Body Positive Influencers to Follow
For maybe the first time in my life, I can confidently say that I’m happy and in love with my body. Do I still have insecurities? Of course, but I feel that they’re outweighed by the positive now, and that’s all thanks to the body positivity movement. It’s 2022 and I truly feel like we are living in the age of body positivity. Don’t get me wrong, there are still trolls on the internet who love nothing more than proclaiming their fatphobic views loud and clear for all to hear, but we are finally living in an age where society is beginning to fight back. Musicians, actors, politicians, artists, doctors, and others are taking to various social media platforms to spread awareness about fatphobia and promote body positivity. In that vein, here are some body positive influencers to follow.
1. Taylor Giavasis (founder of The Naked Diaries)
A mother, photographer, entrepreneur, and social media influencer, Taylor Giavasis does it all with grace and inspires viewers all over the world. She started the Instagram account The Naked Diaries six years ago and at just 18 years old, pioneered what has become a widespread movement. In a 2015 article, Giavasis told People Magazine that her goal with The Naked Diaries is to, “depict the beauty of uniqueness, and hopefully teach people they should celebrate what they think their flaws are." As a long time admirer, I think she’s succeeded. Go follow @TheNakedDiaries on Instagram, you won’t be disappointed.
2. Rachael Sullivan (Meals She Eats)
Rachael Sullivan, alongside her husband Tom Sullivan, is not your typical body positivity influencer. The couple went viral on TikTok after documenting their journey navigating fertility struggles due to Rachael’s recent PCOS diagnosis. Following her diagnosis, her husband Tom began researching and cooking meals that were aimed at balancing out her hormones, thus making it easier for them to conceive. Since skyrocketing to fame, the couple has promoted the importance of self-love and self-care on their platform, specifically through food. They have spread their message to audiences internationally and are set to release a cookbook in March of 2023. In some happy news, the Sullivans were not only successful in their social media and business ventures, but they were also successful in their fertility journey and recently welcomed their daughter, Sutton Ryleigh Sullivan. If you want to shed some happy tears, learn some cool new recipes, and dance randomly, follow the Sullivans’ account, Meals She Eats, on TikTok and Instagram.
3. Shelby Goodrich Eckard (PCOS Support Girl)
Shelby Goodrich Eckard, also known as PCOS Support Girl on TikTok/Instagram, is the body positive influencer to follow whether or not you have PCOS. A champion of healthy, happy living, Eckard runs popular Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter accounts where she talks about her journey navigating life with PCOS and weight gain/weight loss. She’s also the co-host of the podcast EveryPCOSbody podcast. Eckard is also a licensed weight loss specialist (NASM) and fitness nutritionist, and has been incredibly open about her profession and her own battles with her body on social media. Go follow Eckard for a laugh, a good cry, and a bit of encouragement.
4. Alicia McCarvell
“Though she be but little, she is fierce” perfectly describes the wonderful, ever-charming, magical self-love advocate Alicia McCarvell. McCarvell is a TikToker and Instagram influencer who initially went viral for posting videos of herself and her husband (high school sweetheart), Scott. In the comments sections of her videos, people would post hateful comments about the difference in their physiques and denounce their relationship. In response to these disgusting fatphobic comments, McCarvell sought out to educate about the importance of body positivity and re-define modern beauty standards to be more inclusive. She’s not only incredibly inspiring, but also genuinely hilarious and lovable. If you want to become better at loving yourself, or just take in some funny content, follow McCarvell on Instagram or TikTok.
5. Drew Afualo
Drew Afualo is the kind of badass I want to be when I grow up. A champion for women all over, she came to fame after going viral on TikTok for calling out misogynistic men and refuting their fatphobic and sexist statements. After facing a lot of backlash from people online about her weight and appearance, Afualo has made it a priority to push the narrative of body positivity in her videos. She now is so successful that she not only runs viral Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok pages, but she also co-hosts a podcast called Two Idiot Girls. I for one can’t wait to see what Afualo does next. If you want to belly laugh until you cry and feel like a bad bitch, go follow her on TikTok.
6. Lizzo
One of the most well-known body positive influencers and one of my favorite artists of all time is none other than the iconic singer Lizzo. In both her music and on her social media, the rapper, singer-songwriter, and flutist is a fierce advocate of self-love and realizing your worth. Like other body positive influencers, after facing a lot of hate online for her body, she began to fight back and fight for other women. Go stream her new album Special now and go follow her on TikTok and Instagram for advice about healthy living and loving yourself.
7. Ashley Graham
Model, TV host, and author Ashley Graham is another one of the well-known names when it comes to the body positivity movement. Graham is active on TikTok and Instagram and often promotes body positivity on those platforms, drowning out her haters. In 2017, she released her memoir A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like in which she discussed her experiences as a model and her views of society’s beauty standards. Go follow Graham on TikTok or Instagram.
