Body Positivity
Woman Goes Viral For Her “Posed V. Unposed” Photos That Show How Fake Social Media Can Be
“Hey, it’s OK to not be OK.”
Sara Puhto is known for her Posed V. Unposed photo series on Instagram, which compares a natural form and an edited version. It was launched, particularly in 2016, to discourage people from comparing themselves to people online, and Sara ensured she used herself as an example.
The idea emerged when the 25-Year-Old Instagram profile was personalized to reflect her fitness journey.
At the time, the Finnish found herself looking at others people’s photos for inspiration and, at a point, felt she was never good enough. She had even compared her body to all the “perfect” pictures and soon realized she wasn’t the only one, and she didn’t want others to keep feeling the way she did, being obsessed with having to look Instagram-worthy all the time.
Sara has illustrated how fake social media photos can be, whether it’s a side-by-side of her flexed and unflexed form or the natural shape of hip dips.
And to buttress her point, the body acceptance advocate had written in her Instagram bio: “Your body isn’t a trend. So don’t treat it like one!”
In most of Sara’s comment sections, her followers have continuously appreciated the fact that people struggle with self-image, and it can be a day-by-day process.
However, in an interview with BuzzFeed, the content creator yet again reiterated her campaign, saying: “This perfection [ some people are] chasing doesn’t exist and therefore we shouldn’t stress so much over it and [instead] learn to start appreciating ourselves how we are naturally. We need to realize that these images we see daily can be edited, posted etc. and are not always a realistic depiction of bodies and the diversity of people in society.”
Sara then insisted that we all come in different shapes and sizes, and it’s impossible to conform to a specific body shape.
She added: “Your uniqueness makes you special. It makes us beautiful, and we shouldn’t need to change ourselves to accept ourselves. Undeniably, it took Sara time to grow comfortable with her body and some days are easier than others. But sharing these photos online has helped her on days when she doesn’t feel good – either mentally or emotionally about her body.
Sara concluded it’s normal and human to have bad body image days as it’s impossible to love and be happy with ourselves 24/7.
It’s also human for emotions to change; therefore, we shouldn’t be hard on ourselves when these days come.
