!
Get ready for an exciting episode as I sit down with the amazing Chelsea Bonner, a true trailblazer in the world of size inclusion. I couldn't be more excited to share this conversation with you!
In this episode, I had the privilege of chatting with Chelsea, the CEO of Bella Management, a talent agency that she founded back in 2002. Can you believe it? She has been dedicated to championing size diversity for all these years!
Join us as Chelsea shares her incredible journey and her passion for empowering individuals of all sizes in the industry. We'll dive into how she has been breaking barriers, paving the way for more inclusive representation, and challenging traditional beauty standards.
From her experiences in the industry to the accomplishments she's achieved with Bella Management, Chelsea's story is one that will inspire and motivate you. You won't want to miss this insightful conversation with a true powerhouse and pioneer.
Tune in to this episode and get ready to be inspired by Chelsea Bonner's incredible journey in size inclusion. It's going to be an episode you won't forget!
Chevese Turner is a remarkable and widely recognized activist and advocate, with an impressive career spanning over two decades in the healthcare community. With a focus on effecting change, influencing public policy, and spreading awareness through speaking engagements, Turner has made a significant impact at the nexus of eating disorders and weight discrimination activism.
Currently, Chevese holds the esteemed position of being a Dove Partner & Ally for its Campaign for Size Freedom. Additionally, she serves as the CEO of the Body Equity Alliance (BEA), an organization dedicated to promoting health justice and strategic advocacy. The BEA offers invaluable guidance on public health campaigns, research, education, and healthcare navigation.
Chevese works closely with various organizations and businesses, collaborating on advocacy-focused campaigns and communications. She also provides in-house education to these entities, assisting them in creating safe and inclusive spaces for their higher weight clients and employees.
What sets Chevese apart is her personal journey of overcoming eating disorders and her ongoing commitment to recovery. In fact, she founded the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) to address the unmet needs of individuals battling this prevalent eating disorder.
With Chevese's wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication, she is poised to make a substantial impact in size-inclusion advocacy. Her expertise can guide businesses and organizations in developing effective strategies for embracing and catering to diverse body sizes.
Meet Kara Richardson Whitely, CEO of The Gorgeous Agency, a plus-size adventurer, and a leading advocate for inclusivity. In this captivating episode, Kara shares her inspiring journey of conquering Kilimanjaro at 300 pounds, which is now becoming a feature film starring Chrissy Metz.
As a contributor to Backpacker and Outside Business Journal, Kara's work continues to break barriers, partnering with brands like L.L. Bean, Columbia, Keen, and Discover Puerto Rico to foster diversity and positive brand sentiment in the plus-sized community.
Discover how Kara's empowering vision has inspired teams at Pfizer, Google, Uber, and beyond, encouraging them to overcome obstacles and embrace success.
Join us for a remarkable conversation that highlights the transformative power of embracing diversity, tapping into the plus-size market, and empowering women of all sizes to lead the charge toward a more inclusive world.
Don't miss this compelling episode celebrating the strength and beauty of plus-size women!
Connect with Kara here:
Website - Kara Richardson Whitely - Author, Speaker and More
LinkedIn - Kara Richardson Whitely | LinkedIn
Instagram - Kara Richardson Whitely (@kararichardsonwhitely) • Instagram photos and videos
Is body positivity really the answer to our body image struggles? In this episode of the Curvy Culture podcast, we dive deep into the controversial topic of body positivity and explore why some people don't believe in it - including me!
As a plus-size woman who is on a personal journey of self-acceptance, I share my insights and experiences of why blindly buying into body positivity isn't always realistic or effective. Through candid reflections and thought-provoking discussions, we'll challenge the myths and limitations of body positivity and explore alternative approaches to self-love and worthiness instead.
Whether you're a skeptic of the body positivity movement or just curious about the topic, this episode is for you. We'll cover everything from the flaws of "love your body" messaging to the benefits of a more nuanced and authentic view of ourselves. Join us for this empowering and inspiring conversation about body image and self-acceptance.
Tune in to "Body Positivity - I'm Not That Into It" and discover if body positivity is right for you too.
Evidence shows that the more intersections that form part of a person’s identity, the more likely they are to be marginalised and excluded. However, most Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) strategies focus on only a handful of possible identities and address them in silos.
In this episode, the wonderful Richa Joshi and I discuss the importance of taking an intersectional approach to DEI, with a focus on race, colour, and body size!
Richa Joshi is a proud Diversity, Equity & Inclusion advocate - in all its forms and ways.
Her businesses “Dual Nation” and “Unmuting You” are geared around advocacy, creating spaces and voices for those who need to be listened to, and very importantly - championing differences. Richa is here to amplify humans, celebrate their uniqueness and bring about true acceptance.
Richa is also the host of “The Same Same but Different Podcast”.
Grab your free Size Inclusion Checklist to get started on creating a size-inclusive business today!
Have you ever felt a deep sense of shame when someone called you "Fat"?
I know I have.
I would do anything to avoid the feeling that comes with being called "Fat"!
But after years of working in the size-inclusion space, I've learned to reclaim the power of this word and turn it into a symbol of strength.
In this episode, I share my personal journey with the word "Fat" and how I overcame the shame and hurt that it used to bring up.
I'll also take you through a brief history of the word and explain why it's become so loaded with stigma.
And if you're ready to reclaim the word "Fat" too, I've got three practical tips for you.
This conversation is about empowering yourself to take control of the language that shapes your identity.
So join me and let's start changing our relationship with the word "Fat" today!
Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-westbrook/
Grab your free Size Inclusion Checklist to start creating a more size-inclusive business today!
