'The one photo I wanted to share doesn't match up to my life today'
On Instagram, there are a variety of themes you can subscribe to. Whether you prefer travel photos of sunny locations or foodie snaps of magazine-worthy meals, you will almost always stumble upon the #fitfam world, with photos of chiseled abs and lean legs. While it can often be hard to differentiate between Instagram and reality, one body positive blogger shared a very real post that has her followers bowing down.
Lexie Manion, a plus-size blogger, isn’t shy on social media. Sharing some of her favourite looks – and even making headlines for claiming she still feels sexy even when she isn’t wearing tight clothing, Manion encourages her followers to love themselves no matter what.
In a recent Instagram post, she shares two side-by-side photos of herself, one where she’s completely made up and the other without any makeup at all. Admitting she recently left her hometown to escape an unsafe situation, she admits that despite going through a hard time she didn’t want to share the “real life” image on Instagram.
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“I don’t doubt my ability to tell compelling stories. And I don’t think I am worth less when I choose to wear makeup. The point is that the one photo I wanted to share doesn’t match up to what is going on in my life today; it’s inaccurate,” she wrote.
Listing the need to provide for herself and spending her time job hunting, Manion explained to her followers that she doesn’t have time to prepare for Instagram-worthy images at the moment. As a blogger, she admits she is guilty of recycling photos from a time when she appeared more “put together.”
“I think this post is fitting of how things are at the moment. I don’t have a ton of time or energy to do my makeup and take nice photos. One photo I am wearing makeup and the other I am not. One photo is not better than the other though. I also wanted to share these photos because when I don’t have time to take new photos, I’ll repost old ones. While that’s totally ok, it feels inauthentic for me to do,” wrote Manion. “As someone who prides themselves on being as authentic as they can be, it felt wrong to me to share something that caters just to the people who enjoy aesthetically pleasing photos.”
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Her followers flooded the blogger with praise for sharing her real self and thanking her for continuing to be an inspiration. Among the more than 7,000 likes, Manion’s followers provided words of encouragement during this trying time.
“Good luck with your change in life. I know the ‘stuck’ feeling well. I hope your job search is successful. You’re beautiful with or without makeup,” commented one follower.
“You are so worthy of it all – the very best that life has to offer! You are beautiful on the left and the right, on the inside and out! Thank you for your authenticity. Hugs to you,” added another.
Whether you’re willing to share photos at your most vulnerable or not, Manion is a genuine reminder to not take yourself for granted. Sharing her experiences with bodyshamers and an eating disorder online, Manion continues to inspire her more than 37,000 followers daily with her positivity.
“In the second photo, I’m not wearing makeup. My hair is frizzy. My acne is visible. And guess what? That photo, to me, is still Instagram worthy. It’s the truth. And though not ‘perfectly’ put-together, I am still worthy.”
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