I love myself - 5 body positivity influencers you should follow today

First things first: social media is fun. Users can exchange ideas on a wide range of topics, stay in touch or simply watch a cute cat video. However, we also live in a world in which we are constantly exposed to media that present us with (supposed) beauty ideals of flawless skin and a well-toned body. Social media in particular is often accused of conveying and pushing this illusory world. With filters, it is very easy to optimise your appearance in photos. This can lead to users feeling pressurised to look the same.

Body positivity means accepting your body

To counteract this, the "body positivity movement" has been around for some time. It criticises rigid ideals of beauty and encourages people to love themselves. The aim is to develop a relaxed approach to one's body in the long term. That's why its representatives show themselves without filters with all their flaws on Instagram and co. to set an example for their followers.

These are the guiding principles of body positivity:

• You accept and love your body with all its flaws and peculiarities. You feel comfortable in your own skin.
• You are "enough" and valuable as a person, regardless of how you look.
• You are not defined by your appearance and whether you conform to (supposed) ideals of beauty.

No matter how you live out your sexuality, your body plays a central role. A relaxed relationship with your body can help you to have a positive attitude towards the topic of sex. And for many people, a healthy sexuality is part of their well-being. That's why body positivity doesn't just mean accepting your stretch marks, but also recognising your sexual needs.

That's why today we're presenting five body positivity influencers who will fill your Instagram feed with lots of self-love.

5 influencers to fill your feed with body positivity

1. Gianna Bacio (13,200 fans on Instagram)

Gianna is not a classic influencer, but actually a sex therapist. She calls herself "the sex educator", gives coaching sessions and has written a book on female masturbation, among other things. She promotes a relaxed approach to sex and comes across as a best friend who you can ask anything you want. She mainly shares her content in Instagram Stories and on TikTok, where she gets to the bottom of various topics in short snippets. These range from contraception to tips for lasting longer.

2. Anuschka Rees (27,800 fans on Instagram)

Anuschka started out with the book "The Wardrobe Project", in which she gives tips on finding your own style. She now also focuses on feminism and body positivity. This is exactly what her second book "Beyond Beautiful" is all about. On her account, you'll find encouragement that it's time to change the world and its view of beauty rather than your own body. Of course, this also means that you can own your lust.

3. Melodie Michelberger (46,400 Instagram fans)

"More than a body" is Melodie Michelberger's motto. In the TV programme Maischberger, she explained that she is more than just her body, but also and above all the personality in it. The feminist is particularly committed to combating body shaming, i.e. discrimination against body types that do not correspond to the general ideal of beauty. To set an example for self-love, she sometimes shows herself strong and self-confident, sometimes without make-up and vulnerable on her account.

4. rubyrare (47,500 Instagram fans)

Rubyrare lives in the UK and considers herself part of the queer community. As a "sex educator", she talks very openly on her channel about sex and her body, such as her attitude to the topic of hair. During the lockdown, she discussed masturbation in isolation with her community. Ruby is also the co-founder of Bodylovesketchclub. These are nude painting workshops where body positivity is practised.

5. Stephanie Yeboah (146,000 Instagram fans)

Stephanie is a fashion blogger from the UK who proves that fashion is fun even in large sizes. She also campaigns against body shaming and in favour of self-love. She addresses these issues in her book "Fattily Ever After", which will be published in September. If you think you always have to be strong, Stephanie also shows you another side. For example, her self-doubt and the fact that she struggles to find love in a relationship.

Body positivity also applies to men

Women make up the majority of the body positivity movement. However, that doesn't mean that the topic isn't relevant for men too. That's why here's an extra tip with one of the first male representatives of unrestricted self-love.

6. bopo.boy (18,500 Instagram fans)

Stevie spent years slaving away in the gym to achieve the perfect body until he decided that he no longer wanted to try to be something he wasn't. Since then, he has been campaigning for body acceptance. He also questions gender roles and stereotypes. He wants to show his followers that a person's worth is not defined by their appearance.

For the fun of self-love

Now that you've got your inspiration for body positivity, it's time for your own dose of self-love. Because you should be the person who loves you the most. These products can help you bring the fun to the climax:

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