Us Weekly is celebrating the stars who are changing the conversation when it comes to body standards.
“Body image and body positivity have become major buzzwords and part of the cultural conversation,” Lexie Kite, Ph.D. and coauthor of More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament, tells Us in the latest issue of Us.
Hollywood has played a part in that too, thanks to stars who’ve embraced the movement rather than the unrealistic body goals of the past. And even though Zoë Bisbing, LCSW, director of Body-Positive Therapy NYC, admits there’s “definitely better representation of diverse body types now” compared to the waif-like ideals of the ’90s, the work isn’t finished. “Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good — it’s knowing your body is good, regardless of how it looks.”
These celebs are leading the way:
LIZZO
‘My Body Is
Nobody’s Business’
The “Good as Hell” singer’s health journey has both impressed and polarized her fan base. After years of proudly flaunting a fuller figure, Lizzo, 36, has been showing off her recent weight loss — which she credits to switching up her diet and weight training — on social media. “2021 me would be soooo proud of 2024 me,” the cocreator of Yitty by Lizzo shapewear and swimwear proudly wrote on Instagram in August. Critics accused her of turning her back on fat acceptance and body positivity and of using Ozempic. (She denies taking the weight-loss medication but did cheekily use the popular drug as inspiration for this year’s Halloween costume.) Despite the haters, Lizzo is committed to working on her mind, body and soul — and doing it for herself. “I think a lot of people see a fat person that way and immediately just assume everything they’re doing is to be thin,” she said. Ultimately, she added, “my body is nobody’s business.”
The Takeaway Losing — or gaining — weight is not at odds with body neutrality. “If we really believe our bodies are instruments for our own use and experience, not ornaments to be admired, that means we need to trust people to make the right choices for their own bodies as we trust ourselves to do the same,” Kite tells Us. “Health is personal.”
FLORENCE PUGH
You Don’t Wake Up Like This
Florence Pugh is known for showing up and showing out on red carpets, but the Don’t Worry Darling star, 29, doesn’t wake up flawless and isn’t afraid to admit it. “There’s no pretending with me,” she’s said. “When I put on makeup and step into a wonderful dress, I give credit to the people that made me look like that, and I also want my fans to know that a) I don’t look like that all the time and b) I also have stress acne, and I also have hairy eyebrows, and I also have greasy hair.” And to those who critique her body: “It has always been my mission in this industry to say ‘f— it and f— that’ whenever anyone expects my body to morph into an opinion of what’s hot or sexually attractive,” she wrote on Instagram.
The Takeaway “In addition to photo editing and filters as an industry standard… it is so vital for media consumers to be aware of the time, effort, money and pain that goes into qualifying to be on screen at all,” Kite says. “We applaud every celebrity and influencer who tells the truth about what it takes to be ‘camera-ready.’” Actress and fitness guru Brooke Burke agrees. “No one should feel pressure to look a certain way, but I’m realistic in knowing that we all do it, even those of us who know 99 percent of what we see in photos has been airbrushed and hundreds of dollars have been paid to the magical makeup artists and hairstylists that can make us look like a million dollars even on our worst days.”
As these Hollywood celebrities show in their words, actions and online posts, the body-positivity movement has officially entered the mainstream. Well-known activists have used social media as a tool to spread more messages of self-love to their fans. Mindy Kaling made a splash when she posted a series of photos of herself wearing different two-piece […]
CELESTE BARBER
Promoting Body Positivity Through Parody
It’s been 10 years since comedian Celeste Barber began posting videos and photos parodying celebrity images. The pics quickly went viral. “I found it hilarious that heavily curated, Photoshopped images being posted on social media were being sold to us as ‘normal,’” Barber, 42, tells Us. “When I saw these edited photos of influencers posing on a yacht drinking green juice with the caption ‘just dropping the kids off at school,’ I realized I could do something with it. I knew it would be funny, but did I think that 10 years later, people would still be loving it? No.” Her 9.6 million followers — including some of the subjects of her posts — beg to differ! “Most of the people that I parody love it. It’s great, they’re in on the joke,” the Booie Beauty founder says. While images of unattainable bodies are the fodder for her comedy, Barber is aware of the damage they can do. Her advice? “Unfollow accounts that make you feel s— about yourself,” she says. “I’ve unfollowed a handful of accounts recently and I feel better for it. You have to be active in who you follow, or it will seep in and mess with your head.”
