Author Archives: feministfiguregirl

Unknown's avatar

About feministfiguregirl

I am a 51-year-old professor named Lianne McTavish who receives as much satisfaction from working out at the gym as from publishing my academic research. About eight years ago, I decided to combine my two primary identities (scholar/gym rat) to create "Feminist Figure Girl," a fictional character who both analyzes and participates in bodybuilding. I competed in my first figure show in June of 2011, and then wrote a book inspired by the process, published by SUNY Press in February 2015. In this blog I will write about and consider my ongoing research on the body, while regularly making fun of myself. I recommend that you start reading my first post from August 2010 (available on the home page), instead of backwards from the most recent one, in order to get the full FFG effect.

Fuck Balls (My Failure is Your Reward)

Posted on by
4

Fuck balls! That’s what I shouted during the early evening of Saturday December 31, channeling Deb from Dexter. Let me explain: in October I had entered a short story writing contest. Despite the incredible editing assistance I had received from Julian, RenMan, Bev, and my partner, as 2011 wound to a close, I learned that I did not win first prize. I was officially declared a loser. Fail! News of my defeat spun me into a shame spiral, and I experienced progressive stages of disappointment between 4 and 7 pm on ‘Happy New Year’s Eve,’ including: 1) a temporary loss of the will to live; 2) a general despondency enhanced by listless sighing; 3) a compensation bath; 4) a brief glimmer of hope, quashed immediately by a self-pity relapse; 5) an inspired idea to discover pornography featuring the winner in case I was the runner-up and could claim the prize, just like in the Ms. America contest; 6) a decision to drink and thus to forget.  Continue reading →

Be It Resolved

Posted on by
7

I don’t usually make new year’s resolutions. Is that because FFG welcomes the future with open arms and mind? Is she a spontaneous, take-life-as-it-comes kind of gal? Fuck no. I am constantly setting goals, making lists, updating my calendar, mapping the most efficient route through the stacks at the Rutherford Library. Continue reading →