Coastal Carolina University is sponsoring Love Your Body Day on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in the Commons Courtyard from 4:30 to 6 p.m. to raise awareness about women's health and body image issues. The event is free and open to the public.

Love Your Body Day is a national day of action inviting citizens to speak out against ads and images of women that are offensive, hurtful, dangerous and disrespectful; to protest beauty standards that are unrealistic and unhealthy; and to break down stereotypes that discriminate based on size and appearance.

Sponsored by the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Office of Counseling Services, the event will feature a belly dancing performance led by Roxanne Roundtree and the HipNotic Rhythm Belly Dance Troupe. Other activities will include an alternative beauty contest, a smoothie-making demonstration, a hula-hoop competition and cardio-kickboxing, interspersed with short presentations on issues related to nutrition, health and well-being.

According to Maria K. Bachman, director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program, the Love Your Body event is an opportunity for both men and women to celebrate positive body image and self-esteem. __"We encourage the entire Coastal community to participate in Love Your Body Day and to advocate for positive, realistic, and diverse images of women and girls in the media," says Bachman.

For more information about the event, contact Bachman at mbachman@coastal.edu.