Woman's Bold Experiment to Boost Self-Esteem

In her brave "Be Beautiful" project, California artist and writer Denise Jolly, 34, essentially "dated" her body for 30 days. She bared it in public places and in private, photographing herself, barely clothed, in ways that made her feel vulnerable, scared and, eventually, beautiful. And that's saying a lot in this culture for a woman who weighs 311 pounds. Though she's been vulnerable in front of a crowds before, exposing her emotions through poetry slams and other artistic endeavors, this project, she explained, was different. "This was about me trying to figure out my relationship with my body in a relatively safe public forum," Jolly told Yahoo Shine. "And I'm grateful, as a woman, that there are enough supportive people who can come together and rally around the effort."--Beth Greenfield, Shine Staff