Body positive advocate praises 'fat b****** in shorts': 'It's hard to show up as your most authentic self'
Yoga teacher and body positive advocate Jessamyn Stanley is praising “fat” women for embracing their bodies and wearing shorts, despite any insecurities.
Stanley, who’s recognized for shattering stereotypes surrounding women who practice yoga, uses her social media platform to encourage people to love their bodies and to push the boundaries of what people believe they can do with them. And in Monday’s Instagram post, she’s not only recognizing that those boundaries pertain to what people feel they can wear, but also praising the people who are doing their part to break those boundaries.
“I’ve seen more fat b****** in shorts this summer than I’ve maybe ever seen in my life,” Stanley wrote to her thousands of followers. “It’s hard to show up as your most authentic self around people who are deathly afraid of thigh jiggles so shout out to all of y’all who are ignoring your hatin’ ass colleagues, friends, and family so your thighs can breathe. I know it’s hard but I see your ass (literally) and you’re a f***ing warrior.”
Hundreds of people commented on the post and echoed the sentiment that they’ve seen more women wearing shorts. Others noted that they’re one of the women rocking the style for the very first time.
“I’ve been wearing shorts this summer for the first time in 35 years of living!” one person commented. While another said, “It’s my first summer in shorts in probably 5+ years. It’s been so liberating!”
Many shared encounters that they’ve had since wearing shorts where they were told they inspired another person to give the style a chance.
One person, who put shorts on for the first time in 17 years, explained that she hadn’t gone through an “external body transformation,” but rather an internal transformation that helped her to embrace her figure.
“I stopped punishing myself for having *this* body. I stopped making myself wait or caring if someone who viewed my body out in public would have a negative reaction to me wearing weather appropriate attire,” she wrote. “Yesterday, I broke another barrier for myself and wore a spaghetti strap tank top with my shorts to a large cookout.”
Despite so many people starting to feel confident in the style, however, Stanley doesn’t neglect those who are still receiving side eye from people who disapprove of the look. Instead, she says that the haters will likely be wearing shorts once next summer rolls around.
“Don’t sweat b****** who use hate as a form of confidence,” Stanley wrote. “It’ll all come out in the wash.”
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Girl, 19, gets body-shamed at church: 'Fat girls don't wear shorts'
Woman ‘horrified’ by gym's body-shaming email: 'Call it what it is ...FAT'
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