who we are

About AnyBody Ireland

AnyBody Ireland (formerly Endangered Bodies Ireland) is the Irish branch of an international organisation that challenges the culture of body hatred and the industries that promote and profit from body shame and insecurity. The different branches of AnyBody, based in cities all over the world, have taken action against these industries in a variety of ways and on a number of levels – from small, personal actions like supporting brands that promote body positive messages, to higher level activism like holding demonstrations, working with industry stakeholders and getting involved in political lobbying.

The Irish branch was founded by Deirdre Cowman in 2013 following her involvement in the global ‘Endangered Species’ summits in London, Buenos Aires, New York, Sao Paulo and Melbourne.

 So far AnyBody Ireland has –

  • Held film nights and discussion groups to give people a space to talk about body image and related issues.
  • Contributed to mental health weeks in third level institutions through taking parts in panel discussions and setting up information stands and body positive displays.
  • Joined the online community of body image activism through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
  • Spread body positive messages through our ‘Love Your Body’ sticker campaign.
  • Petitioned the makers of ‘Operation Transformation’ to move the emphasis of the programme away from weight loss.
  • Celebrated International No Diet Day by handing out treats and information in busy spots around Dublin.

If you’d like to get involved in body image activism in Ireland, would like to organise and event or workshop in your college or workplace or have a project you’d like to get our input on, we’d love to hear from you! Send us an email to anybodyireland@gmail.com

OUR VALUES

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FEMINISM

  • Feminism is the belief that everyone is entitled to social, political, and economic equality.
  • We are intersectional feminists: Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” and has described it as “a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects. It’s not simply that there’s a race problem here, a gender problem here, and a class or LBGTQ problem there. Many times that framework erases what happens to people who are subject to all of these things.”
  • We are against gender stereotypes. 
  • We understand that gender is a social construct and as such, we recognise that the gender binary is also a social construction, and people can and do identify with a gender outside of “woman” or “man”. 
  • As we believe in the inclusivity of all people, we strive to express that in the language we use. 
  • We support legal and safe abortions for everyone.
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body hatred

  • We recognise that almost every person is suffering in their bodies in one way or another due to the unrealistic beauty ideals that are pervasive in all aspects of society.
  • We understand that the language around body image activism is changing and evolving as are people’s relationships with their bodies. 
  • We acknowledge that some people identify and aim for body positivity, or body acceptance, or body neutrality, and we respect people’s individual journeys and lived experience.  
  • We also acknowledge that people may be coming to this movement from various routes; whether that be as part of eating disorder recovery, body image concerns, fat activism or feminism. 
  • Overall, ultimately our goal is to eradicate systems that encourage people to hate their bodies. 
  • We actively push against the merchants of body hatred that create and profit from our insecurities, such as, but not limited to, the diet industry, the cosmetic surgery industry, the beauty industry, the fashion industry, and the food industry
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Fat

  • We recognise that body image related movements were born out of fat activism, which emerged in the 1960s. 
  • We believe that using the word fat is not an insult. It is a simple descriptor that should not carry any moral judgement.
  • We recognise that most people are suffering in their bodies, but fat people also experience stigma and discrimination that people in non-fat bodies do not experience.
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dieting

  • We are against dieting, no matter how it is packaged – be it a “lifestyle change” or “healthy eating”. If the goal is weight loss, we do not support it. 
  • We stand by the science that clearly shows dieting does not work. 
  • We want to see people break free of the harmful cycle of dieting and listen to the wisdom of their bodies.
  • We do not prescribe one magic bullet approach, but some of us have found intuitive eating helpful. 
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collaboration

 

  • We aim to come from a place of respect, patience and strength, trying to meet people where they are. Change is a process and all of us are constantly learning and evolving. 
  • We recognise that most of the current members of AnyBody come from a place of privilege and invite the collaboration of any and all voices from marginalized identities. 
  • We are part of an international organisation and periodically collaborate with other AnyBody groups.

Join our mission to challenge body hatred and diet culture

Email: anybodyireland@gmail.com

Our History
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