Beauty Demands

  'Flow' - Copyright Dee Lister I currently have the self-portraits shared in this blog (proudly) showing in an exhibition called ‘Your Body Belongs to You’, which was co-curated by Karen Harvey and Marisol Mendez .   I want to contextualise why contributing to this art exhibition is so meaningful for me before explaining my intentions with the images. This is in addition to the great privilege of standing alongside nearly one hundred talented women and non-binary photographers whose two hundred images collectively feature. If you’re itching to see the exhibition click here to view this online via the Shutter Hub’s website .   I remember years ago someone I vaguely trusted said to me in a judgmental tone, “Dee, you need to stop getting so stressed”. They rattled on about how I should live my life, which was of course in line with their ways of being. I struggled (and still struggle) to find my voice and so forgive my transgression in not calling them out. I was carrying (and

In today’s world, it can often feel like society writes the main definition of beauty for us, and in doing so gives a template for the ‘ideal’ body. From an early age, we are surrounded by images in the media, placed there for us to absorb and aspire to. It is perhaps not all negative; on some level I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be curious to and inspired by what we see around us. To me, the problem arises when doing so results in us bringing comparison into the mix and moving further away from who we are.   Growing up I can recall so many moments of wanting to know and follow the latest fashion trend and wishing I looked, or didn’t look, a certain way. Fast forward to 2016 when I was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer at the age of 27 and my relationship with my body and appearance changed almost overnight. It was only a matter of days before I was to enter the world of chemotherapy, surgery and menopause; all which came with their own set of physical and emotional side effe