As you walk down this road called life, be sure to have someone who believes in you as much as Colossus believes in Deadpool.

sourcedumal:

womanofastar:

blackgirlcurves:

Do fitness

Do ballet

Do yoga

Do hiking

Do dancing

Do pole dancing

Do fashion

Go to the beach and wear bikinis

Do sports

Do Run

Do perform

Fat black girls do!

Made my night I needed this!!! ❤️

YES WE FUCKIN DO!

Do cosplay <3

Fat black girls do it all <3 

Photos by Nude Carbon Studies, X-Geek, and ilessthan3photography 

Costumes by my wifey ^__^

toocurvyforyou:

I honestly think that joining Tumblr was one of the BEST decisions I’ve EVER made. When I first joined in like…. March or May, I was depressed to the point that everyday was a challenge and i just hoped to be dead. I was following all these depression blogs and it was just a major battle to be happy. But then one of the many depression blogs I was following reblogged something from a user joshpeck. I was laughing so hard and i decided to follow him. Before i knew it, I was following more funny blogs and had some happy to go along with my sad. So, here I am… Happy and sad, but not loving my body enough. So one day, I got on this shitty website again and searched in  #Fatspiration and found SOOO many wonderful people to follow.I found people like: ashleighthelion, curvesandconfidence, brattyfatty, brichibi, pardonmewhileipanic, plus-size-barbiee, fatthefuckup, fatassbigknits, archedeyebrow, curvyvirgo, curvygirlonabudget, nataliemeansnice, gingerdrone, pudgebug, meganatee, fatshiononthecheap marshmallowfluffwoman, walkingwithmoonwolves, fatgirldangerous vintagecitylady, and mydas. Thanks to those AMAZING people, I love myself more than ever. They aren’t afraid to show off their body. I love their “fuck it” attitude. It took a long time to get to the point where I could love myself as much as they do. I want to thank every single last one of you beauties for helping me love myself. For helping me find me and come out of my little insecure shell I was hiding in. I thought I’d never get out that thing. So I guess in a way…. it wasn’t really when I joined the website. It was  more of the people I followed.  I love you guys and thank you so much for being such amazing people.. I’ve never known many girls like us to be so confident and not give a fuck about what the media has to say, or other people for that matter. I wish you all the best in 2015, and many blessings. Thank you again for being AMAZING!!! 

Xoxo, Jazzy

Thank you so much for the love!  *giant hugs*  

Also, reblogging because there are a lot of great blogs to follow that are mentioned if you need a place that is plus sized supportive  :)

somewhereinthefog:

That was wild from start to finish

I totally want to write this into some romance story.

I’ll never get hate blogs or hate in general, really.  I can’t imagine my life being at a point where I feel good tearing someone else down, let alone someone I don’t even know.  Like what goes through someone’s head when they see someone’s picture online?  ”Who is this person? They’re fat!  I should let them know in the most insulting way I can come up with which is actually terribly cliche.”

I think the reason why I always post this stuff and share my responses and feelings to it is because there are way too many people who won’t put themselves out there because of these people.  There are so many people who want to cosplay and just won’t because they’re worried about this random person attacking them, so I figure, “Hey look, this person over here?  Called me a cow.  Know what I did?  Kept cosplaying.  Got some books published.  Went to a bunch of conventions to get my books out there.  Had a blast.”  Because I know what it feels like to get that hate and then sit in your room and wonder if they’re right about you, and no lie those comments do hurt, no one wants to get hate on.  But I don’t know these people, I don’t know why they have issue with me, why they can’t just hit the next button if they don’t like what they see.  And I realized that, damn Bri, these are the SAME kinds of comments you got growing up.  It’s the same shit!  It’s ALWAYS the same shit!  They have nothing to say about my cosplay, but my weight, or the color of my skin, THAT they can preach on for days.  It doesn’t matter how the costume looks, they just want to poke fun at a fat girl.  

And I realized… wow… that’s pretty sad.  

