For Immediate Release

Since 2009, The International Fuller Woman Network has created body positive initiatives women in the United States and Nigeria. In April 2017 The Network will be expanding their global initiative to Asia. The Network has appointed Ririe Bogar as their Asia Director.

Ririe is a Plus Icon in Indonesia who has been fighting against weight based stigma for years. In 2007 Ririe founded Xtra-L Indonesia, a community for plus size women. As the community grew, so did the need for Ririe to create initiatives that presented plus size Indonesian women in a positive light. Ririe's impactful initiatives includes the Stop Bullying visual campaign and Miss Big Indonesia Pagent. She is also the founder of Indonesia Plus Size Fashion Week set to debut in 2017. Ririe is also the best selling author of "Cantik itu ejaannya bukan K.U.R.U.S." which translates to Beauty does not spell S.K.I.N.N.Y).

Ririe is often called upon by the Indonesian media to help frame the discussion around the need eliminate discrimination against plus size people. " Ririe is a one woman force in Indonesia and beyond..", says Executive Producer Cassy Jones-McBryde. "I have admired her relentless dedication to the plus community for several years and she is the perfect person to lead this exciting new initiative there. We are so very fortunate to have her." The International Fuller Woman Expo-Asia will be held in the Indonesia Capital of Jakarta during April 2017. For more information, visit tfwexpoasia.com
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About The Int'l Fuller Woman Network
Founded by Cassy Jones-McBryde in 2009, The Network is a initiative based organization that creates body positive initiatives for plus size women and girls around the world. For more information please visitwww.fullerwoman.org

Join us in the first stop of our model call series in Chicago!
No Experience Necessary
Looking for Men sizes 2x and up and Woman sizes 14 and up
All ages welcome
Casting for the International Fuller Woman Festival Detroit in September!

​Hosted By
​Candace McCollum
(News, Traffic and Weather) Power 92.3
Rickey Smiley Morning Show

We have an esteemed panel of industry authorities who will offer advice to our model hopefuls.

​

Erica Watson
Actress, Comedian
Pop Culture Analyst , Windy City Live

Teslyn Butler, Agency Plus Model

Stephanie Penn, Editor and Chief, DailyVenusDiva.com

​Join The Network and Daily Venus Diva.com for a model Call for "Opulence-A Lavish Evening of Sensual Arts Featuring The Fuller Woman

Meet the International Fuller Woman Network Steering Committee and Editor Stephanie Penn of Daily Venus Diva.com as we host a model casting for an upcoming event February 6th, 

Also enjoy treats and give-a-ways,a presentation of the latest fashions that Lane Bryant has to offer! 

Saturday January 23
11am-4pm

Lane Bryant
27811 Southfield Rd., 
Lathrup Village, MI 48076

CASTING DESCRIPTION
Seeking women in the Michigan Area for upcoming show in Downtown Detroit February 6th. All ages over 21 welcome. Sizes will range from 12/14- 26/28. Select models may be chosen to wear lingerie based on their comfort level.

REHEARSAL 
There will be limited rehearsals in the Detroit area. Once chosen address of rehearsal will be given.

COMPENSATION 
This is a non paid opportunity, You will receive select photos from your runway appearance.


Tickets on sale for $15 for our event February 6th can be found at :

http://www.fullerwoman.org/opulence.html

This Valentine season join us as we highlight the sensual side of the Fuller Woman through artistic expression from amazing women and men in our network.

I am pleased to be added to the line up of speakers for this years Fat Activism Conference.
This is a virtual conference (so you can listen to the talks by phone and/or computer) for people of all sizes who are interested in creating a world that respects the diversity of body sizes, and who are interested in fighting the bullying, stigmatizing, shaming, and oppression faced by fat people, and want to do that work intersectionally.

Whether you are looking for help in your personal life with family, friends, healthcare providers etc. or you’re interested in being more public with your activism with blogging, petitions, protest, projects, online activism, or something else, this conference will give you tools and perspectives to support you  and your work, and to help you make that work intentionally intersectional and inclusive so that nobody gets left behind.

The conference will be virtual – you’ll be able to access the workshops on the phone or on the computer from the comfort of your own home or anywhere that you are.  If you can’t make the live event, register anyway and you can access the talks via downloadable recordings and, with a Platinum Pass, a thumbdrive with all the talks will be mailed to you. Depending on presenter preference you may be able to submit questions ahead of time and/or engage in live Q&A.

