15 Strong Women Break Stereotypes About How the Body “Should” Look

There are women out there who are challenging societal norms and breaking free from the constraints of what the media tells us we “should” look like. These 15 women are not just strong physically, but also mentally and emotionally as they pave the way for body positivity and self-love. Their stories are inspiring, empowering, and proof that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the human body.

1. “To trim or not to trim…. That is the question…”

2. “Call me Ariel and hand me a Dinglehopper because I’m a mermaid.”

3. “I’ve struggled with body image my whole life, but I’m realizing I kind of look like those statues of Ancient Greek women.”

4. “I was always worried about my big stomach in jumpsuits, but I finally figured out that I look good.”

5. All bodies are beautiful, including everything that makes you feel comfortable.

6. At the end of the day what’s important is that you feel great in your body.

7. “Only 4 more days till we meet the trio! So itchy!”

8. “I’m beautiful and I love my body!”

9. “This is a reminder to you all that you can have cellulite and spider veins and still be hot!”

10. “I ordered this corset top for my wedding this summer. I’ll definitely be rocking the hairy pits for the ceremony/reception.”

11. “Finally getting happy with my body.”

12. “Love my dress, learning to also love my body.”

13. Lizzo explains: “I love normalizing my black elbows. I think it’s beautiful.”

14. Tyra Banks is happy with her body: “My body is fuller. And so is my mind.”

15. “You are more than your body, and you get to decide what beauty is,” model Iskra Lawrence believes.

Check out these articles too, to get your daily dose of inspiration:

• 11 Famous Models Who Aren’t Afraid to Show Their Unfiltered Side
• Why Body Positivity Doesn’t Actually Promote Obesity
• 24 People Who Changed Their Hairstyle and Jazzed Up Their Life
• 21 People Who Changed Themselves Without Plastic Surgery
• 20+ People Who Changed Their Look So Dramatically, Even Their Relatives Didn’t Recognize Them

Preview photo credit tyrabanks / Instagram

Melissa Gilbert left Los Angeles for a simple cottage life in the Catskills: See inside her happy life now

It is truly amazing when child actors grow up in front of the eyes of the audience. We see them become stars and celebrate their every success as though it’s our own.I bet most of you remember the children of the Ingalls family from Little House on the Prairie. If you do, you must be wondering where they are today and what they are up to.The second oldest daughter of the family, Laura Ingalls, was played by actress Melissa Gilbert, who captured the hearts of the fans and became an acting sensation almost overnight. Well, more or less like the rest of the cast. Melissa was featured in commercials and had some minor roles before taking the part in Little House on the Prairie. During the run of the series, she played parts in other films including The Diary of Anne Frank and The Miracle Worker.

Born on on May 8, 1964, in Los Angeles, California, Melissa was given up for adoption by her parents who each had three children from their previous marriages and feared they couldn’t provide for another child. Melissa was lucky to be welcomed into the life of her adoptive parents, actor Paul Gilbert and actress/dancer Barbara Crane, from whom she learned all about the Entertainment Business.

In 2015, Melissa took a role in the short film One Smart Fellow, and played in Secret and Lies and The Night Shift some years before. She is also a writer. Her autobiography Prairie Tale: A Memoir speaks of the period of her life during the famous series.

As she goes back to the time of filming the series, she recalls she had a fun time with the rest of the crew.Portraying a girl living on a farm seemed exciting back then, and it looks like Melissa got to love that way of living so she and her husband, actor-director Timothy Busfield, moved from Michigan to new home in New York a few years ago and even bought a hunting cabin and considered getting chickens and building a barn for goats and horses, she revealed during a virtual Television Critics Association panel focusing on the PBS American Masters biography “Laura Ingalls Wilder.” However, the coronavirus pandemic forced them to put their plans on hold.

Today, however, they do live in the cabin and their days seem picture perfect. The place needed a full renovation, but despite the challenges, they were determined to turn the place into a comfortable home.

The first step was getting rid of the staff the previous owners left there. Next, they needed to get rid of the rodents and mildew and fix the plumbing.

They refurbished the cabinets, installed red vinyl chairs, and heated the house with a wood fire.

Gilbert and her husband grow their own fruits and vegetables.

The actress loves her peaceful home and the challenges that living at such a place brings. She copes with her responsibilities with a smile on her face and enjoys a cup of tea at the end of each day.