My Name Is Jessamyn
5,839 FOLLOWERS
Jessamyn Stanley is a queer body positive cook, writer, and yoga enthusiast based in Durham, North Carolina. She rambles about yoga, health, and body image on her blog.
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
Thank you for reminding me that today is #internationalsexworkersday. Sex workers are at the heart of the body pos/ self love revolution. Sex workers have been some of my most important self-love educators. The resounding influence that sex workers have as educators and activists is deeply underrepresented and I feel grateful to be in community with so many strong willed radical brave af beings. Thank you for what you do. I learn from you and I am grateful for you.
Also, to the person who said that it’s “black out” Tuesday and not “ass out” Tuesday, I’m gonna stop you right there. First of a ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
….yeah, I ain’t blacking out shit today. Yes, my yoga studio, my cannabis initiative, my podcast- they can all black out. Frankly, my team consists of a lot of white people & non-black POC so I’m glad to see that they’re following the principle of “keep your mouth shut if you have nothing to say.” I feel that. But that ain’t me. I been silent long enough. My people have been silent enough. Silence will not save us. If you are silent, they will kill you and say you liked it. And bitch, you better believe I’m not going out like that. #blacklivesmatter
(@theunderbellyyoga, please post that ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
Grandchild of slaves with multiple grandfathers and uncles murdered by white people within living memory. This shit ain’t new. This is what our world has always looked like.
At this point, the only resistance I know is to live my joy as loudly and freely as I can. This is how I honor their memories every day. I Am My Ancestors Wildest Dream. My joy is my rebellion, my resistance. It is my birth rite and my glory. #blacklivesmatter #blm
All Cannabis Use Is Medicinal. @wegohighnc #legalizeit #normalizeit
These are @theunderbellyyoga signature leggings- shop the link in my bio #supportblackbusi ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
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A post shared by Jessamyn (@mynameisjessamyn) on May 22, 2020 at 1:24pm PDT
A word on this transition- stepping forward from downward facing dog to a lunge pose is hard as fuck. It took years for this transition to feel normal in my body. If you are currently falling flat on your face instead of stepping smoothly into downdog, know that I am right there with you because this shit is hard and you are allowed to fall down. Falling down doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you a fearless bad bitch. I go into way more detail about this in the air track classes ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
Ok so I definitely almost forgot about this one.
@fatsausagedogpottery created based on this photo of me and it reminded me that life is meant to be spent swimming in rivers. Namely mine. I need to get in the river pronto. The rain has finally let up in Durham County and @halagearsup sent me an incredible new paddle board but it’s still boxed up in my entryway because it’s been too chilly and rainy and I’ve been too tightly chained to my laptop to get out on the water. But it’s gemini season and this cancer bitch needs to submerge ASAP. Shell’s on too tight ? ? ?
Photo by baby @tenderfiremed ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
And another thing:
I both have fat and I AM fat. Being fat is part of who I am. It is part of my identity. I cannot be #bodyneutral. My body has been politicized since the moment I got here and it is my responsibility to own every inch of it. Even the bad parts. Even the hard parts. ESPECIALLY THE BAD AND HARD PARTS.
Body liberation is not pretty or happy or fun but it will surely set you free and that’s good enough for me.
Nobody said it’d be easy.
Wearing the new @theunderbellyyoga collection- shop the link in my bio ?? (at Durham County, North Carolina)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CALzEUK ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
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A post shared by Jessamyn (@mynameisjessamyn) on May 14, 2020 at 2:35pm PDT
I’m not bothered by gaining weight during quarantine because my weight is not the sum total of my identity. And even if it were, being fat is basically one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.
Idk which one of you heifers made this meme but it gave me life. #fatvanity (at Durham County, North Carolina)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CALvb7tHl5Q/?igshid=1l5h6ndmx3t9 ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
A few great things:
1. I did my first FaceTime photo shoot w/ @__mephoto & it was oddly liberating.
2. @jenniferweinerwrites shouted out my book #everybodyyoga in @nytimes + a character in her new book Big Summer name dropped me.
3. My mommy just sent me the cutest selfie of her new @theunderbellyyoga sweatshirt and it sent my cancerian heart straight into the bowels of the emotion ocean. She says her sweatshirt is comfy, roomy, and she loves it. I am very happy. I only ever want to be a vessel of your legacy, @tangelabaldwin. Get yours at the link in my bio.
4. I taught multiple live ..read more
My Name Is Jessamyn
4y ago
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A post shared by Jessamyn (@mynameisjessamyn) on May 7, 2020 at 7:42am PDT
To the person who asked if it’s cool for your belly to touch the ground in upward facing dog- it may not be traditional but my belly DEFINITELY still brushes the mat even in my deepest updogs. I think it’s a fat kid thing but I’m no expert.
I don’t think it really matters what your belly meat does because belly meat doesn’t negate the presence of a strong core- as long as you’re lifting through your core, I think the benefits of the posture still stand. #yogatutorial #upwardfacingdog
T ..read more