Tired of seeing thin influencers contorting their bodies in ways to appear larger for “body-positive” posts, Raffela Mancuso took to Instagram to share her frustration.
Her Instagram stories started receiving a lot of feedback, so she pulled the content together in a post.
It went viral!
We should absolutely celebrate all body shapes and sizes! But, with that said, a thin person showing one roll when they lean forward shouldn’t be the prime example of what body positivity looks like online. And for so long, that has been the case.
As a result, influencers in smaller bodies often get brand partnerships and exposure that plus size people, especially BIPOC fat activists, don’t receive.
Raffela received a lot of praise for speaking up, especially from fellow plus size people who shared her frustration.
She worked so hard as an aspiring influencer to get her voice out into the world. And it was finally happening!
Yet, as she watched her Instagram following explode, she also faced tremendous harassment, including people creating YouTube videos to rip her apart.
In the end, a lot of good came from calling attention to how we view body positivity online.
During episode 161 of the Plus Mommy Podcast, Raffela Mancuso shares what it was like to go viral. She talks about the good that came from her speaking up, the harassment she received, and her hopes for continuing this conversation. Raffela also discusses her passion for destigmatizing mental health struggles and her love of plus size fashion.
Recording & Show Notes: Plus Mommy Podcast Episode 161
Transcript happily provided upon request.
Resources Mentioned On The Show:
- Connect with via Instagtam and Patreon.
- Beyond Before And After With Sarah Nicole Landry Of The Birds Papaya
Raffela is a mental illness and fat liberation activist who uses social media to center people who are living in marginalized bodies, while also sharing about her own personal journey. You can find her on practically any social media platform at @raffela_mancuso or sign up to her Patreon at Patreon.com/raffela