Story At A Glance
- Liz Plosser tells us about the Runner’s Alliance program.
- Women’s Health does Naked Issues — dedicated to exploring women’s relationships with their bodies — and Mind Issues, which focus on mental health issues.
- On her Instagram, Plosser makes it a point to also post pictures from chaotic moments in her life to remind women that “life isn’t always as shiny and perfect” as it may appear.
As editor-in-chief of Women’s Health, Liz Plosser thinks that one of the most important jobs of the magazine is to commit to open and real conversations. They often profile athletes, but they also discuss the issues that affect them, like equal pay and sexual abuse. In 2020, they’ll be working with athletes preparing for the summer Olympics.
Plosser tells us about the most important topics she’s thinking about as an editor, her approach to Instagram and what musicians she listens to both to keep her energy up and to wind down.
As an Agent of Change, what is the most important thing you think you have you done for your community in 2019?
Women’s Health (WH) just launched the Runners Alliance this fall with our sibling brand, Runner’s World (RW). It’s a new program dedicated to empowering communities to help keep female runners safe. Our polls showed that 84 percent of women have been harassed while running — that is NOT okay, and we’re committed to doing the work to change those numbers. My team and I really hope this is one of those endeavors where powerful journalism makes a huge difference for our readers and the world.
What do you hope to do in 2020?
We have so many exciting projects and features in the works for 2020. The WH team was incredibly inspired by the USWNT World Cup win last summer, and we’ll be building on our momentum [by] furthering the conversation about equal pay, sexual abuse in sports and lots more. Athletes are superheroes at Women’s Health, and with the summer Olympics coming up this July/August in Tokyo, there’s a huge opportunity to amplify their messages and work by combining forces and giving them access to Women’s Health platforms across digital, social, video, print.
What’s cooking for Women’s Health and Liz’s Instagram (IG) in 2020?
At WH, we constantly want to surprise and delight our audience, so we will continue to do that with follow-along-workout videos, recipes, IG story takeovers with women who inspire us, and lots more. On a personal note, my Instagram handle (@lizplosser) is a mix of fitness, family and work. I’m going to keep it real — more pictures of the chaotic morning hustle, for example, with me brushing my daughter’s hair at the last second at the bus stop — to remind women that life isn’t always as shiny and perfect as social media can make it appear.
What is the most important cause or message in health and wellness that we should be talking about?
One common thread across coverage is our commitment to real, open, honest conversations around health. We’ve done this in the past with our Naked Issues — dedicated to exploring the idea of our relationships with our bodies — and our Mind Issue, which focuses on women with mental health issues, from anxiety to debilitating depression and everything in between. Look for more of that, including a spotlight on even more health conditions.
Speaking of causes that are important to you, who do you think is the biggest Agent of Change in that field and why?
Michelle Obama is doing tremendous work as an advocate and role model for girls and women. I was so inspired by her book, “Becoming,” and hearing her speak at Hearst Tower. Her four major initiatives, focusing on health families (Let’s Move), service members and their families (Joining Forces), higher education (Reach Higher) and international girls’ education (Let Girls Learn), are literally changing the world.
What movie, book or song inspired you this year, and why?
I love listening to music as I commute to and from work. Somedays I like softer, chiller songs…other days I want a toe-tapper to get my energy up. Can I give a shout out to all of the talented female artists who’ve calibrated my energy, or been my background music while editing, or my dance party music for my kiddos and me? I’m looking at you Maren Morris (our June WH cover star!), Lizzo and so many more.
If you could wave your magic wand, what one thing would you change for 2020?
I’d use that wand to make the world a healthier place for women to pursue their goals and dreams. So, a complete overhaul of our healthcare system to allow women to access care for their sexual and reproductive health, a commitment from corporations and organizations to prioritize equal pay, and world-changing success with WH/RW’s Runners Alliance initiative. Yes, I’m dreaming big, and assuming that wand is epically powerful!
You can find Liz Plosser on Instagram.
This interview was conducted over email and was edited for clarity.
changing america copyright.
