Learning new languages
A group of Iranian women came up to my booth at the Toronto One of A Kind show a few weeks ago and were giggling. I love a giggle so was happy to see smiles and interest.
One quickly asked me how I knew Farsi. I replied that I didn’t. She laughed even harder and said…. ‘Mimi’ is a term of endearment for breasts in her dialect of Farsi. :)
Close friends and family have always called me Mimi. A term of endearment for - me - who has always been somewhat obsessed with boobs. But for the first 30 years, I was sort of obsessed with hiding them.
Oh the power of language. And oh, the kismet of it all. It really helped solidify that I’m truly supposed to be doing this. I felt a sense of deep knowing that made my heart smile about this little coincidence!
When I was a young girl, I developed early. At that time there were few options for a fuller busted women, much less a 10 year old - soo…. I did my best to hide things, wearing 2 or three bras, trying to basically flatten them into submission.
As I grew I learned that humans with body dysmorphia and trans men shared much in common with me… I’d learn many years later that it was called ‘binding’. I wish I knew I wasn’t alone and could have connected and chatted with these people. I would have felt so much less alone. I’m hopeful that we can develop a community where we can speak about these concerns (at any age). The moment we have the courage to talk about them in a safe space that helps dispel shame and isolation. This is what I was meant to do.
After always having a really hard time finding bras that weren’t ‘granny beige’ brands began to listen and one of the first I remember doing this was Curvy Kate. (Yellow? Purple? Teal?! - game changers!) I joked in my later teens that I’d one day have a bra shop - I’d call it “Big Bertha’s Bra Barn” (I’d be Big Bertha, of course), or “The Odd Couple”, The Second Cup ( but I didn’t want to be sued by the coffee brand), “Golden Globes” or Tarps R us (Again… my sense of humour requires a good lawyer).
But - it all really did come back to boobs. So CHEERS to the human form - our gloriously magical bodies. Who knew that my lifes work would be so political - demanding more of healthcare legislation, demanding more from retailers, helping women find energy and space to speak out about what is important to them. And all this through a nipple covered in glitter. :)