2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt will visit Albury-Wodonga

No, we're not talking about Barbie, or Oppenheimer.

Far from the bright lights of Hollywood, we're in fact talking about something far more important right here in our own backyard.

The introductory quote is how Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt describes the documentary Embrace Kids.

The film explores the relationship children have with their bodies and covers topics including social media, disability, gender identity, representation and diversity.

It will be front and centre at an event on the Border on Wednesday, November 22, which aims to empower young people with information and activities that will teach them to move, nourish, appreciate and be kind to their bodies.

Brumfitt will also address Hume Bank's AGM on Wednesday night.

Her visit to the region comes on the back of a devastating rise in the prevalence and severity of eating disorders on the Border and North East.

One of the biggest themes explored in Embrace Kids, is the onslaught of trends on social media "pressuring us to be something we're not".

Regarding social media, Brumfitt recently told the National Press Club "we are in the driver's seat and we can allow people in or not allow people in".

"I think we need to take back a little bit of control about what we see and always challenge that social media feed, (and ask) is who I'm letting in my life making me feel good and want to be a better person and want to contribute to the world or are they making me feel bad?," she said.

Brumfitt is urging kids, their parents and the country as a collective to adopt a new perspective - and purpose.

"And what if instead of spending their precious time and energy at war with their bodies, our young people were free to become the leaders, big thinkers and game changers the world needs more of right now?"

Let's embrace that.