How Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval Improved My Body Image

For four days, my group of friends — there were always at least five of us, but sometimes there were 10 of us, depending on who was available — went through the same morning routine. We woke up, had breakfast, chugged coffee, and started getting ready for another day of dancing in the streets of Rio. Every day, we hyped each other up, did individual photoshoots, talked about our favorite things about each other’s costumes, and laughed at the inside jokes we had created the previous day. I had never spent so much time in a space where others cherished my body, where my size or flaws weren’t remarked on, where they were truly enjoyed by others.