Instagram may seem like the perfect world from the outside but there is plenty of work that goes behind curating all that perfection. Plus-size model and photographer Lesego Legobane popularly known as Thickleeyonce took to her Instagram to talk about Instagram beauty standards.
She spoke about standards of beauty and the impacts of photo retouching. She said these things have created a bad relationship between people and their physical appearances.
She wrote: “Standards of beauty have always existed. Photo retouching has always existed and it has played a major role in body image issues… I’ve been sharing my photographs on Instagram for 10 years and so much has changed over the years...
"from sharing candid, fun pics to having to curate “professional” content which in the past was mostly more common for magazines, or billboards but now professionally captured and retouched images have become “regular” Instagram posts which have arguably created worse relationships with our physical appearance.
She said hearing stories about how Instagram beauty standards have influenced people's views on body image made her self-reflect.
"Over the past two days, I attended the @dove #behindthefilter digital summit, and listening to other people’s stories about how Instagram beauty standards have played a major role in their body images made me self-reflect… Unlike before, when popular retouching software like Adobe Photoshop was inaccessible and too complex to use, we are now living in an Instagram-influenced world where retouching is more common and easier to learn and access.
"Presets, filters, and retouching apps seem harmless because they’re fun to use and they allow one to be creative and to experiment with their photos however they can also be damaging when they’re used to digitally distort the way that we look... they can lead to an obsessive search for the unobtainable ‘perfect’ shot.
Thickleeyonce said she has learned that authenticity is important. She encouraged people to portray their real selves on Instagram and always remember that things like stretch marks and cellulitis are normal.
“In my self-love journey, I’ve learned that it’s important for my self-portraits to always be a reflection of the girl in the mirror. We don’t all have to have the same hourglass bodies or extra smooth skin. Let’s normalize seeing skin textures on photographs. Stretch marks are normal. Cellulite is normal. The discolouration is normal. Hip dips are normal. You are normal. You are beautiful.”
Speaking about how she ended up as the popular influencer and content creator, She said she used to cut her clothes and collect magazines when she was young.
“As a child, I spent a lot of time collecting and going through magazines. I loved cutting my clothes up, exploring with fashion, makeup, colors, and that creativity led to a career in photography and later as an influencer/content creator.”
Thickleeyonce has always been a champion for body positivity. she got her big break back in 2019 when she scored herself an international deal with Calvin Klein as the first South African plus-size model to work for Calvin Klein’s Women eau de toilette campaign.
