These women are fierce.

They survived breast cancer and are showing off their battle wounds. They aren’t hiding or ashamed. Instead, they are rocking these Monokinis and embracing their new bodies.

Their bodies fought for them and were strong and deserve to be adorned in fashionable swimwear.

There should be more products like these swimsuits so women can embrace their femininity and reclaim their body image after cancer.

~

Monokini 2.0 is a social art project centered on swimwear designed for women who have had a mastectomy. Their motto—”Who says you need two?”

Elina Halttunen, one of the founders and a breast cancer survivor explains,

“I do not want to hide, I do not want to stop swimming, I do not want to undergo extensive plastic surgery operations, and I do not want to be forced to use the uncomfortable prosthesis on the beach. I want to feel as free and active as I did before my cancer, and I am pretty sure that there are others out there like me.”

~

When I look at these photos, I see women with a newfound respect for their bodies. These women are beautiful and deserve to be seen.

~

~

“We want to incite a positive self-image of breast-operated women by showing that you can be whole, beautiful and sexy even with just one breast or with no breasts at all.” 

~ Monokini 2.0

~

Monokini 2.0 Manifesto:

We think that the current focus on a breast-reconstruction after mastectomy as the only way to a full life, is a breast-fixated way of seeing what a woman is.

We want to incite a positive self-image of breast-operated women by showing that you can be whole, beautiful and sexy even with just one breast or with no breasts at all.

Our other aim is to dig into the restrictive social taboo on what is considered appropriate—of exposing something that is not there. Seeing an exposed breast is considered nakedness, but why is exposing no breast also considered nakedness?

Inspired to help? The group hopes to fund the project on a broader scale through a KickStarter.

 ~

Relephant:

A Beautiful Body: Celebrating the Beauty of Real Mothers. {Images}

 ~

~

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Sign up for our (curated) daily and weekly newsletters!

Photos: Nutty Tarts / Tärähtäneet ämmät / Pinja Valja