We’ve curated a list of our favourite body positive influencers in response to our new research, which revealed that almost two thirds of young people feel pressure to look their best online.
‘The Curate Escape‘ found that less than a fifth of young people (16%) said that looking at social media positively affected how confident they felt about the way they look. When asked what could be done to change this more than two fifths of young people (43%) said that people should unfollow accounts that promote negative messages about the way people look, and more than half of young people (53%) said that celebrities and influencers sharing more realistic images of themselves.
Make sure your own newsfeed has a positive effect on your body image and mental health and follow the #BeRealApproved influencers and accounts below.
Be Real Body Confidence Campaign
Founded in 2014 by YMCA England & Wales in partnership with Dove and is determined to change attitudes to body image and help all of us put health above appearance and be confident in our bodies.
Instagram @be_real_campaign
Twitter @BeReal_Campaign
Facebook @BeRealBodyConfidence
Bishamber Das
Self-proclaimed Britain’s first Asian plus-size model who got into modelling after coming runner-up in Miss India Europe.
Instagram @bishamberdas
Body Image movement
An internationally recognised crusade that was founded on the belief that your body is not an ornament, it’s the vehicle to your dreams.
Facebook @bodyimagemovement
Body Positive warriors
The group to end all the injustices in the body positive community.
Facebook (group) Body Positive Warriors
BBC body positive
A space that champions self-acceptance, a space to share, celebrate and connect.
Facebook @bbcbodypositive
Body Positive Club
Run by Be Real ambassador Michelle Elman, is a safe space for anyone wanting to explore body positivity.
Facebook (group) The Body Positive Club
Bodyposipanda
AKA Megan Crabbe, is a body positive influencer and writer who encourages her followers to realise our culture is the problem, not our bodies.
Instagram @bodyposipanda
Twitter @bodyposipanda_
BoPo Boy
Stevie is a 24 year old gay body positive activist.
Instagram @bopo.boy
Bryony Gordon
British journalist, author, and mental health advocate. She won praise for running the London marathon in her underwear last year.
Instagram @bryonygordon
Twitter @bryony_gordon
Callie Thorpe
Plus-size model all about self-love, but is honest about the fact that she doesn’t always love her body.
Instagram @calliethorpe
Charlie Craggs
Came up with #NailTransphobia which allowed people to sit down, get a mani and chat to a trans person, educating the world on people different from cisgender. She wrote the book ‘To My Trans Sisters’ and is the brand ambassador for the London Trans Clinic.
Instagram @charlie_craggs
Chessie King
London-based presenter, body positive champion sharing lifestyle and body confidence inspiration.
Instagram @chessiekingg
Chloe Elliot
Started ChloeInCurve in 2014 to encourage women of every size to enjoy fashion.
Instagram @chloeincurve
Twitter @ChloeInCurve
Blog http://www.chloeincurve.com
Celeste Barber
Aussie comedian known for her hilarious re-enactments of celebrity Instagram posts.
Instagram @celestebarber
CurveSomeYoga
Founded by Be Real ambassador Donna Noble in 2015 to make yoga accessible for everyone.
Instagram @curvesomeyoga
Website https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/donna
Eff your beauty standards
A community created by Tess Holliday and six other body positivity champions.
Instagram @effyourbeautystandards
Enam Asiama
A Ghanaian-British plus size advocate and model.
Instagram @enamasiama
Twitter @enamasiama
Grace Victory
An influencer who originally focused on fashion but is now a champion of body positivity.
Instagram @gracefvictory
Hannah Witton
A vlogger who is on a mission to break the stigma around stoma bags.
Instagram @hannahwitton
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/hannahwitton
Harnaam Kaur
British model, anti-bullying activist, body positive activist, life coach, and motivational speaker.
Instagram @harnaamkaur
I weigh
Jameela Jamil came up with the ‘I weigh’ movement to encourage people to value themselves beyond their bodies.
Instagram @i_weigh
Jake Edwards
Identifies as gender queer and is an outspoken advocate for trans rights within the community.
Instagram @jakesftmagic
Twitter @jakeftmagic
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9kKXaqxDqJ4BQu8NdPjlA
Jameela Jamil
British actress, model, presenter and activist, who started the ‘I Weigh’ movement to encourage people to embrace their bodies and what they can do rather than what they look like.
Instagram @jameelakamilofficial
Twitter @jameelajamil
Jennifer Okolo
Be Real Ambassador, Occupational Therapist and the founder of an online media platform called She Aspires, which focuses on uplifting and celebrating women of today.
