Jennifer Lopez's bikini selfie has inspired a self-love internet challenge among other mothers
After posting a bikini selfie on Instagram on February 16th, Jennifer Lopez inspired a body-acceptance movement on social media. Two days after J.Lo posted her picture, Maria Kang, the founder of fitness community No Excuse Moms, posted her own bikini selfie on Instagram with the hashtag #jlochallenge. And so the virality began.
“This is (almost) 40! Thank you @jlo for inspiring this spontaneous pic in a white bikini this morning,” Kang captioned her photo, which also showcased her “mirror freckled with toothpaste,” plus “unpacked luggages on the ground, an iron, dog dryer and husband shaving somewhere in the background.” I.e., an actual person (not a celebrity) in their actual home (not a mansion) with their actual husband (not a famous athlete) loitering around in the background.
A post shared by Jennifer Lopez (@jlo) on Feb 16, 2020 at 10:22am PST
But the focus of Kang’s selfie was ostensibly less on her real-life environment, and more on her willingness to celebrate her real-life body for all of filtered, Face Tuned, and otherwise-edited social media to see. And she urged other women—specifically mothers—to do the same.
A post shared by Maria Kang ✨ (@mariakangfitness) on Feb 18, 2020 at 9:04am PST
Women across social media took up Kang’s clarion call and posted their own bikini mirror selfies.
Like Kang, so many women used the opportunity to speak honestly about their emotional relationships with their bodies.
Most of the women taking part in the challenge are mothers, over the age of 25, not Photoshopped, and, more generally, are representing bodies that are either misrepresented or not represented at all.
A post shared by Collette Leonard (@coco90069) on Feb 29, 2020 at 10:31am PST
A post shared by J'Tia Hart (@jtiaphd) on Feb 29, 2020 at 8:26am PST
A post shared by Josie Martin (@him_her_themx5) on Feb 25, 2020 at 8:39pm PST
A post shared by Chastity Garner Valentine (@garnerstyle) on Feb 29, 2020 at 6:06am PST
A post shared by Alley Godiva (@alley_funatanybar) on Feb 27, 2020 at 8:07pm PST
A post shared by Vonnie (@v.renea_fit) on Feb 19, 2020 at 10:11am PST
A post shared by Adela (@adelacarnaghi) on Feb 19, 2020 at 11:51am PST
A post shared by Bily Bean (@bilybean) on Feb 19, 2020 at 1:04pm PST
A post shared by No Excuse Moms Austin (@nemaustintx) on Feb 19, 2020 at 12:01pm PST
A post shared by Uvalde No Excuse Mom (@uvaldetxnoexcusemom) on Feb 20, 2020 at 6:33am PST
We’re happy to see this new wave in the body-acceptance and body-positivity movement, and we hope it’ll inspire a stronger and even more inclusive movement from here on out.