Summertime is hard for many women, especially women who poke through the explore page of their Instagrams, checking out perfect-looking models with perfect-looking bodies, and letting that affect their self-worth.
We’ve all been there. (If you haven’t, screw you!)
Women are expected to have the ideal body, and are shamed and humiliated to no end if they DARE show their curves, stretch marks, “imperfect” boobs or butts in public. What was it Tina Fey said?
“Now every girl is expected to have Caucasian blue eyes, full Spanish lips, a classic button nose, hairless Asian skin with a California tan, a Jamaican dance hall ass, long Swedish legs, small Japanese feet, the abs of a lesbian gym owner, the hips of a nine-year-old boy, the arms of Michelle Obama, and doll tits. The person closest to actually achieving this look is Kim Kardashian, who, as we know, was made by Russian scientists to sabotage our athletes.”
Kim Kardashian simply isn’t the reality for most women, and that is not a bad thing. It’s just real life. Every body is a perfectly good, valuable, and important body. It’s real easy to forget that every day, when images of perfect-looking women assault your every sense.
Which is why we’ve compiled this list of badass, body-positive women who don’t GAF about your beauty standards, and are living life on their terms. Here are 17 FABULOUS women here to remind you that EVERY body is a BEACH BODY.
17. Christa Lynn:
Reclaim your body by owning it and being grateful for its power rather than hiding it and being ashamed of yourself. Thunder, after all, is “strong, powerful, and demands respect.”
16. Jessica Kane:
Fashion blogger Jessica Kane is totally over the idea that curvy girls are “brave” because they don’t cover their bodies up. What kind of sick, outdated way of thinking is THAT?
15. Ashley Graham:
“We are all real women. I can’t stand it when I read comments that say, ‘Finally, a real woman.’ No matter your size/shape/amount of cellulite, we are in this together.”
14. Sabrina Servance:
This Instagram model and influencer knows that loving yourself is the most important thing of all, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
“I lost weight and lost myself. I will NEVER go back to that. I love myself so much now. I fought really hard to become the Sabrina you see today. I’m not the ideal standard of beauty. And I will never be. And I don’t ever want to be. I’m my own kind of beautiful. And screw you if you have an issue with my happiness.”
13. May Touma:
“There is no wrong way to have a body,” writes May Touma. “Enjoy it, embrace it and celebrate it.” Her motto of Be Fearless, Be Bold, Be You, is one we can all learn from.
12. Megan Crabbe:
The body positive blogger, feminist, and model said it best in her own caption. “BREAKING NEWS: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT TO BE WORTHY OF WEARING A BIKINI THIS SUMMER.”
11. Katrina Brown:
Brown was “nervous” to wear her first ever two-piece bikini…”but man, was it wonderful.” Face your fears, and forget what everyone else thinks. All that matters is how YOU feel.
10. Allison Kimmey:
For Kimmey, is it of utmost importance to set a body-positive example for her daughter. “IT MATTERS HOW WE TALK TO OUR DAUGHTERS ABOUT OUR BODIES!” she writes. “They are listening. They are asking. And it is up to YOU to help them shape how they will feel about these things! Will you continue the shame that society has placed on you? Or will you teach her a new way of love?” WE CHOOSE LOVE!
9. Simone Mariposa:
“My body’s always swimsuit ready.” WORDS TO LIVE BY.