While many models, influencers, celebrities, and even ordinary people take to social media with only the most perfect photos of themselves, model Iskra Lawrence has shared her “imperfections” time and again in hopes of inspiring others. In fact, she’s never been shy about showing off her cellulite in “all its unretouched glory,” but not everyone is singing her praises for doing so.
Iskra Lawrence is a plus-sized model who has never been shy about advocating for body positivity. As a former AerieREAL role model and an ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association, Lawrence has advocated for realistic beauty standards in Time, SELF, Huffington Post, and in a TEDx talk. It’s obviously something she’s enthusiastic about, and her Instagram account reflects her passion.
Lawrence has pushed for a shift in focus from appearance to health in the modeling industry, and her work has earned her a spot on BBC World’s 100 Most Influential Women. So, it comes as no surprise that her photoshoots and Instagram posts often feature her so-called “imperfections,” and she doesn’t apologize for them, but rather celebrates them, showing them off in all of their glory.
Iskra Lawrence has also been very open about her journey to becoming a plus-size model, as well as the dangers and abuse many in the industry face when they enter into this “glamorous job.”
“I am one of the lucky ones,” Lawrence wrote alongside two images of herself. “The young me on the left entering into the model industry at 13, survived. 16 years later and I have heard far too many stories of sexual, physical and mental abuse within the fashion industry.”
Unshy about her own imperfections, Iskra Lawrence has shared posts about her back rolls, thick thighs, and cellulite. “No airbushin [sic] no problem,” she wrote, according to Diply. “All my skin in all its unretouched glory,” she shared in a post with the hashtag “#celluLIT.”
Her fans seem to approve, often applauding the plus-sized model after she shares sizzling beach photos, featuring her cellulite on full display, with captions that often send a positive message to her followers and a series of body-positive hashtags.
Lawrence’s realness seems to be appreciated by her fans. “You inspire me so much specially [sic] now that I’m going through a hard situation about how I see myself,” one fan wrote, according to ThoughtNova. “Thank u for all!”
“More to love @iskra keep motivating and inspiring others,” another fan wrote, while yet another added, “You’re truly a role model for everyone. It’s about time we all embrace the nature [sic] beauty we all have. No more retouching photos to please the public. Thank you for being you and sharing yourself with us all #bodypositive.”
Of course, Iskra Lawrence’s transparency about her own body doesn’t come without its fair share of downfalls. Like many others who advocate for body positivity, she has to deal with critics, who don’t appreciate seeing her “imperfections.” One would hope that those who don’t like what they see would keep scrolling, knowing that if you don’t have anything nice to say it’s probably best to say nothing at all, but that’s not always the case.
Unfortunately, the model’s vulnerable posts have left her open to the vitriol of internet trolls, who don’t have anything nice to say, like the one who told her she should fix her “vag” before posting the photo below. Sadly, the image was shared as a celebratory post about Lawrence’s pregnancy, but all the rude commenter seemed to care about was the “problem” they could see.
“With over 6 million followers on social,” according to Forbes, “supermodel Iskra Lawrence is one of the most prominent leaders of the body positivity movement.” And, it seems her message is mostly a good one. Whereas other advocates of body positivity have seemingly celebrated unhealthy lifestyles that lead to obesity, Lawrence focuses on health and reality, and the reality is all women have imperfections.
Sadly, the modeling industry doesn’t typically reflect reality. Instead, many models are being retouched to remove cellulite and other so-called imperfections, leading many to have skewed perceptions about what a healthy woman looks like, especially in a swimsuit. Thankfully, some, like Iskra Lawrence, are bold enough to show the world that beauty and health come in many shapes and sizes — flaws and all.
