Jameela Jamil launches new inspirational Instagram account encouraging women to be more body positive

'Time’s up on women being sold as nothing more than the flesh on our bones.'

(Getty)

Jameela Jamil has launched a body positive Instagram account designed to encourage women to see themselves as more than what they weigh.

The TV presenter, model and actress launched I Weigh after the phenomenal response she received to an Instagram story she posted last month.

In February, Jamil drew her social media followers’ attention to an Instagram post that detailed how much each member of the Kardashian clan weighed.

She then shared her own version of what she “weighed,” listing positive characteristics, achievements and skills such as “great friends,” “I’m financially independent” and “I like my bingo wings.”

When many women replied with their own versions, Jamil decided to launch an Instagram account so that the posts would last longer than 24 hours (Instagram Stories disappear after a day).

“I wanted a mini online museum of women who were valuing themselves properly,” Jamil told The Independent. “By how they feel about themselves and the people they are, and the lives they live and change and save. Rather than by our media’s absurd standards women are expected to uphold.

“Standards that are airbrushed, surgically enhanced and starved and relentlessly trained for by those perpetuating this dangerous stereotype.”

Jamil says she believes loving yourself isn’t just about accepting or loving your perceived “flaws,” it’s about no longer focussing so much on our looks and rather “looking around at the lives we are so lucky to live, and what makes us special and different.”

She hopes that I Weigh will reach as many people as possible and thus encourage us to take a break from self-hatred and focus on positive things, whilst also bringing us together in support of one another.

“We are all critical of ourselves and each other,” she says. “And there is a lot of toxicity online. And since this started in the past few weeks, I’ve noticed all the interactions are people cheering each other on, finding each other inspiring, being open and non-judgmental.

“I’ve not seen an unkind word said between the participants. Everyone is adopting a little love and gratitude for what we do have.”

In the three days since Jamil launched the account, she has posted 234 images from women sharing what they “weigh”, with many following Jamil’s lead and adding “f***ing kg.”

“Self-loathing just takes up time, energy and space in your head that you should be using to grow your life,” Jamil says. “On our deathbeds we will think about what we did and how we moved people, not how many abs we had, or how many horny strangers on the internet liked our pictures.

“I’m so excited to see women and men embrace this way of looking at the bigger picture. It’s been really beautiful and inspiring. And deeply moving to see what people have overcome.

“I’ve had a lot of people message me telling me how hard it was for them to find anything nice to say about themselves. And this has to end. We have become so blinded by beauty standards that we are losing precious hours and days of our lives to something that’s hurting us.

“Time’s up on women being sold as nothing more than the flesh on our bones.”