I love learning about bodies. Whether it is about the brutality of black bodies or, in this case, how we come to understand our body. In this workshop, I had the pleasure of dissecting how I’ve come to know my body through food, exercise and words. After this workshop, I came away with the understanding that accepting your body as whole is a dance.

I love my body and fully accept it as it is. I haven’t always been able to say this. For a long time, I thought my body was a dirty and ugly vesicle, unwanted and forgettable. I haven’t always been confident and it was an arduous process to get a place where I can fully claim and praise my body. I realized that once I gave my body meaning (more importantly, acknowledging that God had already given my body meaning), there was a shift in the way I carried myself. No longer did I worry about what others thought of my body, no longer did I question how attractive my body, no longer was body about politics, sex or their economy. It was simple purposeful.

I’ve always been different. Additionally, I’ve known that I was suppose to me different. But, when you are surrounded by people who don’t look like you or value your body, it is hard to see its diversity as beautiful. When I accepted the fact that God made be to be distinguished and extraordinary, it was easier to see that a ordinary body, mind or soul was something I never wanted.

While the details of this workshop are of little importance, the affirmation that I received from the fellow attendees is what this workshop meaningful.

I can confidently shout that I love my body but that doesn’t exclude me from the doubt, micro-aggression, racism, and sexism that my body receives to diminish its purpose. I know that coming to the specific and recognizing  my power has allowed me to continuing dancing a new dance with myself.