The pressure on celebrities to conform to unrealistic beauty standards is no joke. That’s why it’s empowering to see women who defy the odds and make their own rules. Now more than ever, they are comfortable and proud to speak their truth without a filter.
We has compiled a list of a few of our favorite strong women leading the way to define your beauty standards.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis
In the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once, Jamie Lee Curtis decided she would no longer try to conceal her body. She wanted to look “as real as possible” for her role and instructed everyone that there should not be “concealing of anything” — including her stomach.
Jamie opened up about how she’s been sucking her stomach since she was 11 because she became conscious of what others might think, but this time she let her belly all out.
2. Lady Gaga
Fresh from her Super Bowl halftime performance, Gaga addressed the comments about her body, saying that she is proud of her body and everyone should be proud of theirs too.
She then gave powerful advice to her fans who need to cater to anybody: “Be you, be relentlessly you.”
3. Drew Barrymore
Drew is more determined than ever to teach her daughters that they should feel lucky to grow old. She wants to show her children that it’s okay to be who they are and not focus on their appearance. For Drew, her kids must grow up to be good people.
4. Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek embraces aging by posting a selfie and declaring to the world how she is proud of her white hair.
5. Janelle Monáe
Singer Janelle Monáe defied beauty standards when she arrived at the 2022 Met Gala in a futuristic gown with fuzzy underarms.
6. Pink
During her speech for receiving her Vanguard award, Pink made an ode to her daughter, who opened up to her about feeling bad that she looks like a “boy,” saying, “We don’t change.
We take the gravel and the shell, and we make a pearl. And we help other people to change so they can see more kinds of beauty.”
7. Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham made history and smashed the glass ceiling in beauty standards when she became the first-ever plus-size model to be featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
She has continued to challenge the norm by sharing raw photos of her pregnancy journey, including getting honest about stretch marks.
8. Rachel Bloom
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend writer and star Rachel Bloom isn’t afraid to show her flaws and break the taboo on regular female hormone cycles.
She shared a photo of her acne during the shooting season, saying that the hectic schedule and her peak hormonal cycle are causing her acne to run amok.
9. Jennifer Lopez
JLo has always been known for being one of the most beautiful in Hollywood, but the truth is, she used to be criticized for her curvy figure.
She even fired her manager, who told her to lose weight. She proudly says that her body is beautiful and there is no other way to be herself.
10. Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks used a throwback post moment to educate her fans about focusing on yourself rather than pleasing other people. As a 14-year-old, she used to worry about how she looked.
Now, she has learned that it’s better to make yourself feel beautiful for yourself and not because you want others’ approval. She ended her post with a powerful statement: “Being praised for my looks is nice but not nearly as satisfying as being praised for my accomplishments or deeds.”