Body Positivity with Asia Penelope
Social media can have damaging effects for young girls/women who constantly compare themselves to what they see online. For Body Activist Asia Penelope, her personal struggle with body image is one that struck a personal chord with me, and I know that so many other women will relate to it too. Social media has allowed her to connect with women from across the world. And with over 124k followers on Instagram, her message is clear. Asia is celebrating her curvy figure and is encouraging other girls to follow suit. HER chats to this phenomenal woman about the power of self-acceptance and her journey to loving the body she’s in.
HER story
For those who follow Asia online, she is the epitome of BBW… or as I like to describe her: The Samoan/Kiwi Ashley Graham. Asia is promoting size acceptance to her followers in a bid to help others crush their insecurities that she once faced.
Born in New Zealand and the oldest of seven siblings, Asia moved with her family to Australia where she finished her high school years in Brisbane.
Her social media gained traction in July 2017 after a collab with online fashion label Fashion Nova.
“Fashion Nova approached me via DM and asked if I would like to work with them. From there it’s been history. They really paved the way for me and opened many doors."
“I now have a team of people that I work with. Having quality content is super important. I usually meet up with my photographer (shout out brazy.jpg) and we just do a day of shooting content and stock up for the next few weeks.”
For the 23- year- old, she did not always feel confident. Her earliest memories from primary school remind her of the torment she was put through regarding her size and weight as a child. And as the years went on, her insecurities manifested during high-school.
“My insecurities became giants in my life and I really did not know to deal with them. After high school they became worse. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat became a platform for anybody to advertise to set standards of what people should look like,” she recalls.
Asia explains how she would spend hours looking at ‘social media babes’ idealising the perfect body in her head.
“I became obsessed with my weight loss and my physical appearance, I would spend silly amounts of money on weight loss drugs and diet schemes. I sometimes would eat close to nothing just to try and conform. I hated my appearance and the way I looked.”
She became fixated on parts of her body that she thought were flawed and she became secretive about her weight.
“When I use to weigh myself I would write down my weight in my notes on my phone but I would write it in a dollar value. I was that delusion that I thought if someone used my phone they would somehow end up in my notes and see my weight. I couldn’t picture anything more embarrassing than that."
“I was so concerned about the world's approval of me that I didn't realise the toll it was taking on me emotionally, mentally and spiritually… I really struggled to hold conversations or approach people because again I was fearful of what they might be thinking about me. At the same time I deeply craved attention, love and confirmation.”
THE START OF A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP
Asia opens up how a relationship that seemed ‘picture perfect’ at the start, turned into being a nightmare. She soon found herself head-over-heels in love, and the attention she recieved during the start of this relationship seemed to fill the empty void she felt and made her feel better about her insecurities.
“He was loving, caring… and gave me the attention I was badly looking for. But as time passed slowly true colours started to show. We began to argue a lot and most of the time it would lead to me being hurt emotionally or physically,” she shares.
The abuse continued as he would continuously find ways to win her back, and would use threats to damage her self-esteem.
“He would tell me things like ‘you will never find anybody better than me that will want you’… I was drained. The abuse got so bad I became more diligent about the things I wore to cover the bruises. And he would make excuses saying I bruise easily so I believed him.”
“When I think back to these times I’m so amazed by how broken I was, that I thought I needed his love to validate my worth.”
Stuck in this vicious cycle, Asia then turned to drugs and alcohol as a way to numb the pain she was experiencing. She also found that she had isolated herself from family and friends as a result of her prioritising the relationship.
“My family became very worried for my wellbeing. The more they became worried the more I became defensive. The drink and the drugs made me feel numb to all the negativity, it relaxed my mind,” she says
Fortunately, her best friend saw the change in her and managed to help Asia break free from the volatile relationship.
On her road to recovery, Asia took four months off social media to heal and address the areas that had affected her insecurities. She didn’t let any of those experiences dent her self-esteem and confidence any longer. She regained her power.
“I was forced to face these battles I was struggling with, I deactivated all my social media accounts, cut off all unhealthy ties from my life, friends, ex boyfriends… I changed my phone number. I went back to basics to find who I really was and find what I wanted to do.”
She has now found happiness in her own skin and her followers on social media love the boundless confidence that she exudes.
“I did a complete U-turn with my life, I found my self worth and I learnt the art of self-acceptance. I found what I loved to do and let go of any insecurities that were holding me back."
"Now I am happy, and doing what I love with the hope to inspire and help people, as well as now trying my hand in music.”
She continues to keep pushing for size diversity and is set to release music this year as a rap artist.
Asia now stands strong.
“I believe as women it’s so easy to forget how beautiful we are and how easy it is to get lost in what ‘society’ deems as acceptable. Being a body activist allows me to re- teach women that it is ok to be you and look the way you do. We are one in a million.”
Self- love chats with Asia:
What is one thing you want to promote to your female followers?
Being self-aware, be confident in who you are, what you want. And love yourself wholeheartedly.
What are some ways girls can love the skin they’re in?
● BE confident! Own it. Walk with confidence.
● Remind yourself with words of affirmation.
● Think positive. With a positive minds comes a positive life.
Who inspires you and why?
I really love Ashley Graham ! She paved the way for other plus size models
FOLLOW ASIA ONLINE:
INSTAGRAM: @asia_penelope
* If you are experiencing any forms of abuse I encourage you to talk to someone you trust. Here are a few places to seek help in NZ:
· If you are in immediate danger call 111
· Family Violence information Line – 0800 456 450
· Womens Refuge – 0800 REFUGE
Thank you Asia for sharing your story. Your rawness and vulnerability during your lowest days is something that I know a lot of women can I relate to. I pray that God continues to use your story to encourage other women to break free from toxic relationships and the insecurities of body image many of us feel in our daily lives xxxx