Author of Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image and Growing Up Latina, and Beautiful You: A Radical Guide to Self Acceptance
An author, speaker, teacher, and activist, Rosie Molinary had earlier careers as a high school teacher, coach, and college administrator. Her poetry and non-fiction have been published in various literary magazines and books, and she has contributed to various magazines and web-sites.
Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance, her second book, was released by Seal Press on October 5, 2010. Drawing on self-awareness, creativity, and mind-body connections, Beautiful You incorporates practical techniques into a 365-day action plan that empowers women to regain a healthy self-image, shore up self-confidence, reframe and break undermining habits of self-criticism, and champion their own emotional and physical wellbeing. Through accessible, doable daily actions, women of all ages are encouraged to manifest a healthy outlook on life—teaching them to live large, and starting them on the path to learning to love themselves and others. Beautiful You is a practical, candid, and accessible handbook that will strike a chord with every woman who has ever faltered in her self-confidence or lost her personal brilliance—and it will make sure she never lets it happen again.
Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image, and Growing Up Latina, her book on the coming of age experiences of Latinas in America, was published by Seal Press in 2007. In addition to writing, she teaches a course on body image for the women’s studies department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, serves on the diversity task force for the National Eating Disorders Association, and speaks on body image, diversity, self-awareness, social justice, and writing around the country.
Rosie currently serves as the Board Chairman for Circle de Luz, a non-profit program that provides mentoring, programming, and scholarship support to young Latinas in order to inspire them to complete high school and pursue further education. Rosie lives with her husband and son in North Carolina.
Now Replaying
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I cannot get this link to work. It keeps rewinding.
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Sandy Reply:
October 29th, 2010 at 5:40 am
Peggy, listening to it now to see what’s going on.
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Sandy Reply:
October 29th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Peggy, it worked fine for me – how did you go?
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I too wish I had a teacher that valued me in high school or cared enough to do something special! What a powerful gift that is to care and especially at that age.
I am so glad that I have no interest in buying the womens magazines that give us that pressure and false reality. I have recently learned personally that people that look perfect and have it all have their own insecurities and things they dislike about their bodies etc.
Thank you for your inspiration, I am working on removing the negative thoughts I have of myself and know I need to give myself permission to do the things I want to without letting my body image hold me back.
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Rosie Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Thanks, Alaine. Because I had had a teacher that did that for me, I was inspired to do it for my own students. Mentors really are so impactful.
I love that you are working on both removing your negative thoughts and giving yourself permission to enjoy life as you are. One of my favorite tools for doing that is an exercise in the book called Celebrate Your Birth Day. I also talk about it on my blog if you enter birthday list in the search engine there.
Wishing you all the best on your journey, Rosie
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Thanks Rosie for your enlightenment on the varying expectations of body image within the different races, cultures & ethnic groups. The same exist here ‘down under’ with our island & Maori races. Having people recognise, acknowledge & accept those influencing genetics alone is so important! My sister and I have ‘suffered with those’ from our Maori heritage for years! Much of the ‘suffering’ I am sad to say has been from the critical eye & tongue of our naturally-slender English Mum! So.. I was also thrilled too, to hear your successful experience of answering your Mum’s ‘suggestions!’ We’ll take that on board!
I am excited to now ‘get my eyes off the bod!’ and rather embrace all the inherant beauty of my curves with the wondrous natural rhythm in dance & song, the lovely skin-tone, the strong nails, the thick naturally curly hair… I am creating MY LOVE-ME-LIST! @
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Rosie Reply:
November 1st, 2010 at 1:47 am
Oh Aunty Carrot, I love your final proclamation. Create that love me list indeed– I know there is plenty to go on it!
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Another great show! Thank you for such awesome insight, more tools in my soul to help me.
<3
ANg
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Rosie Reply:
November 1st, 2010 at 1:47 am
Thank you for listening, Ang, and for being out there fighting the good fight! Good luck to you!
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I really enjoyed the conversation between Rosie and Sandy. I especially loved what Rosie said about her body being her vehicle. Your vehicle takes you to your life – it isn’t supposed to be allowed to prevent us from living our lives.
Thank you!!
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Rosie Reply:
November 1st, 2010 at 12:56 pm
That’s exactly it, Jackie. The point is the journey not the aesthetic. Wishing you all sorts of body love!
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