Shira Rosenbluth

I went back and forth about whether or not to share this publicly but secrets have a way of eating at you. So here I am today sharing my truth. I am queer. I chose to create joyful, rainbow imagery because I know that coming out will feel anything but joyful because of the pushback I’m going to get when my family and community finds out. So these images are for me — to remind me that I get to be all of me. Yes, rainbows symbolize queerness but for me they’re also about living a full life in technicolor. Free of my eating disorder, free to be fat, free to be queer, free to be all of me. Sharing this is terrifying. Some of you might be thinking that coming out isn’t a big deal anymore. But in the community I grew up in it sure is. I grew up ultra orthodox and for most of my life it was all I knew. There were rules around what I wore, what I ate, the music I listened to, what I said, and who I could spend time with. Sex wasn’t talked about and being completely sexually repressed was the status quo. So obviously being anything but straight wasn’t even a consideration since sex and intimacy wasn’t even a consideration. More recently, I learned that I can practice Judaism in a way that wouldn’t reject me. I also started realizing I wasn’t straight - something that couldn’t have occurred to me when I was younger because of how repressed I was. I shoved it all down for a while. I didn’t want to come out to my family because they would be distraught, disgusted and horrified. And who wants that kind of reaction from the people you love? I didn’t want to disclose it on social media because I knew it would lead to some orthodox people talking about me as if I weren’t human. But the secrets got heavier and heavier to hold. I started to feel angry that I had to hide the fact that I’m queer in order not to lose respect and love from people who are important to me. I don’t want to pretend anymore. And although some of you already know from the subtle (and not so subtle) hints over the last couple of years, I wanted to be direct and share this with you. PS: Yes, I’m single and occasionally check my DMs. 😜 📷: @mallorykesselphoto

It can feel so tempting to want to prove that fat people can be healthy. We want to say, “hey look, I’m fat but I exercise! I’m fat but I eat ‘healthy.’ I’m fat and my blood pressure is perfect.” But this conversation doesn’t actually serve us. There are fat people that are healthy and unhealthy just like there are thin people that are healthy and unhealthy. Much more importantly, no one’s health status should be a reason they are denied respect, access, or love. Period. #fatpositive #bodypositivity #allbodiesaregoodbodies #eatingdisordertherapist #edrecovery #healthateverysize #dietculture #antidiet #foodfreedom #weightstigma

Most of you already know that I was in @nytimes last week! For too long, the media has depicted people with eating disorders solely as thin, white, cis women and I’m hoping we can change that narrative. 🙏🏼 I’m so grateful to @heysharonmaxwell, @the.lovelybecoming, @harroperin, and @drrachelmillner for sharing their stories as well. And yes, the instructions for photos were to wear something solid. This was my version of solid. 😅 📷: @ryanpfluger

The eating disorder loves to paint the past with rose colored glasses but when you push back and interrogate, the truth is that your life was consumed by thousands of rules, you were terrified of food, and your life kept getting smaller. F*ck that noise. The eating disorder was never your friend. #edrecovery #anorexiarecovery #atypicalanorexia #recoverywarrior #foodfreedom #dietculturedropout #healthateverysize #bodypositivity #fatpositive #allbodiesaregoodbodies #eatingdisordertherapist

Birthdays have always been a weird time for me. They’ve been a time of hard memories and a painful reminder that I’ve lost decades to my eating disorder. Not to mention, last year I “celebrated” flat on my back after hurting myself a couple days before. 🤦🏻‍♀️ But this year I decided to celebrate even if it felt a little weird to me because it’s important to celebrate ourselves sometimes. I particularly want to soak up every single minute I can actually eat cake, be present with my chosen family and incredible friends, and be a full human instead of being overtaken by my eating disorder. I do not take my recovery for granted and every day I get to be free is absolutely worth celebrating. 💗

Shana Tova to my Jewish friends! Excited to celebrate with my Los Angeles family this year. 💗🍎🍯

When I hear people say “I struggle with my weight,” I wonder, do you struggle with your weight or do you struggle with living in a fatphobic society that has convinced you that your body is the problem? Because fatphobia is the problem, NOT your body. For those of you recovering into larger bodies, I see you and i’m with you. It’s so hard to accept your body in a world that tells you that your body needs to be fixed at every turn. But your body is fine. I am so damn proud of you for fighting for recovery despite the world we live in. 💗 #bodypositivity #fatpositive #allbodiesaregoodbodies #dietculturedropout #foodfreedom #weightstigma #riotsnotdiets #healthateverysize #bodyliberation

🍉🍉🍉 Summer is for all the watermelon and Bamba most definitely agrees! 📷: @diary_ofkelly

Please don’t be shocked when people hate their bodies if you’re talking about your diet, weight loss, “bad” foods, and the ob*sity epidemic. #bodyimage #bodypositivity #dietculture #dietculturedropout #riotsnotdiets #foodfreedom