VIP Class Notes (Ally)

Vocabulary

transition: guo du
ie. I don’t like to use public transit because there are too many people.
ie. I’m staying in SH as a transition period.

glitters: shan guano
ie. All that glitters is not gold.

shiny: liang
ie. Some girls have shiny clothes/clothes which are shiny.

matte: wu mian
ie. I like to wear matte lipstick.

feathers: yu mao
ie. Some birds have beautiful feathers while others are ugly.

in common: in similarity, does not mean commonly/regularly
ie. My best friend and I have a lot of things in common.

determining: duan ding
ie. I have a difficult time determining the truth.

movement: 1)dongzuo 2)yundong (political yundong)
ie. Some little kids always make movements when they read.
ie. These protesters are here for the LGBT movement.

warts: ge da
ie. The old man has a lot of ugly warts.

value (v): zhong shi
ie. Lots of girls value getting fairer skin/ the fairness of their skin.

insecure: buanquan
ie. Nowadays, the majority/a big percentage of men have insecurities.

objectify: wu zhi hua
ie. Women in the entertainment industry are often objectified.

stereotype:刻板印象
ie. The thinking that all Chinese kids are good at math is a common stereotype in Western countries.

‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’ the popular saying goes. ‘All that glitters is not gold,’ is another. ‘Fine feathers do not make fine birds,’ is a third. What do they have in common (How are they similar)? They remind us that something’s appearance should not be the most important thing when determining its value. This is what the Body Positivity Movement is all about. Its message is that we should value ourselves for who we are (regardless of our) warts and all – accept our flaws and stop judging ourselves based on our imperfections.

But it’s easier said than done. Despite this rise in positivity (although positivity has risen), many people still feel insecure about themselves and their appearance because it may not measure up to the objectified stereotype. So what can a person do to improve their own body positivity?

Not comparing your body to others’, particularly celebrities’, is a good first step.