Are celebs’ body posts harmful or harmless?
Our Instagram feeds are often packed with celebrities and influencers racking up their likes and earning money by showing off their “perfect” bodies. But the uneasy quest for “perfection” was highlighted recently when an unfiltered image of
Khloé Kardashian was leaked online, reportedly by mistake by her assistant, that looked drastically different to the one shared online the day before.
The 36-year-old Kardashian sister immediately received an angry backlash for not being “genuine” or “real” with her followers. But Khloé – who owns workout brand Revenge Body and often posts snaps of herself in bikinis – defended the untouched pic by posting a video of her “real” body in an Instagram video, adding that she likes sharing filtered pics because of the “unbearable” pressure to be perfect after being branded the “fat” and “ugly” sister.
She added she had been conditioned to feel she was unattractive after years of having “every single flaw and imperfection” analysed, saying, “You never quite get used to being judged and pulled apart and told how unattractive one is, but I will say, if you hear anything enough then you start to believe it.
This is an example of how I have been conditioned to feel, that I am not beautiful enough just being me.”
Her raw post led to actress and activist Jameela Jamil – who has openly criticised the Kardashians for promoting health and fitness fads to their young fans – calling on Khloé to admit to having had plastic surgery and using editing apps to alter her appearance.
Reality star Vicky Pattison, 33 – who released a best-selling fitness DVD, before taking to Instagram more recently to promote “body positivity” with images of her curves and cellulite – supported Khloé and admitted she has edited images in the past to make herself feel better.
With stars raking in millions of pounds from their body posts, we ask two celebrities if sharing unrealistic snaps on social media is harmful…