Models, actresses, and anyone else living under the spotlight are often the last people that everyday women want to seek advice from, at least in terms of falling in love with the person they see in the mirror. But what some forget is that a positive self image is not just down to having a team of private chefs, nutritionists and personal trainers. Just as it’s been mentioned in one of our previous articles 7 Simple Ways to Have Body Confidence, it’s about honoring your body, never comparing yourself to others, and never apologizing for the body you were born with.
There are tons of famous women out there putting their celebrity status to good use, encouraging body positivity and promoting diversity in our styles, shapes, colors and culture. And here are just a few of the influential names helping us achieve our body positivity goals:
Beyoncé
There are many reasons that girls and women—as well as boys and men—of all ages look up to Beyoncé. From her makeup looks as shown by her makeup artist on The Scene to her songs about female empowerment, she is an inspiring woman and loved by all. Her campaign for body positivity stems from her wishes for her own daughter, that she will look in the mirror and society around her, embracing her flaws and seeing her beauty through it all. She continually highlights this message in her speeches, just as she did in her acceptance speeches at last year’s CFDA Fashion Awards and this year’s Grammy’s. Although there were several instances in the past where she posted edited snaps on Instagram, photoshopped her thighs, this only proves that even celebrities experience body insecurities, despite how flawless we perceive them to be. She now runs the successful activewear brand Ivy Park to help others in their journey towards a healthy mind, body and spirit.
Jennifer Lawrence
There have been countless times that the Passengers actress has talked about her love of food on the red carpet. She is personable, relatable, hilarious, and doesn’t take herself too seriously, which makes her an amazing role model, especially for the younger generation of girls and women. Outspoken about the media’s role on body image, Jennifer shared with Barbara Walters in an interview a while back that the media must take responsibility for the effect on adolescents. She explained, “If we’re regulating cigarettes and sex and cuss words because of the effect on our younger generation, why aren’t we regulating things like calling people fat?” In addition, Jennifer has also refused to lose weight for any movie role, more famously for the Hunger Games franchise, as she aims to demonstrate more realistic proportions, no matter the context of the film.
Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham has had her fair share of body criticism, with fellow celebrities like Howard Stern and the late Joan Rivers calling her “a little fat chick” and her show Girls, a platform encouraging ladies “to stay fat and get diabetes,” according to Dazed. Constant bashing has led her to several panic attacks and social media hiatuses, but she perseveres and continues to push through her campaign of body acceptance and confidence. It’s about celebrating the body, and not about self-loathing and body scrutiny in order to fit a certain mold. Last year, she and her fellow Girls co-star had a photoshoot for a New Zealand lingerie brand, lauded for their unretouched campaigns. More recently, Lena and the rest of the cast appeared on the cover of an all-female February issue for Glamour. Why she is considered anything other than an empowering figure for women is quite baffling.
Which celebrities do you look up to?
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