“Body positivity” is a term that has become a crucial part of popular discourse. In today’s society, where political correctness is of paramount importance, a debated concept like body positivity cannot be overruled. This social movement threw light on the importance of accepting all body types, arguing that nobody should be judged based on their outer appearance. Despite the preposterousness of certain unreal beauty standards, the entertainment industry has always been critical of appearances, often resulting in the propagation of a mainstream ideal of beauty that is at odds with the reality of a good majority of people.
And Hollywood has mostly not been very welcoming to the curvy crew. For a long time, plus-size women were portrayed in comedy, such as in the popular sitcom The King of Queens. And curvy women, such as the famous Bridget Jones, were shown to be depressed about their weight.
With social media taking over our lives, a revolution has occurred and a shift has begun; people are moving toward being more accepting and inclusive, be it in terms of skin color, race, weight, sexual orientation, and so on.
More and more celebrities are leading the body positivity movement, encouraging women to feel their best in their own skin.
It is quite delightful to witness A-listers in the industry acting as torchbearers of the movement.
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling has always been the chubby, brown, or funny girl. Kailing, who is known for her excellent writing and comedy, wrote on Instagram, “IDK who needs to hear this but WEAR A BIKINI IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A BIKINI.” In 2019, Mindy reminded everyone that every body is a bikini body! Well, after all, we just have one life, and we gotta do what makes us happy.
Lili Reinhart
Lili is a mental health activist and doesn’t hold back from speaking up on sensitive issues. The Riverdale actress tweeted in March 2022, “You don’t need a flat stomach to wear a crop top; these summer body trends are toxic.” Reinhart definitely won hearts with that caption.
Demi Lovato
The pop star got a lot of backlash when she gained a few pounds due to depression in the recent past. She said she never had the confidence to even perform on stage and never really believed in positive affirmations. In November 2019, Lovato told Vogue, “We hear the term body positivity all the time.” To be honest, I don’t always feel positive about my body. I don’t sit and dwell on it either. I also don’t lie to myself.” The actress and singer gave us a real, raw image of how she feels.
JLO
Yes! Even Jennifer Lopez has been a victim of body shaming. When we think of body shaming, we think of fat, but body shaming is not entirely about commenting on someone’s body type. The pop star got a lot of pressure to look a certain way; the industry demanded she lose a few kilos or add some.
The star told InStyle in 2018 that “it finally got to a point that I was like, this is who I am. I am shaped like this.”
Hilary Duff
Our own Lizzie McGuire is sending us love through sweet messages on her Instagram. Can you believe she is a mother to three beautiful kids now? The actress says, “Ladies, let’s be proud of what we have got and stop wasting precious time in the day wishing we were different, better, and unflawed,” encouraging all the moms to just let go and be happy in their own skin.
Serena Williams
Just like Hillary Duff, Serena gained more strength when she became a mother. The award-winning tennis player faced backlash for having a muscular body. The athlete told Vogue in an interview, “How amazing that my body has been able to give me the career that I’ve had, and I’m really thankful for it. I only wish I had been thankful sooner; it all just comes full circle when I look at my daughter.”
Anne Hathaway
Our little princess Mia, is still the same opinionated girl. Anne Hathaway posted a picture of cut-up jeans on her Instagram as she wrote, “There’s no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever).”
Ashley Graham
The American supermodel is unapologetically herself on Instagram. She posts to promote body positivity and has her own lingerie, swim, and dress collections. Ashley also wrote a book on the same topic and has given TED talks too.
So let’s appreciate our bodies for all they do for us and embrace our curves. Be kind to yourself.
