These Instagram Influencers Are Championing Self Love And Body Positivity

These days, we’re spending more time online. And it may not be the best thing for our self esteem - we spend more time staring at our pixelated pores on zoom, or we’re on social media where we can instantly perfect our look with a filter. Which is why, we’re embracing the fact that the world is also evolving to become more diverse and wholesome, and taking the rightful steps towards becoming more inclusive and accepting, warts and all. 

Of course, with the magnitude of influence social media has on our lives today, it comes no surprise then, that these social networks have been instrumental in fostering discourse around the celebration of our selves in all our forms. Spearheading this change are a handful of influencers who use their platform to change the way we look at ourselves. In a climate where we are still inundated by advertising that feeds off our insecurities to achieve an impossible standard of beauty, these accounts come as a much necessary breath of fresh air.

Meghan Jayne Crabbe is a recognized figure for her body positivity, with Instagram posts chronicalling her ongoing discussion of her personal experience with eating disorders and problematic dieting. As someone who openly rejects the standards that require lean figures and long legs, Crabbe speaks on dealing with insecurities and combatting negative self-talk, urging us to percieve beauty that celebrates all body types. The writer-activist's page is filled with colourful inspiration quotes of self love and worth.

Mik Zazon has been taking the social media sphere by storm with her unfiltered and unaltered posts. From embracing her makeup-free face to normalizing cellulite, Zazon aims to prove that beautiful bodies can exist in any form. Additionally, she uses her platform for educational and awareness purposes. She speaks out about sexual violence, disordered eating, and damaging societal standards. Zazon even puts out weekly exercise videos and realistic wellness tips. Her page acts as a reminder that a healthy lifestyle does not exclusively manifest in a petite body. 

Deepica Mutyala is the founder of Live Tinted, a well-known beauty brand with a focus on multicultural identities. Her brand, which has blossomed into a sort of community, saw the need for better color correcters for dark-skinned people and aimed to create a line that would not leave anyone out. Mutyala's Instagram bio reads "On a mission to change beauty standards," and that is exactly what she is doing. Her page is filled with endearing videos, makeup moments, and style photo-ops.

Alok Vaid-Menon is a major proponent for gender non-comformity within the beauty space. Apart from being influential Indian-American writer, Vaid-Menon advocates for body positivity within the context of the LGBTQ+ community. They have most notably celebrated body hair as something that should be embraced instead of removed or hidden away. Vaid-Menon uses thier platform to show off thier funky makeup looks and eclectic clothing while also shedding light on pressing LGBTQ+ related news.