August 22, 2022
Inclusivity
T here, Owner of John and Luna --
I am a creative, I love horror movies and I am a MASSIVE muso — All things you know about me!
But there is something you don’t know and it’s my battle with my body & my identity —
I was born in Australia, my mum is Filipino and my dad is Italian. At home, I had the best of both worlds, as I grew up with a mix of rich culture from both my parents.
While growing up, I felt a lack of representation in the media, magazines as well as advertisements. This caused me to question everything about myself. I was bullied all through school because of the colour of my skin and for my weight. For most of my life, I didn’t know who I was or where I fit in. I felt alienated and not good enough.
This ongoing mental battle I had with my body caused me to hate the way I look, I would struggle to wear singlets and dresses in fear of showing my body. Getting in front of a camera gave me so much anxiety because I was taught from a young age that people who look like me shouldn’t be in-front of a camera.
Recently I said to myself, fuck that — I am worthy and I sure as hell am enough.
This mental battle was affecting my day to day life, I realised how much missing out on because of fear. I am not going to hide myself anymore.
From a young age all I wanted was a place to belong. So when I started JL my goal was to create a safe space for everyone, to provide a platform where everyone is included.
As the owner of an inclusive brand, I realised that if I was hiding from the camera as well as from the pages of my website, then I would be doing the opposite of what I set out to do.
So I put the dress on and got in front of the camera and for the first time I didn’t feel ashamed for the way I looked.
My hope is to make sure that others don’t feel alienated or excluded from the conversation. Here at JL, we have and will always strive to make sure that everyone is included.
It is vital to understand and acknowledge that diversity extends beyond one aspect alone - we are committed to a safe and inclusive environment for all races, ages, sizes and genders.
With all my love, T xx
I am a creative, I love horror movies and I am a MASSIVE muso — All things you know about me!
But there is something you don’t know and it’s my battle with my body & my identity —
I was born in Australia, my mum is Filipino and my dad is Italian. At home, I had the best of both worlds, as I grew up with a mix of rich culture from both my parents.
While growing up, I felt a lack of representation in the media, magazines as well as advertisements. This caused me to question everything about myself. I was bullied all through school because of the colour of my skin and for my weight. For most of my life, I didn’t know who I was or where I fit in. I felt alienated and not good enough.
This ongoing mental battle I had with my body caused me to hate the way I look, I would struggle to wear singlets and dresses in fear of showing my body. Getting in front of a camera gave me so much anxiety because I was taught from a young age that people who look like me shouldn’t be in-front of a camera.
Recently I said to myself, fuck that — I am worthy and I sure as hell am enough.
This mental battle was affecting my day to day life, I realised how much missing out on because of fear. I am not going to hide myself anymore.
From a young age all I wanted was a place to belong. So when I started JL my goal was to create a safe space for everyone, to provide a platform where everyone is included.
As the owner of an inclusive brand, I realised that if I was hiding from the camera as well as from the pages of my website, then I would be doing the opposite of what I set out to do.
So I put the dress on and got in front of the camera and for the first time I didn’t feel ashamed for the way I looked.
My hope is to make sure that others don’t feel alienated or excluded from the conversation. Here at JL, we have and will always strive to make sure that everyone is included.
It is vital to understand and acknowledge that diversity extends beyond one aspect alone - we are committed to a safe and inclusive environment for all races, ages, sizes and genders.
With all my love, T xx