With 2020 quickly becoming the year of “cancel culture,” you find more and more girls and young women failing to see their worth. Women who knock each other down with a few strokes of their fingers across the keyboards, who hide behind their computer screens, often channeling their insecurities onto others. Girls are ashamed of themselves because they don’t look like the other girls in the magazines, even though they know they’re photoshopped, yet they still wish to look like them even though the image is unobtainable. So how do we change this? How do we enact positivity and self-worth into others around us who should know that they are perfect in their skin?

Positive Image Campaigns 

In 2016 the sister company to American Eagle launched its “Real Me” campaign focusing on girls of every shape and size while also incorporating immense amounts of diversity into this movement. They started this movement long before the phrase “body positivity” was even a mentioned phrase. With this movement, they have inspired other companies to do the same, with magazines like Sports Illustrated showcasing plus-sized models. Arie’s campaign also stopped airbrushing their models, featuring the imperfections like stretch marks, moles, and things that make every woman different, but unique in their way. Now featuring the hashtag “Aerie Real,” everyday female shoppers can feature themselves in selfies that are often uploaded to the group’s website and Instagram pages. With it seeing such positivity, other brands have also started to adopt this more authentic policy. 

Being You

Women like Sierra Shultzzie, La’Tecia Thomas, and Grace F Victory, all promote loving yourself. How to become more accepting of the body you are in, all while making you feel like what you want to do, is okay, but no matter what, you should remain confident in yourself and the skin you are in. With daily routines, curvy fashion videos, and days in life, these girls showcase themselves in their everyday lives showing that you won’t feel 100% perfect every day, but trying is better than nothing. 

Remaining True To Yourself 

While we live in a world that is so focused on being perfect, you should remember to be yourself. Exercising and eating healthy when done right can help you to feel positive about yourself and your body, but remember not to take it to an extreme for yourself. Don’t feel pressured to fit into a mold that is deemed unrealistic. Take time to encourage positivity and confidence in yourself, and most importantly, love the skin you are in.