“The pandemic has resulted in significant changes to my body. As an unabashed femme, I find a lot of joy in things like fashion, makeup, and looking my best. While this may sound shallow, I would argue that traditionally feminine interests are often dismissed as trivial by society, but they are valid forms of expression and can be a positive aspect of identity. However, my ability to enjoy these interests has taken a hit during the pandemic. I gained 20 pounds in the past several months, and now a lot of my clothes don’t fit anymore. Unfortunately, this has negatively impacted my self image. I am trying to incorporate body positivity into my thinking. After all, my body is healthy and has kept me alive through a global pandemic! But I feel cut off from an aspect of my identity that has previously served as a source of joy in the midst of an often stressful graduate school experience. I don’t feel my best and I want to regain my previous level of physical fitness. I am working on starting a new healthy routine involving daily moderate exercise and regular balanced meals. I am also making a point to wear makeup and dress well for Zoom meetings, just to feel a bit more ‘put together’ and provide some sense of normalcy so that I can feel more like myself in these strange times.”
