By Armelle Djoukoue
Caitlin Boyle is 26 years old and lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. She worked as a freelance and technical writer for seven years, including a five year stint as a contributing columnist for The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition. Caitlin started her blog “Healthy Tipping Point” in 2008 where she writes daily about food and fitness. The blog chronicles how she balances her busy lifestyle with healthy eating and exercise. It was on this blog where Caitlin began Operation Beautiful.
In June 2009, Caitlin was inspired to post a note that simply read “You Are Beautiful!” in a public restroom. She took a picture of her note and posted it on her blog. She immediately received responses from her readers, and her email filled up with photographs of notes posted all over the country. Caitlin continued to leave positive messages on the mirrors of public restrooms, at work, the gym and the grocery store. She scribbled down whatever came to mind — “You are beautiful!” or “You are amazing just the way you are!” And with this one small act, the Operation Beautiful movement was born. Three months later, she resigned from her corporate job to write “Operation Beautiful: The Book” which was published in August of 2010. Caitlin Boyle is a woman who is dedicated to ending negative self-talk among girls, woman, and men. Women of different ages, races, lifestyles and geographic locations have been posting encouraging notes of their own.
So join us next Monday, February 27th– Friday, March 2nd as your UMKC Women’s Center engages in Operation Beautiful. It’s time for us to encourage a positive body image in ourselves and for others. Participate in this campaign by posting statements of positive body image around campus. Stop by the Women’s Center (105 Haag Hall, 5100 Rockhill road) or the MindBody Connection (3rd floor of Student Union, 5100 Cherry) to pick up post-it notes.
Visit our Operation Beautiful event page https://www.facebook.com/events/348089951886726/
For further information or with questions contact the Women’s Center at 816.235.1638 or umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu
Links: http://operationbeautiful.com/
http://www.womenshealth.gov/news/spotlight/2010/1.cfm