TIB x Zelda
Growing up, Zelda like most women, internalized harmful messages about beauty standards. But in university, witnessing the struggles of the women she loved sparked something profound within her.
And that led her to launch Strength Marks - her movement to actively challenge harmful beauty standards.
Strength Marks wasn't born from one big moment, but countless smaller ones – a million opportunities to rewrite the beauty narrative.
Join our conversation with Zelda and find out how her art dismantles the status quo, how vulnerability became the foundation for a movement and how it can inspire you to love the skin you’re in.
Can you tell us about a specific moment in your life that sparked the need to create Strength Marks? Was there a personal experience that ignited your passion for body acceptance?
I often think about this question because there wasn’t one moment that inspired Strength Marks, rather, a million small moments. Like most women, growing up I began to internalize toxic beauty culture and society's unattainable beauty standards. However, it wasn’t until I was in university that I really noticed how the women I championed in my inner circle were suffering too. Strength Marks grew from my curiosity to see if the art I created could change the way the women I loved saw themselves. I wanted to make a bold statement to fight against beauty standards and help rediscover - and redefine - our self-worth as humans. The photoshoots, interviews, and entire experience of the project became very therapeutic.
Why do you care?
I care about challenging society’s beauty standards because the damage they cause is passed down generationally. I believe the toxicity we are taught to believe in is internalized and manifests in every corner of our lives. As a creative, I want the photographs to mean something to people. I want people to see a Strength Marks photograph and be blown away by the raw, candid, unretouched beauty of our bodies. I want Strength Marks to change the way we see ourselves the next time we look in the mirror.
The biodegradable glitter on the stretch marks is a stunning visual. What message do you want to amplify by doing this?
Adding the biodegradable glitter to our scars and “imperfections” makes a huge statement. As a viewer, It demands your attention, specifically to the parts of ourselves that society deems “unacceptable.” I think adding the glitter to the project challenges cultural beauty standards by saying, “Hey, we are going to take the parts of ourselves that you’ve taught us to hide and highlight and celebrate them instead.”
Did participating in Strength Marks, both for yourself and by photographing others, change your own relationship with your body image? How so?
Absolutely. I knew that if I was going to ask people to be vulnerable and confront their own insecurities, I needed to guide them through the photoshoots by having the confidence and the honesty to admit that I am also working on accepting parts of my own body. There is something therapeutic and connective for me about the conversations that happen during shoots. Strength Marks creates this unjudgmental space that allows myself, and the participants, to be unapologetically ourselves.
The conversations on set are so different compared to the other hundred “girl talks” I’ve had throughout my life. Instead of harping about how puffy our stomach is, or how purple are stretch marks, the conversations erase all sense of self-criticism.
Through Strength Marks' focus on vulnerability, what surprised you the most about how the participants came to view their own beauty?
Many of the participants from Strength Marks have come back to me and said that doing the photoshoots has helped them start, or accelerate, their own body-acceptance journey. I’ve had people tell me that the scars I photographed are now a part of themselves that they cherish and love.
For many participants, their stretch marks or scars come from a challenging time in their life or a (health) obstacle they have had to overcome. I hope that by doing the photoshoots and interviews, each participant can change their perspective of their own scars and see them as strengths - the strength to pull through during a difficult time.
You mentioned Jameela Jamil, Sara Shakeel, and Lena Dunham as inspirations. How did their work specifically influence Strength Marks and your vision for beauty?
I love this question. First off, Jameela is just an incredibly well-spoken body-acceptance advocate who has woken up so many people to the toxicity of the diet culture that we live in. I love how unapologetic she is with her advocacy work.
Lena Dunham’s writing and show,Girls, really inspired me to explore the beauty and body types outside of society’s beauty standards. Her decision to write herself into the show - oftentimes barely clothed - was an honest depiction of the female body. Her show was one of the first times I saw on screen a leading woman with curves, rolls, and cellulite be desired. Watching her show, I felt like my body type was represented on screen - and the star of the show.
During the stage I was developing the idea for Strength Marks, I came across one of Sara Shakeel’s digital glitter collage artworks and thought it was so cool. She inspired the idea to use glitter in the project.
Strength Marks has fostered a powerful community! What are some stand-out moments of positive impact from your community?
Every email, direct message, or comment I see brings me so much joy. I love when people reach out and share how Strength Marks has resonated with them and want to participate in the campaign.
What kind of long-term impact do you envision Strength Marks having on the beauty industry?
I want Strength Marks to challenge the beauty industry to better represent real body types in their branding. No more photoshopping out “imperfections.” We should be celebrating what it looks like to be human, in every shape and size. I hope that Strength Marks can push brands towards being more mindful and inclusive in the content they create.
Where do you see Strength Marks evolving in the future? Are there any specific initiatives or collaborations you're working towards?
My dream would be to bring Strength Marks into the print editorial space. I am manifesting some big dreams! I also would love to create a beautiful coffee table book from all of the photoshoots - even if I am the only one who wants one!
As someone promoting body acceptance, what self-care practices do you personally use to cultivate inner strength and self-love?
Whenever I am feeling self-conscious about a part of my body, I try to redirect my focus to celebrate the amazing things my body allows me to do. I’ll say out loud, “Belly, I am working hard on loving you! Lungs, legs, and eyes, thank you for all you do! Life wouldn’t be the same without you.”
What would be your single most important piece of advice for our readers who are struggling with their body image?
I would encourage them to try to think about their body this way; your body is a gift not to take for granted. Your body allows you to experience all that life has to offer. Start by practicing appreciation for what your body does - without fault- for you. Its mobility, strength, adaptability, and resiliency. Once you deeply accept these truths, the way your body looks feels less important.
If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing about beauty, what would it be?
You will discover your beauty by looking to your ancestors - the powerful women in your family. Beauty isn’t defined by what you read in magazines, it is defined by the qualities you admire in the women you look up to. The way your aunt cooks, your grandmother’s laugh, your mother’s freckles. Celebrate your body and your beauty because it is a recipe that has been passed down for generations.
Lastly Zelda, what is your definition of beauty?
Beauty is something we see, but also something we feel within ourselves. Our inner beauty grows from our truest selves and radiates outward to those around us. Beauty can be shared. Beauty is kindness and understanding. Beauty is learning and evolving. Beauty is color, age, and wildness.
Keep up to date with Zelda and Strengh Marks by visiting her website here and giving her a follow on Instagram.
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