And I realized that this happens to EVERYONE.  It’s not just fat that gets bashed, everything, EVERYTHING does.  I’ve seen amazing cosplayers get cut down because they’re black.  I’ve seen thin cosplayers get cut down because “you’re just doing it for attention.”  We all have insecurities and we all deal with people who are just so ugly on the inside that they feel the need to shoot you a message in an attempt to make you feel like shit.  I mean hell, that Reddit post with me and the other Wonder Woman? Someone called her anorexic because she’s thin!  It’s just not worth stressing over, at least not to the point of stopping what you’re doing.  If you feel bad for hate, that’s fine, just don’t let it KEEP you down.  Keep doing what you do, keep having fun with it, keep enjoying it, you’re opinion of yourself is what matters most  :)

Hey Aesha!  I would’ve pronounced your name wrong, too, lol.  Anyhow, this may be a long answer, but I get wordy and stuff, so here we go!

Here’s the thing about confidence: it takes time.  It’s something you constantly work at.  I’m 31 years old and have had years of working on my confidence.  I grew up in the 80s.  I grew up in a time where there weren’t that many conventions, cosplay wasn’t as huge as it is now, anime was still new and video games were still growing.  Being a geek was just not cool, and not “common” with black girls — so I was told.  I somehow wasn’t “acting black” because I was into dragon balls and doing fatalities in Mortal Kombat.  This is still a thing that happens sometimes, but it wasn’t nearly as big of a deal as it was when I was growing up.  

So when I see it happen now I’m like, “This is so old.”  I think bullies think they’re coming in with new material.  The reality is, they’re not.  Bullying is as old as time, you know?  Calling someone fat?  Thanks for the info, I already know what I look like.  ”That person isn’t black.”  Really?  I could’ve sworn when I stared at the picture for reference her skin color changed.  When I got bashed for my cosplay I had this moment of, “… really?” It kind of baffled me.  Not because of the bullying itself, but the fact that it happened within the geek community.  Growing up, the people who picked on geeks weren’t other geeks, it was the people outside the circle, the ones who didn’t get what made Saturday morning anime on Sci-Fi so great.  It certainly wasn’t the geeky kid sitting next to me during lunch.  So now my mind is like, “You have got to be kidding,” because… really?  We’re all geeks, why are we bashing each other?

I also grew up with some pretty confident women around me.  That whole black, independent woman thing was huge (still is).  Someone talk shit about you?  Fuck them.  Someone hurt you?  Set fire to their car. Someone hit you?  Hit them back.  Harder.  Stab them.  Something. Don’t take that shit lying down.  I’m being serious, black women were (and still are) expected to be no nonsense sassy superstars.  Someone told you you were fat?  Whatever, you just can’t handle all this.  And it’s not a bad mentality to have, but there’s something really important that I think people should admit to when it comes to confidence: it’s not something we have 24/7.  

I know a lot of people talk about body positivity and confidence, which is fantastic, but something else to talk about is the fact that you’re not going to feel great all the time. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has a bad day.  That’s something really important to realize and why I really love it when people come out and say that.  I love when these big names in the community open up like, “I didn’t always feel like I could take on the world.”  Because it’s true.  Insecurity isn’t exclusive to the chunky kid, or the black kid, or the gay kid, it happens to everyone, for different reasons.  And even if you’re the most confident, black, female, fat, lesbian out there, sometimes you wake up feeling like crap.  And that’s o.k.  Sometimes the insecure fat kid in me wants to hide in a sweater. Sometimes the insecure little girl stands and watches the boys play video games and she wonders if she’s weird for wanting to play, too. Sometimes the black girl wonders if she’s good enough. Sometimes the lesbian questions if she should hold her wifey’s hand in certain areas they visit.  It happens.  It happens to everyone, and that’s normal.  

Everyone has that doubtful voice in their head that tries to tell them that something is a bad idea.  For instance, when my wifey said she could make Wonder Woman for me, I was really excited, but I also had this moment of, “Am I really about to cosplay this?  She’s an icon.  She’s not black, she’s not fat, she’s beautiful.  Am I really about to do this?”  But my wifey, as always, was by my side and that dress is one of my favorite things to cosplay.  But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t intimidated at first.  When you hear that insecure voice, address it, talk about it, tell someone, “I don’t know,” and talk about it.  Don’t let it fester, you know?  When I started to feel unsure I was like, “Oh man wifey, I dunno…” and she was like, “You’re going to be beautiful in this, I promise.”  And you wanna know something funny? The day I posted that picture for the first time on my cosplay page, I did get bashed!  Someone made a comment about how I looked like I was eating myself to death!  But you know what?  I felt so good in that dress and felt so gorgeous that confident Brichibi was there in an instant like, “Oh please.”

