Justice

Hashtag Proves Beauty and Confidence Have No Size

July 1st 2016

It's usually pictures of models and celebrities like Kim Kardashian that break the internet.

However, a trending hashtag on Twitter is hoping to change that.

Dozens of women are posting pictures of themselves with the hashtag #bigfinesbreaktheinternet as a way to spread body positivity and challenge traditional beauty standards.

The hashtag is meant to celebrate the beauty of "big" and "fine" women and empower them to confidently show off their bodies in a world where beauty standards often favor smaller body types.

Although it is unclear where the hashtag originated, it has gained a lot of traction on Wednesday.

Naturally, the posts received some praise from men.

The need for diversity in body types in media is is long overdue, especially on social media.

In a 2014 survey by Glamour, "54 percent of women aged 18-40" reported that they were unhappy with their bodies, which was a 13 percent jump from 1984, when Glamour first polled women on the issue.

Speaking to the Today Show about the survey, Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive noted that spending time on social media can deepen women's dissatisfaction with their bodies, because they're so often exposed to celebrities who post "perfect" self-portraits.

“Celebrities, we all know, have a lot of help," Leive said. "They have a whole pack of trainers and dieticians who help them feel good about their bodies. But really, when you’re looking at women on social media, you’re thinking that’s the girl next door. If she can do it, I ought to be able to do it.”

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