Visit my website: www.andreawestbrook.com.au
Say hi at hello@andreawestbrook.com.au
Arneen Ahsan is a certified life & relationship coach on a mission to help multi-generational humans thrive in their best relationships as they create & conquer their dream lives.
Through her signature heart-centered & results-focused coaching methods & frameworks, she guides and empowers you to harness your most authentic self as you leverage untapped potential, inner strength & confidence through self-love & leadership.
As a self-identifying "juicy and voluptuous" woman, Arneen shares with us her journey with fatphobia and size-exclusion. From her birth and early childhood in Bangladesh through to her twenties and early thirties. Arneen gets and vulnerable as she shares her experiences with dating and how fatphobia impacted her mental health and her career, as well as how she advocated herself and how this experience increased her sense of empowerment.
In the generous, open, and honest conversation, Arneen also shares her best tips on how you can advocate for yourself if you are experiencing fatphobia at work too!
Sally thinks burpees suck and cheese is delicious.
After working as a Personal Trainer for 10 years, Sally saw a desperate need for change in the fitness industry. Now as a Body Positive Fitness Professional, she offers women a compassionate approach to helping them improve their fitness, body image & mental health.
Sally works within the Health at Every Size (HAES) framework and uses a weight-neutral approach to fitness. She doesn’t weigh or measure her clients, preferring instead to focus on the life-enhancing benefits of exercise.
She is excited to share that she opened Brisbane’s first Body Positive Fitness Studio in Manly West in January 2023!
Sally shares her journey from a traditional, weight-loss-focused Personal Trainer to a size-inclusive Trainer who is now bucking the fitness industry status quo and what this has meant for her clients, as well as her bottom line! Sally also shares her incredible tips for creating a size-inclusive business!
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Curvy Culture Podcast!
I’m Andrea Westbrook and my mission is to create a world where everyone feels like they belong regardless of their body size.
With a mix of solo episodes and amazing guest interviews, my aim is to help you start meaningful conversations about size inclusivity, to influence change within your business or workplace so that we can create more size-inclusive environments.
As this is the first episode of the Curvy Culture podcast I thought it would be useful to introduce you to a few key terms that I use throughout the course of my work, why I believe we need to have this conversation and, of course, I’ll sprinkle in some of my experiences….just for you!
In this episode, I share with you:
· What exactly is fatphobia /weight stigma / anti-fat bias / fatphobia and diet-culture.
· How diet culture impacted my life from a young age, and
· Three things you can do to lessen the impact that diet culture has on you!
Grab your free Size Inclusion Checklist to get started on creating a more size inclusive business today!https://www.andreawestbrook.com.au/
Visit my website: www.andreawestbrook.com.au
Come and say hi at hello@andreawestbrook.com.au
Come and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-westbrook/
Serena Nangia (she/her) is a Body Activist, a long-time advocate for eating disorder recovery, and Marketing & Communications Manager for an eating disorder nonprofit called Project HEAL. She has spent close to a decade building expertise on the way body image, media, and eating disorders affect people’s daily lives, as well as how Fatphobia and weight stigma create issues of access and discrimination systemically and interpersonal.
Serena actively works to elevate the diverse voices of People of Color and Fat people. Serena’s inspiration comes from her sister, Ellen, who struggled with an eating disorder for over a decade and is now in long-term recovery.
Even though I identify as a fat person, I am fatphobic too! I have received all of the same messaging that you have and I believed that being fat is the worse thing a person could be. When I felt the call to work in this space, I knew I had a lot of internal work to do around unpacking my fatphobia (in fact, I still do)! One of the first things I did was sign up for the brilliant Serena Nangia's online course "How to be an Ally to Fat People" and in this episode I have invited Serena to share her expertise in this space with you!
Serena lives in Colarado Springs, Colarado.
Julie Parker (she/her) is the Founder of The Beautiful You Coaching Academy, Co-Founder of Priestess Temple School and a mentor, counsellor, coach, supervisor and guide for sacred leaders and space holders. She has trained thousands of life coaches worldwide to birth their soul businesses and has had a thriving counselling and coaching practice for nearly two decades.
Julie has inspired thousands of people as an in-demand speaker for clients including Apple, Telstra and Soulpreneurs, is the recipient of numerous leadership and women’s awards, is an international award-winning published author and host of the top ranking Priestess Podcast where she has interviewed some of the world’s great spiritual thought leaders. As a devoted and practicing priestess, Julie is committed to contributing to a world where presence, healing and social justice are honoured.
Throughout my life I have let my fear of being called fat keep me paralyzed. I let my fear stop me from applying for promotions, going on dates, asking questions, and sticking up for myself when I was being treated like crap. I was also conscious that I never saw fat people represented in the media, in advertising and in marketing material. Reinforcing the message that I shouldn't be seen....
That was until I came across the Beautiful You Coaching Academy (BYCA). For the first time, I saw people like me represented! Then when I got stuck into my studies, I learnt "this isn't just in my head"! I was able to give my experience as a fat person a name! That's why I'm thrilled to introduce you to my very first incredible guest Julie Parker, CEO and Founder of BYCA. Today Julie shares why it is important for her to include body size in her businesses Inclusion and Social Justice approach and shares her advice and tips on how you can include body size as a part of your Diversity and Inclusion strategy. This is a powerful interview, with many truth bombs, and includes so much wisdom and insight that you can take with you and start making a difference in your environments, businesses and workplaces today!
Julie lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Connect with Julie
Grab your free Size Inclusion Checklist to start creating a more size-inclusive business today!
Visit my website: www.andreawestbrook.com.au
Say hi at hello@andreawestbrook.com.au
Come and connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-westbrook/