Comfort is also hugely important.  Confidence is great, but it’s also important that you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing, and that adds to that confidence.  I love that Wonder Woman dress and feel good it in.  I did my own take on her, one that I would feel comfortable wearing and one that I thought would look good on me.  Find things that make you feel good.  

It’s all a process, really, and it’s not a race.  Take your time.  Just because you see a plus sized woman working her curves doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong if you’re not ready to do that yet.  Take as long as you need.  Try new things out.  Have fun with it.  Find groups that are body positive and share a picture.  Start with a selfie and work your way up.  Do something cute with your hair.  Wear some new eyeshadow.  Do what makes you feel good, that’s what this is all about: you feeling good about yourself.

If you can’t see yourself stepping out of sweats, work those sweats! Sporty looks are cute!  Get some cute tennis shoes to match.  And smile.  A smile goes a long way.  Then work your way up, get some cute jeans, maybe a skirt that reaches your ankles.  Have fun with your wardrobe, have fun in the things that make you feel comfortable.  And as far as cosplay goes, don’t be afraid to alter an outfit into something you want to wear.  That’s what I did with Wonder Woman, and it’s fun coming up with new styles and interpretations to characters.    

I hope this helps <3

Thank you so much!  The first thing to remember is that its all about having fun, and to not worry about what your cosplay looks like compared to someone else, ESPECIALLY when you’re starting out, because that can just bring about some unwanted intimidation feels that you really don’t need. Honestly, just pick a character and go for it.  Don’t be afraid to ask for tips on how to make stuff, or look at tutorials or whatnot, or heck, if you can’t make certain parts don’t be afraid to go out and buy bits and pieces, places like Goodwill are your friend (especially around Halloween).  

This fabulousness (quoting you and smiling while I do so) is from years and years of cosplay, my first cosplay was back in 2004.  

Like this is my first cosplay:

That was 10 years ago.  The important thing to remember is that, just like with anything else, it takes times and practice and you’ll improve over time. So just pick who you want to cosplay and get going  <3  

fanbingblink:

You know what you should do instead of just writing a woman who fights physically?
— (x)

So my wifey sent me a link to a meme generator and things happened. Because, you know, I always speak on cosplay and positivity and loving yourself, but those ramblings get long, so here’s some quick memes to keep you going in cosplay and, well, anything you need them for  :) Share them, save them, print them out and put them by your fabric as a reminder that you’re awesome and should be having fun instead of stressing about someone’s opinion  <3

The Wonder Woman meme is pretty much my feelings on cosplay.  Have fun, be whatever you want, love yourself, the end  :)  

The Tiana meme is pretty much my feelings on fat bashing and this idea that, somehow, a fat person’s existence glorifies obesity.  This is a ridiculous notion.  You can’t say that a fat person is lazy and useless and needs to go out and do something, then when that person does go out and does something you shoot them down.  Me being in this world is about me enjoying my life, period.  My weight is simply that: my weight, but there’s more to me then that, and honestly, if you choose (yes, choose, because your opinions are a choice) to be bothered my a woman who has some rolls and flabby arms then I feel sorry for you, because there is so much more to this life than one fat lady in a costume.

darlingchristie:

brichibi:

Oh man, that is a good question and something that speaks to me on about a million levels.

Honestly, writing (and creative careers in general) are tough, not just because of finances, but because you have to sell yourself, your work, get people on board, and hope that they enjoy it.  You’re pretty much relying on what other people think.  Things don’t become big unless if people make them big, and you really have to put yourself out there, in front of people.  

