Justice

Chrissy Teigen Continues to Be a Body Positive Role Model

August 18th 2015

Model Chrissy Teigen has done a lot for the body positive community this year, and she continued setting a good example for people everywhere when her recent spread in Women's Health UK included all untouched photos. 

Teigen, who is known for her strong social media presence on Instagram and Twitter, told Mashable in a recent interview that it's crucial to highlight all parts of women, even those that don't look perfect.

"If they ... didn't tell me in advance it wouldn't be Photoshopped, I'd be insecure and totally nervous," she said. "I would have cared so much with every stretch mark and flaw ... I think it's extra important right now to show a woman not wholly retouched. It's becoming the norm for people to have this butt that's been plucked and pulled, and these boobs from somewhere else. It's not normal. I think it's our responsibility as women to show our flaws and how we're far from perfect."

Teigen also knows what it's like to be harassed on social media by trolls. She says that she's received many cruel comments about her appearance and how she conducts her life, among other things. Sometimes she'll check out the profiles of her own critics, write a mean response, and save it in draft rather than hit "post." Then she'll block them.

"Hearing negativity about my cover was such a bummer," she said. "I'm still very much conscious and hurt by the little comments ... All I can say is how big my smile was and I've never been more happy or comfortable [at the shoot]."

As noted by Mashable, none of the negativity stops Teigen from expressing herself on social media. She has a reputation for frequently posting photos of her life on Instagram, many of them very personal. As we noted last month, Teigen posted a photo on Instagram of her thigh stretch marks earlier this year to show that even celebrities have them:

"Bruises from bumping kitchen drawer handles for a week," she wrote. "Stretchies say hi!"

Teigen has also been a strong proponent of the message behind #freethenipple. This year, Instagram removed one of her topless W magazine photoshoot images, and she responded by posting this photo that hides the sight of her nipple but still reveals much of her breast:

Teigen also mocked Instagram's nipple censorship by uploading a photo of husband John Legend's rear end. That photo was not removed by Instagram:

Teigen even mocked social media taboos in a funny ad for Samsung:

Teigen told Mashable that she doesn't post so-called controversial photos on Instagram to make a statement or fulfill an agenda, but because it shouldn't even be a big deal when someone chooses to publish content like hers.

"The fact that I have to censor myself from my photo at all when there are full-on porn being shot across Twitter and Instagram every day is crazy," Teigen said. "But women are beautiful and if it's a beautiful photo that isn't vulgar, then who cares?"

Check out this ATTN: video to learn more about the Free the Nipple movement:

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