Editor-In-Chief Janet Conroy-Quirk, MSW Empowers Women
If you’ve not seen our articles, recently, Bold Magazine has new Editor-In-Chief in Janet Conroy-Quirk. Since her takeover of the position, Conroy-Quirk has been standardizing the writing process, working on a new layout for the site and magazine, and sourcing great new articles.
But, that’s not all she’s been doing. Amongst other things, Conroy-Quirk has been using our social media platforms to make some powerful statements regarding some of our country’s (and planet’s) holidays. Users sometimes ask for these things to have a permanent location, so here they are!
For World Obesity Day, March 4th, 2020
A Message From Our Editor:
The fact that World Obesity Day even exists in 2020 is enough to test the strongest of advocates. As a fat woman, the reality that there is a day devoted to encouraging judgment and shame about my body is enraging and frightening. The World Health Organization’s post about this day is the usual mix of stereotypes, patronizing language and disturbing rallying cries. This day of “awareness” offers nothing but an excuse to further target and harass higher weight individuals. Like many of our colleagues and fellow advocates, we at Bold encourage you to celebrate, not apologize for your body or your existence today- and every day. You are not an epidemic to be eradicated. You deserve respect and you owe no one an explanation or a transformation. Live your life and Be Bold!
-Janet Conroy-Quirk, MSW
And for International Women’s Day, March 11th, 2020
My favorite course in college was Effective Speaking. It’s where I was asked a question that I desperately needed to be asked, as a 20 year old woman: “Why do you change your voice?” My professor, a brilliant and inspiring woman named Monique Fortune asked me this during office hours one day. She pointed out how much higher I tended to speak in class than in person. Nothing could’ve been more accurate. I often adjusted my voice, because no matter how much I liked my words, I still wanted to seem “cute” and “feminine.” It wasn’t working, on several levels. I then made an effort to never change my voice. If you’ve spoken to me nowadays, you know that there is nothing “cutely girlish” about my voice, whether it’s in person or on paper. It’s a part of me. And yeah, my deep, loud voice makes it easier to be labelled and attacked. I’ve definitely been called “aggressive” or “difficult” (and much worse) for asking questions/giving feedback and not prefacing my thoughts with a giggle or saying, “I’m super sorry, but I guess I just think that maybe…”
I’m not sorry, and I know what I think. I’m not a fan of those “A Woman Is…” or “A Woman Should…” posts that list subjective goals/ qualities/achievements for being a woman. I say, to everyone who wants to celebrate International Women’s Day: You’re enough. You’re good. You matter and you deserve to be seen. There are no manuals or requirements for what a woman “should be.” But I will say this: Own your voice. Low or high, with an accent, with imperfections, when it trembles, when it cracks, when it speaks over those trying to silence it, when it whispers, when it jokes, when it comforts, and when it sings. It’s yours. No one else has it. That’s pretty fantastic. 📸 credit: Chris Salute @thatprofessorlife
#internationalwomensday#fatvoices#fatwriter#fatactress#loveyourself#useyourvoice#womensupportingwomen#inclusionmatters#beyoubebold#bold#boldmagazine#awomaniswhatevershewantstobe
If you want to see more of Janet Conroy-Quirk’s powerful statements, you can check her out on our Instagram, and Facebook, below:
You can also check them out on our Twitter: @boldmztweetz
And, Conroy-Quirk’s personal Instagram account is
