Body positivity is the kind of thing you need to work on constantly – some days you might feel great, but other times it might be a bit harder to feel at peace with the skin you’re in.
Singer Bebe Rexha has opened up about her journey to body acceptance on Instagram, writing: “As much as I tried to be that skinny pop-star, like the ones I grew up watching or see now, I can’t seem to do it in a way that feels natural or healthy. I like to eat. I workout. I drink water. I do my best. I follow the rhythm of my body. Even though it gets hard sometimes I show my body love. #EveryBodyIsBeautiful”.
As lockdown eases in the near future, some of us might face a crisis in confidence: perhaps our bodies have changed over the last year, and we’re not sure how to navigate the world with our new shape.
Social media can be a toxic place, but it also gives space for more inspirational accounts. If you’re struggling with your body image, these celebrity Instagrams might be the positivity you need in the coming months…
1. Lizzo
Lizzo’s approach to self-love feels radical, particularly in the video where she thanks her stomach for everything it does for her.
She advocates for everyone to be comfortable and happy in their bodies, whatever that might look like. In one post she wrote: “I detoxed my body and I’m still fat. I love my body and I’m still fat. I’m beautiful and I’m still fat. These things are not mutually exclusive. To the people who look to me, please do not starve yourselves. I did not starve myself. I fed myself greens and water and fruit and protein and sunlight. You don’t have to do that to be beautiful or healthy. That was my way. You can do life your way. Remember, despite anything anyone says or does DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR BODY.”
2. Demi Lovato
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Demi Lovato is open about her ongoing recovery from an eating disorder (ED), and uses her platform to speak out against the idea that thinness is tied to self-worth.
She strives to normalise cellulite – and even celebrate it, by painting her stretch marks with glitter and posting an unfiltered picture with the caption: “So here’s me, unashamed, unafraid and proud to own a body that has fought through so much and will continue to amaze me when I hopefully give birth one day.”
3. Iskra Lawrence
Model Iskra Lawrence is similarly candid about her recovery from ED, and champions taking care of your body – rather than starving it to fit into the perceived ‘ideal’ body type.
She wrote on Instagram: “Some people say body acceptance is unhealthy, But I believe when you truly love yourself you want to look after yourself from inside out.
“It’s ok to want to be you just the way you are and guess what, it’s also ok to want to evolve and try something new in life.”
4. Danielle Brooks
You might recognise Danielle Brooks as Taystee from Orange Is The New Black, and she’s a strong advocate for body positivity on social media.
Brooks gave birth to her first child in 2019, and has spoken about her changing body both pre- and post-partum, while also challenging the idea that larger people don’t lead healthy lives.
She wrote an ode to her body on Instagram: “It holds me up. It sustains me through long work weeks. It takes me on trips around the world, and carries me through my most stressful days and my most exciting. My body has my back, because it knows that I am learning to listen to what it needs to have it function at its best. I don’t take my body for granted, so thank you body for taking me on an incredible ride this year.”
5. Ashley Graham
One of the original plus-size models to hit the mainstream, Ashley Graham has never held back when talking about loving her curves.
She posts unfiltered photos and videos of her cellulite, and gives the reminder: “I love me, not every day, but most!”
