"Bare It All: Skin" - Words.

Shortly before shooting "Bare It All: Skin" one of our clients, Sarah, had a unique request during her boudoir photoshoot. She asked, "Could we shoot some photos where we write all the cruel things people have said to me about my eyes, skin, size, etc. on my body?"

While we celebrate the beauty of our different skin tones in the "Bare It All: Skin" project, and promote positive body image messages with stories from women of all ages, sizes, and races in the entire "Bare It All" series, we also want to confront a subject that seems to be just as evident today as it always has been... racism.

I asked Sarah if she would allow us to share her photos and story to show how thick a woman's skin can be. In her own words, how she hasn't permitted the words to make her weak, but only make her stronger...

Why did you want to write hurtful words on your body that people have spoken to you throughout your life? "I didn't want to just say the words, I've been saying them to myself inside my head for decades. I wanted them written on my body so people would have no choice but to stare. Maybe they'll try to say the words out loud and realize how hard it is to swallow afterwards. We hear and say insensitive things to one another just like we say hello and goodbye. We accept it just as easily..." How did it feel having the words written on your skin and seeing them captured/documented in the photos on your body?