As a plus-size woman, I’ve heard my share of negative comments about my body. They've come from the media, the fashion industry, and random trolls, both hiding on the Internet and right in front of my face. I’ve developed a thick skin and surrounded myself with positive people of all shapes and sizes, but I am not alone in my experiences. Most women people can relate to having been told they’re not good enough, that their body is not the attractive ideal, that they should hide their flaws and aspire to be a specific shape, size, color, etc.
But, if you’re looking for a body-love revelation — an opportunity to shut down the haters, blow off the trolls, and announce to the world that you love yourself exactly as you are — GabiFresh is about to completely make your day. Bloggers Gabi Gregg and Nadia Aboulhosn and model Tess Munster were so inspired by Beyoncé's feminist anthem, “***Flawless,” that they created their own badass version. And, yes, the video lives up to the name.
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With huge social followings of their own, these body-positive women are already influential. But, this video speaks volumes of truth that they may not have previously revealed. “I loved that in this song, [Beyoncé] was finally telling all of the people who have criticized her through the years to respect her," Gregg says. "As someone who gets my fair share of negativity in my industry, I thought the message was definitely applicable. I just wanted to do something fun that was also empowering women to give a middle finger to a fat-phobic society. “
Gregg tapped Aboulhosn and Munster to star with her for a very specific reason, too. “I reached out to Nadia and Tess because they are other major players in the plus-size fashion world, and I know they get a ton of backlash, too, just for being themselves. I also wanted to come together and show that we aren't competing to be the top dog in the plus-size industry; we support each other because there is room for everyone!”
Aboulhosn, who dances and lip-synchs along in the video, adds, “All three of us are feminists, and we really wanted to get across the fact that we can all empower each other and work together in an industry that is so competitive. We aren't here to compete with each other; instead, we are here to uplift one another, especially because we have similar struggles in a world that isn't very accepting of us.”
However, even the best of Beyoncé's messages comes with a bit of controversy. The singer riled up quite a few listeners with the “Bow down, bitches” lyric, but that didn't convince Gregg to edit her own rendition. “I think Beyoncé had been the perfect 'ladylike' role model for so long, even while everyone was constantly bashing her. And, she sort of finally snapped and let off some steam by claiming her flawlessness," the blogger — who wrote more about the issue on her site — said. "I've definitely been there. In our case, we're addressing the media, fashion industry, and internet trolls that we deal with on a daily basis.”
Of course, there's much more to this video than just a bunch of ladies dancing to Queen Bey. “I want women, young girls to see this and realize that we are perfect the way we are," Munster mused, "to push back to the ‘standards’ that society tries to place on us and [realize] that we are so much stronger together.” We couldn't agree more, and we're sure you-know-who couldn't either.