More info can be found at www.fatactivisimconference.com

The holiday season is approaching and you're invited to celebrate the season with DailyVenusDiva.com.


Join the 1st Annual Holiday Soirée, a reader appreciation event and holiday toy drive for kids with Daily VenusDiva.com, the premier entertainment site for plus size women.  All attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or game that will be donated to the Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation.  If you bring a toy or game, your entry is free. Without a toy or game, entry is $5.00.

WHAT TO EXPECT
 Giveaways, Music, Networking, Swag, Pictures, Great Food and More!
EVENT SPONSORS
*Lane Bryant
*MaeLea Designs
*Le'Penn Designs
*Igigi By Yuliya Raquel
*The Fuller Woman Network
*Kids World Child Care Services
BENEFITTING
Children's Hospital Of Michigan Foundation

Register today! VIP is already sold out!! You can also call  Stephanie Penn via email: [email protected]om or call (313) 492-1991.

Michole Ewing

Michole  was one of many model hopefuls who attended our local model call in Detroit.  Although she was not cast as a runway model for our Curves in Motion Fashion Showcase, her submission video for the Ultimate Fuller Woman Contest touched all of us.  With the help of our sponsors we are celebrating this amazing Fuller Woman by gifting to her:

-Access to all events during the Empowerment Weekend as our honored guest
-Photo shoot with Timothy Paule of pAULE Studios
-A prize package from Just My Size
...........and more!

Meet Michole during the Curves In Motion Fashion Showcase.

What makes you a fuller woman has less to do with your appearance and more to do with how you move in the world, how you are able to navigate around the stigma that is placed on people of size and how you respond to it.

The Ultimate Fuller Woman Contest is a way for us to hear your inspiring story that will most assuredly help those who feel the same as you do.

Video submission were done by local models in the Detroit area during our model call series. The one with the most inspiring submission will receive:
*a professional head and body shot from Timothy Paul Photography
*styling from a local boutique for the shoot
*hair and makeup for the shoot
*prizes from our sponsors
*VIP status during all events

The winner will be announced by August 16th!

We generally talk about body image as it relates to women.  We actively discuss the negative portrayal of women in the media and create initiatives that highlight the female plus perspective. Rarely do you see the men in the plus community in the conversation, as if they don't also struggle with the same negative stereotypes. We have been asked for several years to have events for men and we are proud to add the male perspective to the Fuller Woman Expo this year. Here are some of the reasons why its important to talk about men and body issues.

Seeing unrealistic female body images affects men too. Often times when you see a very thin model representing the ideal woman it is seen with a thin, muscular man that is also presented as the ideal male body type. Men then intern feel that they are not desirable and will never be deserving of the "best" things in life. This creates the cycle of dieting and abuse of their bodies via excessive weight training to achieve at least the appearance of what society deems attractive. Ironically excessive weight training is encouraged by society and considered very "manly". 
Men are uncomfortable with discussing body dissatisfaction.  Male roles in society have been typically clearly defined, they are providers and offer strength and security. With the increased amount of women in society providing for the family and assuming roles traditionally held by men, men want to at least give the appearance of masculinity and strength through physical appearance. Speaking about their dissatisfaction of their physical appearance openly would mean a vulnerability that some men maybe uncomfortable with, especially when the topic of body image is deemed a "woman's issues"
Men need fashion options too. Just as women struggle with finding options as it relates to fashion for plus sizes, men struggle with finding affordable trendy options. Big and Tall sections in stores are few and far between.
It's about time we talk about it.  Like with anything we do in the network we try to offer different perspectives in the movement . We are not attempting to speak on behalf of all men, but trying to bring light to issues that affect all in the plus community. Men make the same lifestyle choices that women do when they fear an unsafe space for their bodies. How the men in your life move and feel in their own space in the world also impacts they people they love. We welcome men to the conversation and want to support them too in healing and living free from pressures they place on themselves to achieve the physical ideal.

We welcome the opportunity to connect with more men in the movement. Please leave feedback and resources that the network should connect with.
Helpful reading: 
Pope, H; Philips, K.; and Olivardia, R. (2000)The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession
Norman, M. (2011) Embodying the Double-Bind of Masculinity: Young Men and Discourses of Normalcy, Health, Heterosexuality and Individualism
Image source:Http://jbfcs.blogspot.com