On Tuesday, February 28, the film Embrace will be shown at 5:30 pm in Bohannon 90 on the UMD campus. The film will be followed by a panel discussion from 7–7:30 pm.
The panel includes Kirsten Nielsen, The Emily Program; Jean Baribeau-Thoennes, UMD Health Services – Counseling; Amanda Joyce, UMD Employee Health & Wellness; and Alyssa Hammitt, UMD Dining Services.
“We are showing this film in order to raise awareness on the impact of body image on young people and to really start a discussion around this topic. We hope that young people will learn to value who they are – not just how they look – but who they are as individuals,” said Baribeau-Thoennes.
Embrace is a social impact documentary that explores the issue of body image. The inspiration for Embrace came about after Taryn Brumfitt, a former bodybuilder, posted an unconventional before-and-after image on the internet in 2013 that sparked an international media frenzy. The image, which embraces body diversity, was seen by over 100 million people worldwide and led to hundreds of interviews and articles.
Embrace is told from the point of view of Taryn as she traverses the globe talking to experts, women in the street and well-known personalities about the alarming rates of body image issues that are seen in people of all body types. In her affable and effervescent style, Taryn bares all (literally) to explore the factors contributing to this problem and seeks to find solutions.
It should be noted that this film includes nudity, sexualized images of women in advertising, and discussion of serious topics including sexual abuse and suicidal thoughts.
This event is sponsored by The Emily Program, UMD Health Services, UMD Dining Services, and UMD Employee Health & Wellness as part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
UMD presents the film Embrace and a panel discussion on body image - Feb. 28.