Body shaming may be a societal scab that many come face-to-face with but fortunately, there are those who don’t sit down and take it lightly. Time and again, many celebrities have faced unjustified flak for their size or appearance, plainly because they didn’t seem to fit into the box of what’s deemed conventional. Fierce talents like Lili Reinhart and Chrissy Teigen have spoken out on numerous occasions about not giving into societal pressure to look or act a certain way and most definitely, not sit back when they’re being body shamed.
The latest celebrity to speak out for the cause is Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel. In mid-June, the stunner gave birth to her second child Ariel and around 12 days later, decided to enjoy a much-deserved beach day in Vitoria, Brazil. At the beach, Candice was snapped in a white and red printed two-piece with her postpartum body on display.
All was well until haters chimed in to criticize her body which they believed wasn’t fitting for a model and celebrity. To this, Candice had a few choice words to say which she posted, along with her beach pics, on Instagram Stories.
In the caption, she said, “This is me 12 days after having my son. If you have something bad to say about it…check yourself. Society can be so cruel to one another. Beauty standards are sometimes impossible for women these days. I’m not ashamed to show my post partum tummy. I am proud actually…I carried my son for 9 months in there. I think I’ve earned the right to have a little tummy. Is it because I’m a model? Well we are normal people too, so let me enjoy the beach in peace please.”
Candice finished off by saying, “I don’t have to hide my stomach just because people have unrealistic standards of women. We create life..what can you do? Ladies we are all in this together be kind to each other.”
CommentsTruer words have not been spoken. In a day and age when celebrities are idolised, it’s important to remember that they are normal human beings like the rest of us. We may not see that side of them often but that’s important to normalise the irrational body standards that society often places on them and us. In the end, we’re all in this together so a little kindness and a lot less shaming can go a long way.