Podcast 40: Strong is the New Pretty – Celebrating Girls Being Themselves, with Kate T Parker

Kate T Parker is known for her viral photos of strong girls just being themselves, which is now compiled into a book, Strong is the New Pretty. This beautiful book celebrates girls for who they are, not their appearance or shape. Growing up Kate was always encouraged to be herself — messy hair, muddy knees, and all! As a mom herself, she passes this empowering mindset on to who kids and she challenges the cultural labeling of what girls “should” be in order to be a girl.

In this podcast we discussed how she got into photography (hint: passion, passion, passion). We touch on the real benefits of exercise – like feeling good, not weighing less. We address why it can be so darn hard just posing in the picture when you struggle with body kindness — and how to stop erasing yourself from your life. Then we get into the theme behind the images in the book, which is organized by positive character traits, not appearance-focused “beauty” requirements. One sample quote: Hayley, age 10 “I think girls should focus way more on who they are inside and way less on what they look like outside. I found a lot of strength in just not caring – lake water hair? Don’t care!”

Tune in and don’t miss Kate’s video on her website.

Listen here to Episode 40 here:

Get to know Kate

Kate T Parker is the author of Strong Is The New Pretty. She’s a mother, wife, former collegiate soccer player, Ironman, and professional photographer who shoots both fine art projects and commercial work for clients across North America. Her Strong Is the New Pretty photo series has led to collaborations with brands like Athleta, Kellogg’s, and Oxygen and is now a book as well. The project has also inspired Kate to launch a philanthropic arm of Strong Is the New Pretty, partnering with organizations that invest in girls’ health and education, like Girls on the Run, Glam4Good, and Girls Inc. She lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia.

Follow Kate
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