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Stretch marks are something almost every human, regardless of gender, shape, or size, will have to experience at least once in their lives. Even supermodels like Chrissy Teigen have stretch marks. While society continually encourages us to cover up these ‘imperfections,’ there are a few who have taken the stand to flaunt their tiger stripes with pride. Before we go into who these superwomen are let’s take a closer look at what are stretch marks
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Stretch marks are fine lines that appear on the body during a period of rapid growth. Women are more likely to get them during puberty and pregnancy. They can appear anywhere on the body but tend to show up on the breasts, thighs, buttocks, and stomach. While most stretch marks fade over time, some remain on your body for you to flaunt. That’s exactly what these celebrities decided to do (1).
Zareen Khan
Image: zareenkhan/Instagram
Losing weight is sometimes accompanied by stretch marks, and this is what happened to Bollywood Actress Zareen Khan. After losing the weight, the actress took to Instagram to show off her marks of victory. However, she was met with a lot of harsh words and criticism instead of praise. The actress was quick to clap back at the haters and pointed out that this was what a natural stomach looked like without photoshop. Instead of hiding her tiger stripes, the actress embraced them with pride and flaunted them proudly. Even Anushka Sharma was blown away by the actress and paid her a compliment, reminding her that she looked perfect the way she did.
Jameela Jamil
Image: jameelajamil/Instagram
Luckily for us, there are more women like her around the world who are working towards body positivity. Jameela Jamil is one such superwoman who has never shied away from talking openly and proudly about her ‘imperfections.’ Choosing never to be a part of campaigns that airbrush photos, this Hollywood celebrity has always stood out for being extremely body positive. When talking about stretch marks or what she calls ‘babe marks,’ Jameela took to Instagram to share a sunkissed selfie of hers, where she proudly flaunted her stretch marks. Jameela captioned the photo by reminding her followers that ‘Boob stretch marks are a normal, beautiful thing.’ She went on to say, ‘ I have stretch marks all over my body, and I hereby rename them all Babe Marks. They are a sign my body dared to take up extra space in a society that demands our eternal thinness. They are my badge of honor for resisting society’s weaponizing of the female form. ps. My face is white because I wear spf 100 sunscreen like a boss. 🤓 PS. LOVE YOUR BROWN SKIN. I tan responsibly but I love to tan! I love to embrace and celebrate my heritage. This skin bleaching and whitening should be banned. It’s inherently racist, classist and emotionally very damaging.’ She ended the post by using the #brownandproud. The post received loads of support from people all over the world who applauded her for her honesty.
Kourtney Kardashian
Image: poosh/Instagram
Even superstars like Kourtney Kardashian have begun to stand for the cause, and it is a refreshing change. The mother of 3 took to Instagram to show off her curves and stripes on her business account ‘Poosh’. Posing in a black swimsuit and sunglasses, the celebrity flaunted her stretch marks and even went on to express her love for her stripes.
It is refreshing to know that more and more celebrities are beginning to insist on posting natural photos. It has helped reduce the pressure on women to look perfect at all times. Stretch marks are natural and beautiful, and we must learn to embrace them with pride, just like these superwomen. After all, this what body positivity is all about – being the way you are!
