Most, if not all, of us have felt insecure about our body image some time in our lives. Loving oneself can be hard with social media constantly pressuring everyone to have the “perfect” body.
In actuality, there is and never will be such thing as the “perfect body.” We are all beautiful in our own way. We need to embrace the different things about us and not feel ashamed. These seven body-positive role models embody this perfectly. They are not afraid to love themselves and speak up for things that matter. With all the negativity and high beauty standards we see on all platforms of social media, it is important to follow people who are uplifting.
1. La’Shaunae Steward
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhP4IWqA05w/
La’Shaunae is 21-years-old from Charleston, South Carolina. She is very passionate about fashion and shares her beautiful and unique outfits with Instagram just about everyday. She also shares her thoughts, as she is very open about the struggles she goes through as a short, plus-size black girl. She has been harassed and bullied often by people for her weight, but this has not stopped her from reaching her dreams of becoming a model. She walked in NYFW last year, and it was a huge step for her career. She is also working on a collaboration with Jeffrey Campbell to make plus-size shoes. Though facing many struggles, La’Shaunae still manages to love herself and share her positivity through her posts.
2. Roscoe Ramone
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgTzxkYhdoZ/
Roscoe Ramone is a dreamy “emo dyke icon,” as she refers to herself. You can’t miss her with her bright blue, fairy hair. She currently resides in Oslo, Norway. She identifies as queer and frequently discusses her life as a queer plus-size girl. Being a gemini is also a big part of her identity. From her great self-care tips to her amazing song recommendations, she is just a ball of positivity.
3. Clara Nieblas
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhDID6_gRQb/
Clara, also known as elotepreparado on Instagram, is a 22-year-old public figure. She posts her cute outfits and beautiful makeup looks just about everyday. She is also an artist and posts things she has created once in a while. Clara also has a YouTube channel and posts everything from mukbangs to makeup tutorials. Another one of her talents is that she often sews her own clothes! When it’s hard to find fashionable plus size clothes, she just makes them herself. Something else about Clara is that she embraces her decision in not to shave her body hair. She exudes self-love and is an inspiration.
4. Zena Aria
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh-RQjoAGe4/
Zena is an entrepreneur who recently moved to Los Angeles to get a fresh start. She often posts pictures of herself in lingerie looking beautiful and bold. She also has her own shop, where she sells her own merchandise, including a shirt with a sultry picture of her. Zena is definitely know for her unique and bold eyeliner that she can rarely be seen without. She also often shares her yummy vegan meals on her account and her love for weed, as noticeable in her username. Zena embraces her curves and love for herself, making her an amazing body-positive role model.
5. Jessamyn Stanley
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ6-ZtVDe7V/
Jessamyn is a yoga enthusiast and athlete. She proves that plus-size people can do yoga and be flexible. She also proves that plus-size people can do fitness without the sole purpose of losing weight — they can do it just to enjoy it and feel good about themselves. Jessamyn is even featured in a commercial for U by Kotex Fitness! She is also proud of her identity and identifies as queer. Jessamyn’s beauty and strength is so inspiring and motivational.
6. Erika Lipps
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh9zAaanwJu/
Erika is a smiley, beautiful ball of sunshine. Just about every day, she posts cute outfits, showing off and embracing her curves. She is so sweet and positive and has the most contagious smile. She often posts inspirational messages. Erika’s approach to embracing all of her curves, and not just the ones society says are OK, is refreshing and encouraging.
7. Khrystyana Kazakova
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbexBVsFW1x/
Khrystyana is a model from Siberia, who now lives in New York. She was the second runner-up on the most recent season of America’s Next Top Model. She prided herself on being one of the only plus-size models in the competition. While some might see this as a deterrent, it did not stop her from being very successful in and out of the show. Khrystyana is very quirky and is not afraid to show it. She hopes to give a voice to other plus-size models and inspire them to go for their dreams.
Cover Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.
