Somehow or the other we have all fallen prey to the unattainable body standards that deem an insanely cinched waist and disproportionately large hips as the optimal amount of beauty. While Bollywood and mainstream television continue to propagate such lethal stereotypes, brands dilute body positivity by reducing it to a mere marketing gimmick that preys on vulnerable women for a profit.

Women’s Running

As the internet is riddled with fanfare trying to shove a doctored message down our throats, some creators are advocating for body positivity in its most authentic form.

Here are five body-positive influencers you should be following right now:

1. Aayushi Badheka

Influencer Aayushi Badheka is an advocate for mid-sized fashion, a category of women who tend to be dismissed by brands in this era of commodified acceptance. Through her content, Badheka promotes self-love by encouraging women to wear what makes them happy and not abide by body-confining rules. 

2. Diksha Singhi

Digital creator Diksha Singhi continues to be unbothered by the fat-phobic, malicious attacks on her body after her brave choice to flaunt her assets, post years of acute anxiety and eating disorders. Singhi redefines fitness standards by promoting her philosophy of “health at every size”.

3. Priyanka Paul 

23-year-old Priyanka Paul is no stranger to internet hatred. The writer, poet and illustrator is a strong voice in the LGBTQIA+ community and is lauded for her vocal stance against toxic body norms. Paul uses her art to openly address the prejudice against bodies that don’t fall into the constricted societal standard. 

4. Sakshi Sindwani 

A beacon of positivity, Sakshi Sindwani did not let her weight come in the way of her dream to become a supermodel. Today, when she is not strutting the runway at New York Fashion Week, the fashionista encourages her audience to unapologetically flaunt their fly-est fits and be confident in their own skin.

5. Harnaam Kaur

In 2022, body hair is still a major taboo. Harnaam Kaur strives to break the renunciation and stigma surrounding the topic by proudly parading her full-grown beard. Having suffered harsh trolling for decades, Kaur realised that shaving her body hair will only feed into detrimental societal narratives. Today, she is a celebrated body image activist and even holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest female with a full beard.