6 months ago, actress and activist Jameela Jamil shared a response to a post about the Kardashian sisters’ weights, by sharing what she weighs on Instagram: “Lovely relationship, great friends, I laugh every day, I love my job, I make an honest living, I’m financially independent, I speak out for women’s right, I like my bingo wings, I like myself in spite of EVERYTHING I’ve been taught by the media to hate myself about.”
And just like that, the “I Weigh” movement was born.
Having grown out of the desire for women, “to finally be recognized for who they are rather than just what they look like and whether or not they fit into societies extremely narrative constructs as to what is definitively acceptable,” the movement comes at a time when women’s efforts are gaining traction, from #MeToo to increased political power, the March on Washington and more.
The Instagram account @i_weigh has nearly 150,000 followers, and the bio reads “[the movement is] for us to feel valuable and see how amazing we are, and look beyond the flesh on our bones.”
On the popular podcast “Ways to Change the World,” Jamil’s interview spoke volumes about the state of women’s aesthetics being their defining characteristic and why a wake-up call for equality is so important.
“It feels like women are being bombarded with self hatred and we are encouraged to hate ourselves and criticize ourselves all day long,” Jamil said.
She continues to mention the better ways to spend time than worrying about physical appearances: focusing on family, career, happiness, wellbeing and mental health, and the dangers of social media in the privacy of day-to-day life.
“You’re alone in the safety of your own bed, and this toxicity pours in through adverts, other people’s feeds, and younger and younger people have mobile phones now,” Jamil said.
Where do we go from here? Fulfillment and supporting one another, according to the actress.
“Please remember you have every right to be here, and your life is important and it is precious, and on your deathbed you aren’t going to be thinking about your love handles. I love women and we deserve so much more than this. We can do better. We have to. We can win the revolution against shame.”