Mahalia Handley has a face you might recognise; she's an internationally regarded model who has has worked for some of the world's biggest brands, and she's also an activist who tirelessly campaigns for more diversity and inclusion in the modelling industry.
But this interview is about something else: Body Dysmorphic Disorder. BDD is an illness that makes people who experience it incredibly anxious about perceived flaws in their appearance, and Mahalia is open and candid about her diagnosis and treatment.
In this interview (which was recorded pre-lockdown) Em and Lucy discuss with Mahalia about how she manages her BDD when modelling, how social media plays into it and why she still loves her job.
Trigger Warning: we discuss eating disorders extensively in this episode. If you need any support please visit visit The Butterfly Foundation at butterfly.org.au/ or call 1800 33 4673.
Thank you to our guest Mahalia Handley and Vivien's Model Management.
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This episode was produced by Emmeline Peterson
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.