The connection between appearance and worthiness for females can become so deeply ingrained during puberty that it remains throughout a woman's life, making her continuously insecure about her appearance and, consequently, about herself... In effect, the question "Who am I?" is translated into "What should I look like?"
—Rita Freedman

It would seem a natural and healthy curiosity to wonder what others really look like in comparison to ourselves. Unfortunately, the most accessible information available seems to be pornography and the "image" put forth by various industries to sell products. In both cases, most of these images have very little to do with what the average person looks like.
—Larry Kirkwood

We are in the midst of a violent backlash against feminism that uses images of female beauty as a political weapon against women's advancement: the beauty myth.
—Naomi Wolf

Despite the great diversity of issues effecting women, one unites us all: the care and keeping of the female body. Unfortunately, women in virtually all cultures around the world struggle with or even hate their bodies. In America, cultural values and the mainstream media set unattainable standards for female beauty and sexuality that cause everything from low confidence and self-loathing to eating disorders, dangerous cosmetic procedures, and risky sexual behavior. However, women are starting to fight back. From Margaret Cho to the Dove Real Beauty Campaign, from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance to Alix Olson, women are taking a stand against the cultural customs and practices that put them through pain, humiliation, and unhappiness in an attempt to attain a "good" body. The women of Knox College would like to join this stand by celebrating the female body and promoting self-love. We would like to invite you to join Knox's "Student Body" Conference. This conference will include a variety of guest speakers.