The Creator
So..who are we?
Henlo. My name is Jahmiele. This is my face, looking away somewhat dramatically because I can’t pose for facial photos for the life of me (IRL I was staring at the weird neighbour’s roof-gutter). It’s not the cutest snap-chat filtered, posed image of me, but it is my face.
As an individual, I’m lucky enough to currently be happy with my body. I made a statement not long ago telling the Instagram world that I ‘decided I am happy with how I look naked’. I’ve also been lucky enough to very rarely have serious issues with my body throughout my life. There may have been moments, lapses in my own judgement; of what I deserved, of what I actually looked like, of what I was supposed to feel like and do with/to myself. Of course, there have also been lapses in the judgement from others. Sure, I definitely have a story, I’ve been insulted, made into a punch line for a bad joke, I’ve dealt with body-negativity from family, from people I once called friends, even a few strangers, I even very briefly delved into the world of ‘self-harm’. Fortunately, I’ve never really been someone that outside body negativity really stuck to. Anything that others thought of me, said about me, very rarely stuck. I don’t know why that is, it’s just the way I’ve always been. I am fully aware of how awesome that is, but I am also aware of how much others struggle with these sorts of things. I wanted to start Tummies Untucked because of exactly that.
Outside of Tummies, I do Event and Entertainment Management, run a local youth magazine called 'Ambedo', and I love painting and drawing. I like art, music, film and photography, funky fashion and alternative self-expression, and anything salted caramel or blood orange. I pride myself on being an op-shop extraordinaire, and in recent times I've also become known as the 'nipple queen' for ranting about the freedom and false sexualisation of female nipples. For the most part, I come across as a fairly blunt, honest, and confident person, but put me in front of even a small group of people to make a speech and I shake like a leaf. I prefer to be doing the work behind the scenes and maybe be thanked by the person making the speech instead of me.
I am obsessed with the 1985 film ‘The Breakfast Club’, and the more recent film ‘La La Land’. Anything in the dark turquoise colour-realm is gorgeous to me. I collect far too many bags, old-style suitcases, and old-lady shoes.
I have dreams of touring as part of the live music events industry, opening my own venue and booking agency, hanging out with Hayley Williams and Dodie Clark (check out Dodie’s book ‘Secrets for The Mad’), documenting my life in some way, making a positive change to the mental health world, and having enough money to be able to have Crust’s Vegetarian Pizza (minus the artichoke) whenever I feel like it, without having to worry about the cost. This year I also start studying a ‘Bachelor of Applied Business (Entertainment Management)’ at Collarts to work further towards these dreams.
The Photographer
Hey, I’m Georgia and I am the photographer for Tummies Untucked. Although I have a keen eye for photography, I’ve never had a formal lesson or anything so please be kind.
The moment Jahmiele came to me with the idea for Tummies Untucked. There was no chance I could say no. I’ve had my own struggles with eating disorders and am just beginning to come to peace with my body so to have the opportunity to make some people’s journey a little easier sounded like the ideal idea.
I don’t really know what there is to know about me. In primary school; I was the loud outgoing kid who always had to be the lead role in the school plays but now I’m more reserved and prefer much more to work behind the scenes. My favourite films include that of Alfred Hitchcock’s: Psycho and more recently, The Greatest Showman, which I happened to cry the entire way through. My favourite song in the universe is Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and I think that says a fair bit about me.
I’m not very good at setting goals but this year I would like to focus on loving myself and look at myself in a much softer light. My soul is also hailed from New York City so I’m determined to get over there, therefore I work 3 jobs to make that dream a reality. I’m a very kind and honest person which tends to get me into trouble a bit. As you can tell by my photo, I’m not the most comfortable in front of a camera lens (which is why I’m the photographer, ha). Jahmiele put her future aspirations in her bio but if I’m honest with you, I have no idea where I will be next week let alone a few years. When I was little I wanted to be a physicist, a doctor, a Disney princess, a theatre technician, a circus ringmaster and a forensic pathologist so as you can tell, I’m not good at making up my mind. I currently work as a jewellery consultant though and adore it. I love seeing people happy so what better profession.
That’s the basics my peeps. I’m sure you will learn a lot about me in the future but for now, nice to meet you.
“In today’s day and age, loving yourself and your body is a rebellion. It’s a rebellion to the people who told you that you weren’t good enough, it’s rebellion to the magazines that tell you how you should look, it’s rebellion to the diet cultures that flood our social media. To me, my self love is a rebellion to the woman who called me fat, put me on diets from age 13, hid my food, locked me outside and told me to kill myself. It is a rebellion to the eating disorder I’ve had for as long as I can remember, it’s a rebellion to the diagnosis’ of shit I’ve gotten from doctors. It is a rebellion to that little voice in my head that tells me to wear the baggy tshit instead of the bikini. Loving my body is a “fuck you” to all of that evil and a hello to a life worthy of everything.”