If you went up to someone and asked them how much they weigh, you'd probably end up with a black eye and a slew of dirty looks, but one woman is calling upon the internet to open up about their weight, and it has nothing to do with the number on the scale [1]. The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil launched the I Weigh movement [2] in March after noticing the comments section of a post discussing the Kardashian sisters' weights [3].
"I clicked on the comments, and it was so many girls freaking out about their weight. Something in me snapped. Whatever you think about the Kardashians, these are still businesswomen, and even they are being reduced to nothing more than pounds and kilograms," Jameela told The Lily in April. For starters, they weigh multiple business ventures, the gift of motherhood [4], and an amazing work ethic, yet the internet often judges them based on their bodies. So, what did Jameela do? She started the I Weigh movement to inspire people to share the gifts and struggles that they weigh, whether they're related to religion, sexuality, or mental health, because we are so much more than our physical appearance.
The movement is infiltrating the heavily filtered view we often get with one scroll on Instagram, and it's truly powerful. "It was already toxic when celebrities and models were supposed to look [a certain way], but now because of social media, it's leveled the playing field," she said. "Now, we're all supposed to look like that. It's gone mad." Shameless actress Emmy Rossum shared her own I Weigh photo [6], explaining that she weighs "drive, kindness, empathy, Jewish and proud, the courage it takes every day to overcome PTSD" and so much more.
Weight can fluctuate, but the person who we are inside remains the same, and that's what we should be proud of. Read on to see how the internet is rallying behind the I Weigh movement, and prepare to feel inspired to share what you weigh.