RIHANNA
Bodies Fluctuate
You may know Rihanna for her unapologetic personality, but she’s also a fierce example of what it means to practice self-compassion. The star, 36, has referred to her own shape as “fluctuating,” but she “accepts” it. And her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty, is all about inclusivity, featuring models of every body type and offering bras in sizes 30A to 46DDD. The Fenty mastermind continues to embrace the current stage she’s at. “Winter body workout,” she playfully captioned an October 30 Instagram post of her playing with sons RZA, 2, and Riot, 16 months.
The Takeaway Don’t give in to unrealistic expectations, especially if you’re a new mom. “Given the size fluctuations women frequently experience postpartum, I suggest they listen to their bodies, not the tag,” says body acceptance advocate and wellness expert Katie Sturino, who’s teamed up with Stitch Fix. According to the online styling service, “45 percent of people experience added stress when navigating a significant size change.” And when it comes to picking out an outfit, the expert is on board with Rihanna: “I believe clothes are not for hiding; they’re for self-expression!”
NICOLA COUGHLAN
‘A Cracking Pair of Boobs!’
Nicola Coughlan has been praised for her portrayal of Penelope Featherington, but the Bridgerton star has left a lasting impression for more than her acting chops. After years of being body-shamed, Coughlan, 37, turned the tables, opting to take charge of the narrative. In May, she revealed she advocated for a nude scene, explaining, “I felt beautiful in the moment, and I thought: ‘When I’m 80, I want to look back on this and remember how f—ing hot I looked!’” Responding to someone who called her brave, the recent Skims campaign star said: “I have a cracking pair of boobs. There’s nothing brave about that, that’s actually just me showing them off.”
The Takeaway Be unapologetically proud of your body. If you’re having trouble getting there, “cultivating a compassionate self-talk that gets you out of your head and into your senses can help,” Bisbing says. Charlotte H. Markey, Ph.D, professor of psychology at Rutgers University and author of The Body Image Book series, agrees: “Remind yourself that you’re hot — and that your hotness is just one small part of who you are.”
EVA LONGORIA
Exercise for Mental Health
For Eva Longoria, working out is truly about self-care. The actress, 49, has long valued exercise for its mental health benefits, calling it a “part of [her] life.” The Desperate Housewives alum’s passion began during her college days at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where she led aerobics classes and studied kinesiology, a science that focuses on human movement while examining the mind-body connection. So, whether the star’s lifting weights, practicing yoga or bouncing on a trampoline, she’s ultimately breaking a sweat to boost energy and enhance her emotional well-being. “I don’t really do it for vain reasons,” she said. She also prioritizes physical activity to support longevity: “I’m doing everything, not because I don’t want to age but because I do want to age.”
The Takeaway A question that helps promote a healthy relationship with exercise: “Is there anything I can do today to do my future self a favor?” Sturino shares. This shifts the attention to the long-term benefits. “[It’s not about] how you look in a swimsuit or how your jeans fit,” she adds. “Instead, I’ve framed exercise through the lens of strength.”
KESHA
Standing Strong
For Kesha, body shaming is so “Blah Blah Blah.” After starring in a PSA for the National Eating Disorders Association, she looked back on recovering from an eating disorder with the help of therapy and creating new routines. “Knowing that I don’t count any calories, I don’t know what my pant size is and I don’t weigh myself is so beautiful,” she said. The singer, 37, honors her body — “I am a strong, badass, motherf—ing woman, and quite frankly, I like my junk” — and she’s not having it when critics share their unsolicited opinions. “I am so proud of my body. She’s been through a lot. She’s torn her ACL on stage and finished the show. She’s held my… broken heart together,” she wrote via Instagram.
The Takeaway Celebrate your body for what it can do. “Focusing on functionality is important to body image improvement,” says Markey. Having a tough time getting there? Burke recommends “I AM” meditations (a combination of yoga, pranayama and meditation) to develop positive inner dialogue, personal strength and appreciation: “Your body is listening to your thoughts and words.”
There’s no shame in loving your body. Thankfully, more Hollywood stars than ever before are preaching that message, and they won’t let body-shaming comments slide anymore. Lizzo has been vocal about trying to help people accept all body sizes. “I want to normalize my body. And not just be like, ‘Ooh, look at this cool […]
ARIANA GRANDE
There Are Different Ways to Look Healthy
Ariana Grande is no stranger to body shaming. But now, the Wicked star, 31, has had enough. While promoting the film, she opened up about the “horrible” comments made about her, noting that she’s been “a specimen in a petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17.” It’s not the first time the “Thank U, Next” singer has addressed her critics. “There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful,” she told her 37 million TikTok followers last year. “[I was] at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider ‘my healthy.’” Despite her pleas, Grande’s figure has continued to be a topic of discussion — but she does her best to block out the noise. “I have work to do, I have a life to live, I have friends to love on,” she said. “It’s not invited, so I don’t leave space for it anymore.”
