As societal norms around beauty and body standards continue to shift, celebrities have become increasingly vocal about their experiences and perspectives. These individuals shared their personal struggles with body image, as well as their journey of self-love and acceptance. Through their words and actions, these celebrities have sparked meaningful conversations about body positivity, inspiring many to embrace and celebrate their unique bodies and share their own journeys.
1. Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham spoke about how she wants to help to change the way women think about themselves. In an interview, she talked about how she had been denied jobs for being both too big and too small. She didn’t want to conform to other people’s wants.
She said, “This is my body. I’m happy in it. And nobody—nobody—has control over my body but me.” You can read more about Ashley’s journey here.
2. Serena Williams
In a letter to her mom via Reddit, she shared her feelings toward her body and how proud of it she was. Especially when she received hurtful comments about her physique. She wrote, “I was born with this badass body and proud of it.”
Williams decided to retire from tennis and spend more time with her daughter, which you can read about here.
3. Demi Lovato
Demi has been in the industry since childhood and has been very candid about mental health and body image struggles. In an interview, Demi spoke about how they used to chase perfection and came to the realization that it doesn’t exist. Now they will just focus on the things that are important to them.
4. Anne Hathaway
Anne shared an Instagram post about her pregnancy body. She wrote, “There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever). Bodies change. Bodies grow. Bodies shrink. It’s all love.”
Along with the caption, she posted a pair of jeans she had turned into shorts to fit her changing body.
5. Rihanna
Rihanna spoke about how her body fluctuates in an interview with Vogue. She expressed that she accepts all bodies and that she isn’t built like a Victoria’s Secret model but still feels confident and beautiful in her lingerie.
6. Selena Gomez
Selena has always been honest about her tougher moments. She has spoken about how she embraces body shape, which you can read about here.
In the image she posted above, she shared how initially she wanted to cover and hide her scar from when she had her kidney transplant. But now she feels confident and is proud of what she’s been through.
7. Bebe Rexha
In a post, the pop star shared how she felt and showed her body love. She wrote about how she tried to be a skinny pop star, like the ones she saw growing up, and how that didn’t feel natural to her. She noted that she does her best and follows the rhythm of her body.
8. Jonah Hill
When speaking about his love for fashion, Jonah Hill said, “I was always a bigger guy. It’s hard when you’re overweight to dress a certain way because clothes aren’t made for people who are overweight to have style.”
He had a realization that he is the one who defines his own personal style no matter what size he is and that he doesn’t have to be anything he doesn’t want to be. You can read more here.
9. Hilary Duff
Hilary made a social media post where she is wearing a bathing suit and enjoying a vacation with her son. In the caption, she shared how magazines love to share “celeb flaws.” And she declared, “Well I have them!”
She went on to write that her body is healthy and has given her her son, the greatest gift of her life. And she also said that ladies should be proud of what they’ve got.
10. Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling spoke about her fitness routine in an interview. Fitness and exercise have always been a part of her life, but she felt reluctant to talk about it since she’s not stick-thin. She said, “If you’re going to be talking about someone who’s healthy and fit, you have to be a hard body with, like, a six-pack.” She expressed that that wasn’t how it worked and has learned to embrace her body.
11. Jonathan Van Ness
In Jonathan’s book, they write about how they prefer the term “Body Neutrality.” Body neutrality is more about what our bodies can do for us rather than how they look. They wrote, “Let’s practice emotional and mental fitness, because not being judgmental of our bodies and the bodies around us is the real key to body neutrality, and to a happier life. ”
12. Lizzo
Lizzo has spoken about the body positivity movement before. When speaking about some of the more racy pictures she shares on social media, she said, “I love creating shapes with my body, and I love normalizing the dimples in my butt or the lumps in my thighs or my back fat or my stretch marks. I think it’s beautiful.”
Juggling a demanding career with new motherhood, Rihanna opens up about the challenges of finding a work-life balance. While she feels empowered and fortunate to be a mom, the singer admits that work commitments often rob her of precious time with her child. This has led her to be more selective about her projects, ensuring that each one is truly worth her time. Despite the challenges, motherhood has boosted her confidence, as evidenced by her exhilarating performance at the Super Bowl halftime show.