In the last year, there’s been an increase in movements encouraging people to love the parts of themselves that have previously been regarded as ‘flaws’.
Think acne, body hair, stretch marks and cellulite. But there’s one body part that seems to have been left off the body positive band wagon.
The nose.
So UK journalist and author Radhika Sanghani set to do something about it.
In an article for Grazia last week, she launched the #SideProfileSelfie campaign.
There are currently over 1500 photos posted under the hashtag.
“I’ve had some really beautiful messages saying things like ‘I’ve hated my nose for 30 years and now I’ve seen this campaign I’ve started to change my mind’,” she told the podcast.
In her article for Grazia, Sanghani points out that while men with strong noses are commonplace, females are often ridiculed for theirs.
“There just aren’t enough larger-nosed ladies with stereotypically ‘hot’ roles in movies or ad campaigns to make us think an aquiline profile can be pretty,” she wrote.
“My theory is beauty standards have lauded small noses over big ones because they fit in with the idea of women being delicate, dainty and not taking up space. But we’re not. We’re bold, strong, and we can take up as much space as we want, even with our bodies.”
Participants of the hashtag have been sharing their own stories about their feelings towards their noses.
“I was bullied all through sixth grade for my nose. people called me a horse. I used to be pretty self conscious about it but yesterday I just got a nose piercing so not anymore,” wrote one Twitter user.
Here’s to women loving their noses – whatever they look like.