An example my partner and I have talked about before is Firefly.  Firefly was one season.  Just one.  But fans today STILL talk about it and still hold onto the hope of a second season because they felt it was just that good.  If fans didn’t love it so much, it still wouldn’t be talked about, you know?  But that’s why this path is so difficult.  Fans can make or break you, in an instant really.  Which is why I get so irritated when someone is like, “Dur this isn’t a real job you know,” no, no it is, entertaining people is a job, a career, and its damn difficult.  You really are taking a risk in the hopes of someone not only liking your work enough to publish it, but that’s just the beginning, THEN you have to get your work out there and hope that its well received.

And it takes time.  It takes so much time.  It’s not something that happens overnight.  

I would say not to stress about finances, because if you stress about finances when it comes to this career then you’ll never even start, because you’re not going to make a ton of money right at the start.  So I would suggest be smart about it because you do need to take care of yourself (food, bills, rent, ect.)  I actually worked retail for a long time, the mistake I made was that I let that consume what I did and I pushed writing aside. Don’t do that.  Find time to write, in any way you want, whether its books or articles or even just blog posts.  I actually used to do anime and manga reviews, which kept me writing while I was working retail.  I also wrote fanfiction.  I wrote a LOT of fanfiction, but that still kept me writing and eventually fanfic turned into original ideas which turned into books.  

Also do NaNoWriMo.  That’s actually how all of the books I have out now came to be, I worked on them during NaNoWriMo and while I didn’t make the goal, it got all of my ideas going and my work went in the direction I wanted it to, and it was amazing.

This woman is amazing.  She gives phenomenal advice and is as real as they get.

First of all, thank you for saying such nice things  :)

Second of all, I want to add something else to what I said.  I think one of the coolest things about the writing career is that, chances are, you’ve probably already started without even realizing it.

For instance, here is a picture:

What is this, you ask?  Why, it’s the cover to my third book, “Seeking the Storyteller.”  Now what I mean by “you probably already started your career by not realizing it” is that, honestly, you probably do write more than you realize, and are more creative than you give yourself credit for.

This book right here started waaaaaay back in college, back when I would chat with my partner (aka: the wifey/my costume maker/my coauthor) online every night.  We were long distance at the time, so we would chat to talk to one another.  Chatting turned into roleplaying with random anime/video game/comic book characters, making up stories, and spending hours and hours with them.  At some point, those characters became our characters, because we were giving them traits that we wanted them to have, making them the gender we wanted, making up our own back stories and plots, and creating a world all on our own.

That’s what this book series is.

Now, at the time, did we realize that our nights of roleplaying would be a book series that people could purchase and read for themselves? Absolutely not.  But at some point we realized, “Hey wow, this is actually pretty good, maybe we could do something with this.”  And we did  :)  

It hasn’t been easy.  It never has been or will be easy to get your stories out there and to have them be well received.  Our story here has gotten its fair share of low reviews, but its also gotten some high ones. Online sales haven’t been that great, but it seems to do well enough at conventions.  With writing, you really do have to keep going.  The only person who is going to get your work out there is yourself.  Sure, your publisher will help, but no one can be as passionate about your work as you can, and let me tell you, that is a big selling point.  People can tell when you’re excited about something, and that excitement spreads. When it comes to writing you need that passion, and sometimes, it won’t always be there.  You will have bad days.  You will have people who just don’t like your work, for whatever reason.  Sometimes your book just won’t sell when you try your hardest.  But its important to remember the love you have for your work and to keep going, because that love and determination along with your creativity will get you where you want to go.

Also, don’t compare yourselves to others.  Don’t look at another writer and wonder why you aren’t there yet, or how can that person be so popular when you feel that their writing is just bad.  This isn’t about them, this is about you and your work.  Don’t wonder why your work isn’t hailed like Harry Potter, this is a long process and takes time.  Harry Potter wasn’t written in a day and it certainly didn’t become a hit right away.  It might feel like it has, but if you look into it, you’ll see that everyone started somewhere, everyone got told no (sometimes several times, my first book “Treat Me Kindly” was rejected ten times), everyone felt like giving up, and everyone took a deep breath and kept going.

Writing starts when you pick up that pen and notebook (or open that Word document, most likely).  Worry about the fame and money and all that later, if that’s all you’re here for then you’re just going to make yourself miserable while you wait for success to happen.  Write because you love it, the fans will follow eventually, but for now, write because you want to.