This archive report was first published on 6 September 2019.
On September 5, 2019, American singer Demi Lovato made a bold statement by sharing a picture of herself in a leopard print bikini, unedited and unapologetic.
She revealed that she had always been editing her bikini photos to give the illusion of a perfect body, but was tired of feeling ashamed of her natural appearance.
‘This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it’s CELLULIT!!!!’ Lovato wrote on Instagram, adding that she was ‘tired of being ashamed of my body, editing it so that others think I’m THEIR idea of what beautiful is, but it’s just not me.'
She also shared her struggles with diet programs and workout sessions, saying that she was ‘miserable on some crazy diet shit’ and was ‘terrified of REAL cake’.
Lovato’s decision to break free from unrealistic beauty standards comes after a year of struggling with substance abuse and a near-fatal overdose in 2018.
‘I want this new chapter in my life to be about being authentic to who I am rather than trying to meet someone else’s standards,’ she said.
Her post has sparked a conversation about body positivity and self-acceptance, with many fans praising Lovato for her courage and honesty.
