Increasingly, we are becoming well aware that influencers on social media only show us their best, most filtered lives. We never see the late-night snacks, them throwing away the #spon weight loss shake their advertising, and most importantly we never see their real struggles. The person posting about their spin class could be suffering from exercise addiction, the influencer who is never without a glass of wine could be an alcoholic, the model Instagramming her latest headshots could be dealing with anorexia. These are the things we don’t get to see.
One model, however, is changing that.
Bridget Malcom, former Victoria's Secret model, has opened up about her struggles with body dysmorphia on her blog, apologizing to her followers for promoting an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. While her life online was true to her daily eating and exercise habits, her struggle with body dysmorphia was ongoing behind the camera.
‘I definitely was aware of the dissonance between the reality of my life and the public persona I was putting out there’, she said, ‘It really made me unhappy and for this I am thankful, as it was through this great discomfort that I found my way out.’
Stating that she never lied about what she was eating, she admits that her diet was dictated by her disorder, and so even though she did believe she ‘ate loads’, she knows now that her diet was unhealthy.
‘if someone offered me a piece of fruit to eat, I would become so anxious and fearful at the thought of having to eat it (something unplanned) that I would nearly be sick with worry,’ she said, ‘and I couldn’t calm down my anxiety until I had completed my training for the day.’
While she has since realised how damaging these thoughts were for her, she is more concerned with her public following, whom took this unhealthy advice from her for years.
‘When I would give interviews and discuss my eating habits I truly believed that eating predominately vegetables and protein shakes was ok,’ she wrote, ‘obviously, this is not ok. I am sorry for being so public about damaging eating habits.’
Asking for forgiveness, she said ‘I truly hope that you guys can accept my apology. I said some things in the media that make me cringe now. Being completely at odds with what I saw in the mirror and who I thought I was led me down a dark path of denial.’
That path, however, has since brightened. Attempting to improve her relationship with food and exercise, she began to eat foods she had previously been ‘terrified’ of, including carbohydrates, and only allowed herself to exercise via walking.
‘It was torturous.’ she states, ‘but as the weight came on, the anxiety quickly swelled to a deafening crescendo, and then began to slowly die out.’
And now, she is able to truly see herself in the mirror, and like what she sees. ‘Even though Bridget from 1.5 years ago would have been horrified that I had “left myself go”’, she continued, ‘for the first time what I am seeing in the mirror is actually my reflection looking back at me. And for the first time that I can remember, I like my body.’
Promising to no longer hide ‘behind the veneer of “clean” eating’, which she dubs ‘2016 talk for disordered eating’, she states that hereon out she intends to use her platform ‘as mindfully as possible’.
With 315,000 followers, opening up about her mental health issues and becoming more body positive can only be a great thing as we continue to change the conversation about body image. You can read Bridget’s full emotional blog post here.
Click through to see all of the inspirational Instagram accounts you should be following...
Inspirational Instagram Accounts You Should Follow
1 of 24Women In Comics
Illustrating inspirational images and depicting women in comic form, this account will brighten up your timeline with some home truths in the form of pretty pictures.
2 of 24Adwoa Aboah
This insanely beautiful model founded GURLS TALK, an online community where women from all backgrounds can share their personal experiences in a safe space.
3 of 24Alicia Garza
Alicia is an editor and activist who co-created #BlackLivesMatter. Her feed is a mixture of relatable memes, unfiltered selfies and educational posts to keep you woke.
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4 of 24Amandla Stenberg
You might recognise this actor from The Hunger Games, when she played the character only character we cried endless tears for, Rue. Now, while still acting, she's a full-fledged activist posting about everything gender, feminism and black culture.
5 of 24MuslimGirl/Amani
Amani created the fast-growing activism account @MuslimGirl, another one you should definitely follow. She has spoken across the world about Muslim women and posts everything from badass selfies to stats you need to know.
6 of 24Amber Amour
Amber created @CreatingConsentCulture which aims to educate people on rape culture and support rape and sexual assault survivors. She's also outspoken about racism and sex work, her feed will be endless many dinner party talking points.
