Today, I looked at two semi-naked bodies of famous women on my phone. Both photos were posted by the women themselves.

One was in lingerie. One was nude.

One made me feel happy. One made me think FFS.

Here are the photos:

Image via Instagram/KimKardashian

Context is important here so let me give you some. The photos of Lena in her undies went out with a piece she wrote for her Lenny newsletter about why she will no longer allow photographers or magazines to digitally alter her image. Having been shocked to see this old photo of herself on a foreign magazine, stretched, carved and digitally altered to the point where she didn’t recognise her own body, she has decided not to allow any shots of her to be retouched from now on.

The images of herself in undies she posted with her piece about her decision were, obviously, not retouched and showed a very different body to the one on the magazine. Ironically, since they were just her in her undies, the images were defiant and subversive. She was making a point.

Kim’s nude selfie didn’t seem to have a purpose beyond showing the world how much weight she’s lost since having her second child a couple of months ago. It was defiant in another way. It said: “I’m not fat, bitches. I’ve lost weight and I’ve brought sexy BACK.”

Oh where to start.

Lena Dunham often publishes photos of her body and portrays it in varying states of nakedness on her show, Girls.

She has always received the most heinous abuse for doing this, for daring to be comfortable with a body that is routinely described in the most disgusting ways. Many women say seeing Dunham’s body nude or semi-nude or even just in a skirt or bikini is empowering. It makes them feel good. I’m one of them. Dunham’s is one of the only female bodies I see in popular culture that I can remotely recognise from my own mirror and from looking at the other women in my world.

Lena Dunham's Selfies.

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

via Instagram/lenadunham

Simply put, Lena Dunham’s body and the bodies of women on shows like Girls and Transparent and Inside Amy Schumer make me feel better about myself.

This is not their job. Just like it’s not the job of Victoria’s Secret models to make me feel better about myself. I know that.

But it’s a happy by-product of women who are brave enough (not Malala brave, I know it’s relative) to display bodies that don’t conform to the claustrophobically narrow beauty standard society sets for women.

And you know why it’s brave when Lena Dunham publishes a photo of herself in her undies or when she shows her saggy boobs or dimply bottom on Girls? Because it’s transgressive.

She’s not model thin. She’s not fitspo ripped. She’s not Hollywood perfect.

Lena Dunham’s body, dressed or undressed, is a bit of a statement. One she cops huge backlash and abuse for making, every single time.

That can’t be fun. And yet she does it anyway. Why? I’d like to think it’s as a gift to other women (that’s certainly a by-product) and a way to show the rest of us we’re not invisible if we don’t conform to size 0 sexy standards. I think it’s also probably because she believes her body doesn’t define her. She’s an award winning actress, writer and producer. She’s not defined by the way she looks.

Which brings me to Kim Kardashian and her latest nude selfie.

Now I’m trying to challenge myself here. I’m trying not to be all eye-rolly and “bloody hell, can you just put your booty AWAY” because that would be easy and that’s certainly my default position when it comes to the social media posing and preening (and photo-scamming shopping) of the Kardashians.

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian 13

Kim Kardashian 5

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian

Image via Instagram @kimkardashian