The Takeaway Keep your opinions to yourself — what you may think is a compliment could be harmful. “The biggest problem with body comments/shaming is that we never know what the impact of our [words] is going to be on the person we are talking about,” Bisbing tells Us. “Body comments increase body consciousness — and body consciousness is directly linked to negative body image.”
SELENA GOMEZ
It’s OK to Be Me
After being in the spotlight for over two decades, Selena Gomez has learned to speak up. The Emilia Pérez star, 32, clapped back at the haters who posted negative comments regarding her appearance at the film’s November premiere. “This makes me sick,” she wrote. “I have [SIBO] in my small intestine [small intestine bacterial overgrowth]. It flares up… End of story. I am NOT a victim. I’m just human.” Earlier in the year, Gomez shared words of wisdom with her fans: “I’m not perfect, but I am proud to be who I am… Sometimes I forget it’s OK to be me…,” she said. “Yeah, we have days where maybe we feel like s—, but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself.”
The Takeaway On days you don’t feel confident, Sturino suggests practicing gratitude “to get your brain in the mind frame of what’s important.” She recommends crafting “a confidence capsule”: an assortment of clothes that boost your mood. It’s the perfect reference to “remind yourself that you look great,” she adds, “and that you have dependable outfits to make you feel empowered.”
CODY RIGSBY
Finding the Right Balance
There are more than 74,000 posts on TikTok about #BodyNeutrality, a concept defined as having a neutral stance on your body — i.e., not loving it, not hating it, just appreciating it for what it does. According to Cody Rigsby, who’s gained a loyal following because of his empowering Peloton cycling classes, it’s possible to be both body neutral and committed to staying healthy. “Start from that foundation of knowing that you don’t need to change anything [about yourself],” the fitness instructor, 37, tells Us. “Tap into yourself and hone in on the things that are important to you, which may be having more energy or feeling strong.” Trying to rewire your brain to appreciate your body may seem daunting at first, but the Tactful Pettiness podcast host knows the perfect place to start: “Have gratitude for what you can do today — because you don’t know what things are going to be in your way in the future.”
ILONA MAHER
Strength = Beauty
For Ilona Maher, body positivity is about appreciation. “[It’s] realizing what your body does for you and giving it the tools it needs to continue doing that,” the Olympian rugby player tells Us. The Vermont native, 28, is like the internet’s supportive sister with the uplifting messages she shares on social media, and she makes a point to keep it real. “You’re not going to love your body all the time,” she admits. “[But] for a lot of us, that’s the size we’re supposed to be, and I think we have to come to terms with that.” The athlete continues to disrupt unfair standards and stereotypes in her male-driven sport, whether by rocking her signature red lip on the field or challenging weight comparisons. She once clapped back: “[We] are not known for our thigh gaps in rugby — and we don’t want to be!”
The TAKEAWAY “Maher doesn’t try to fit into the beauty ideals that many of us feel beholden to,” Markey tells Us. “Her pride in her strength is wonderful to see. We need more messengers that say ‘F what is expected of me as a woman! I am strong and tough and don’t need to fit into any mold.’ The more people who say this, the easier it will be for us to believe.” Adds Kite: “Seeing women be powerful and strong and break free from the notion that we exist to be looked at is life-giving!”
SABRINA CARPENTER
Words Matter
When you’re a pop sensation like Sabrina Carpenter with access to some of the best glam squads in the business — it’s hard to imagine you would ever feel anything but confident. But the Grammy nominee, 25, admits she has her good and bad days. “Some days you feel like truly borderline so conceited and obnoxiously confident and then all it takes is like someone saying one thing that strikes a chord in you to be like, ‘I’m actually the ugliest person to ever exist,’” the “Espresso” singer said. “And then it kinda is a big flip flop. But I think for me, I just feel like I have better things to worry about than the way that I look.”
The TAKEAWAY Carpenter’s coping strategies may seem easier said than done, but Sturino shares a unique and fun fix for moments you don’t feel hot. “I’ll look to my go-to style icons on social media for inspiration,” she tells Us. “I’ve made sure my [Instagram] feed is curated to include stylish, empowering women with diverse body shapes and sizes. Seeing others confidently rocking different styles can boost your own confidence.”
For more on stars leading the way, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