7 of 24Amber Rose
You may only know Amber Rose as Kanye's ex, but think again. Amber is a sex positivity icon, with her own pocast 'Loveline with Amber Rose' up until 2018 that aimed to promote healthy sexual relationships and self-love. If you can get past the fact she advertised flat tummy tea once (fgs Amber), you'll love her feminism-filled feed.
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8 of 24Beverly Bond
Author of 'Black Girls Rock', Beverly's posts will have you both inspired and enraged, filled with commentary on everyday injustices.
9 of 24Bree Newsome
You may recognise Bree as the activist who took down the confederate flag from a flagpole outside the South Carolina Capitol building. She's continuing her activism with inspiring art you need to see.
10 of 24Cameron Russell
An american model who called out the fashion industry for sexual harassment and assault, she started the #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse hashtag. Her instagram is full of inspiring stories and educational videos exposing different injustices within her industry and beyond.
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11 of 24Iskra Lawrence
If your not already following Iskra, your living under an Instagram rock. The body positive model started her own business, everyBODY with Iskra, to give health and fitness advice beyond just getting super skinny. You need her body posi vibes in your life.
12 of 24Jessamyn
Another super body positive account to follow, Jessamyn is a yoga teacher regularly posting about the emotional and physical benefits of body positivity and practicing yoga.
13 of 24Joanna Thangiah
Shun your timeline of filtered selfies and over exposed holiday destinations. It's time for some feminist, mental health aware art! This account is amazing for cute cartoons that say everything we're already feeling.
14 of 24Judy Reyes
You'll probably remember Judy as Carla from Scrubs, or one of the other thousand TV show she's been in throughout her insanely successful career. Unlike most Hollywood actors, her Insta is full of activism and news you need to know.
15 of 24Logan Browning
Activist and actor, Logan Browning is the lead of Netflix hit Dear White People. Posting powerful content and links to charities you can donate to so you can turn your online activism into action- she's a force to be reckoned with.
16 of 24Makers Women
MAKERS is a storytelling platform for women, posting quotes to keep you inspired throughout the day. Stay up to date with gender injustice, while also feeling hopeful with the powerful words these amazing women have to say.
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17 of 24Nimisha Bhanot
Another artist you need to follow, Nimisha creates amazing prints (which you can buy) critiquing societal perceptions of South Asian women. She's based in Canada, but these prints can brighten up your timeline anywhere.
18 of 24Muslim Girl
Muslim Girl, where 'muslim women talk back' is an account ran by Amani. Advocating for issues facing muslim women, both accounts are an inspiration and necessity on your feed.
19 of 24Project Consent
There's no time like the present to be educating people on consent. This account does exactly that, and gives you the perfect explanations, comebacks and reminders to throw out at a dinner party if the issue comes up.
20 of 24Rowan Blanchard
Gone are the days of Disney stars going off the rails, this actor and activist is a beacon of positivity- especially online. Fighting gender and race injustice and beyond, she's one to watch.
21 of 24Rupi Kaur
Rupi made headlines in 2015 when she posted pictures of her on Instagram with visible menstrual blood. Her posts were blocked by Instagram, causing backlash against the social media platform. She continues to break boundaries with her writing and poetry.
22 of 24Sophie King
This UK based embroidery artist is an up-and-coming star, embroidering feminist slogans onto everything from bras to roses. Bring her insta to life with her slogan t-shirts, or just stare at the pretty pictures, either way she's someone you should follow.
23 of 24The Vulva Gallery
Our favourite of all the accounts, the vulva gallery promotes self-love in an area SO often ignored. With two-thirds of women avoiding smear tests, life-saving procedures, because of the look of their vagina, it's time we stopped all of the self-loathing around genitals. Providing a regular reminder that all vaginas are beautiful, if you only follow one account of this list, it should be this one.
24 of 24Trash Is For Tossers
Lauren Singer lives an entirely waste-free life. Yes, you can actually do that. As #plasticfree takes over our news feed, it's time you had some daily advice on how exactly to reduce your waste. Save the planet!