Instagram @sheaspiresuk
Twitter @SheAspiresUK
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/jennifer
Jessamyn Stanley
A yoga teacher and body positivity advocate.
Instagram @mynameisjessamyn
Facebook @mynameisjessamyn
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxJaVA4Tu6oQaHOppbt8qvA%09
Jess Megan
British curve model who posts photos with messages that celebrate women’s natural bodies.
Instagram @jess_megan_
Joey Bevan
Professional Fashion Stylist, Designer & Hair Stylist and body positive influencer.
Instagram @joeybevan
Kianna Grace
Our youngest Be Real ambassador at 16, a dance fanatic and actress, flying the flag for all young people in the midst of learning to feel confident in their bodies.
Instagram @kiannagrace1
Twitter @kiannagrace1
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/kianna
Laura Dockrill
Be Real ambassador, performance poet, illustrator, author and body positive champion.
Twitter @LauraDockrill
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/laura
Lauren Nicole
Be Real ambassador and plus size fashion influencer who has worked with brands such as New Look, Missguided and Simply Be to name a few.
Instagram Laurennicolefk
Twitter LaurenNicoleFK
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/lauren-nicole
Libby Phillips
Body positive illustrator who creates cute images with important messages.
Instagram @libbyshappyproject
Love Disfigure
Founded by Sylvia Mac, a child burn survivor and campaigner awarded ‘Point of Light’ from the PM.
Instagram @love_disfigure
Twitter @LoveDisfigure
Mama Cax
Lifestyle and beauty blogger diagnosed with cancer at the age of 14 and had her right leg amputated; she documents her experiences travelling as a person of colour and as a person with a physical disability.
Instagram @mamacaxx
Michelle Elman
Be Real ambassador, body confidence coach, TedX speaker and author of ‘Am I ugly?’ She started her social media campaign ‘Scarred Not Scared’ to encourage people to embrace their scars (emotional and physical) after she accepted her own surgery scars.
Instagram @scarrednotscared @BodyPositiveMemes
Twitter @ScarredNtScared
Facebook @scarrednotscared
Website https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/michelle
https://podcasts.apple.com/my/podcast/let-me-talk/id1439901257
Nicole Moses
Be Real Ambassador, plus size model and body positive influencer for those struggling with low self-esteem.
Instagram @nicole__moses
Paris Lees
Trans activist and columnist for British Vogue.
Twitter @parislees
Radhika Sanghani
Journalist, author, and creator of the #sideprofileselfie campaign, which encourages people to love their big noses.
Twitter @radhikasanghan
Recovery Warriors
Dedicated to boosting the emotional intelligence and resilience of people struggling with depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Twitter @RecovryWarriors
Podcast https://www.recoverywarriors.com/podcast/
Sam Smith
English singer-songwriter who speaks openly about identifying as non-binary and celebrates body positivity.
Instagram @samsmith
Self Love Clubb
Founded by Milly Smith to promote body love, self-care, and discuss mental health difficulties.
Instagram @selfloveclubb
Stephanie Yeboah
British blogger and advocate of fat acceptance.
Instagram @nerdabouttown
Twitter @NerdAboutTown
Blog https://www.nerdabouttown.com/
Taylor Tak
Also known as Taylor T, is a well-known plus-size model in South Korea.
Instagram @beyoutiful_taylort
Tess Holliday
American model, blogger and make-up artist.
Instagram @tessholliday
Twitter @Tess_Holliday
Facebook @TessHollidayOfficial
The Chachi Power Project
Be Real ambassador Danni Gordon is a body positive advocate and founded The Chachi Power Project in 2017 to help people everywhere become more body confident via blogs, events, talks, workshops and retreats.
Instagram @chachipowerproject
Twitter @chachi_power
https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/be-real-ambassadors/danni
The Everyman Project
Aims to create a visual conversation around diversity. They encourage men to show their vulnerability and fight back against toxic masculinity.
Instagram @theeverymanproject
The Slumflower
AKA Chidera Eggerue, creator of #saggyboobsmatter and author of the best-selling book ‘What a time to be alone.’
Instagram @theslumflower
Twitter @theslumflower
The Unedit
An online magazine to prove to women that ‘life is for living, not for shrinking.’
Instagram @theunedit
Tobi Green-Adenowo
Tobi was born with brittle bone disease but that hasn’t stopped her following her dream of becoming a dancer.
Instagram @toughcookietee
Thyself
Instagram account that promotes self-love and self-care, created by fashion blogger Chloe Pierre.
Instagram @thyself
Your fat friend
An anonymous body positive twitter account.
Twitter @yrfatfriend