Ever since she became an immediate fan favorite and huge success in 2014 thanks to Jane the Virgin, Gina Rodriguez quickly found her way into the hearts of pretty much everyone. If you're not a fan or know nothing about the 31-year-old actor, then you need to correct that immediately. As supporters of the star know, Rodriguez never fails in inspiring others, especially when it comes to promoting body confidence. In celebration of that, let's look at some quotes from Gina Rodriguez about body image positivity that will hopefully help everyone recognize that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
On more than one occasion, the Golden Globe-winning actor has shown how important it is for everyone to recognize their beauty inside and out. In a world where there is so much focus on physical appearance, including whether or not someone is "straight size" or "plus size", Rodriguez is changing things for the better.
There's no doubt that she feels extra pressure as a woman in Hollywood to look a certain way, but Rodriguez continues to defy the so-called "norm" of beauty in the entertainment industry, and continues to push back against body shamers in a powerful way.
So, let's honor Rodriguez and how she sees beauty with her quotes about body image.
1. When She Praised Her Women's Health Cover
As the May 2016 cover star of Women's Health, it's something Rodriguez never thought would happen. She took to Instagram to not only praise her cover, but to show women that we all stand united in the fight against bad body image. "My curves are healthy and strong and I work hard to feel good in my skin, I work hard to combat the images that make me go inward and destroy my self acceptance/confidence," part of her IG caption reads. "No longer will I allow those lies to win. Beauty belongs to everyone."
2. When Her Father Gave Great Beauty Advice
In 2015, she opened up to HuffPost Live about what her father taught her about beauty. She said,
Beauty was very much on my mind. I had a father that would — we would look up at billboards and he would say, "That’s one version of beauty. You’re another version of beauty. And she’s a version of beauty. And that girl? She’s another version of beauty." He always said that beauty came from within, and as much as you’re younger and you’re [sarcastically] like, "Yeah, beauty comes from within” — no, beauty does come from within. I’ve met some of the most beautiful people, and sadly their heart is just not smiling, and that destroys it all. And then other people that aesthetically aren’t considered as beautiful are the most gorgeous people I’ve ever seen in my life.
3. When She Spoke Against Photoshopping
In April 2016, Kerry Washington appeared on the cover of AdWeek. However, many noticed that the actor did not look like herself on the cover, which the Scandal star addressed and she also spoke out against photoshopping. Rodriguez supported Washington's comments and shared on Instagram,
I want to commend my beautiful and honest friend @kerrywashington for speaking so eloquently regarding Photoshopping. And not just for herself but for our entire society who can get carried away with the meaning of beauty. There is a sense of loss of oneself, an introspective act of whether one is enough and ultimately a helplessness because you no longer can control an image of yourself. Kerry you are stunning both inside and out.
4. When She Addressed Her Flaws
During her interview with Women's Health, Rodriguez admitted that she has imperfections — and that's OK. "I’m trying to use my social media as a way to communicate that I’m flawed and that I’m OK with it," she said. "It’s a very strange feeling to be OK with a little cellulite or a little extra anything. I don’t look at it and feel terrified anymore, and my confidence changed because of that. I carry myself differently."
5. When She Wanted Women To Love Themselves
"It’s like we women consciously decide we’re going to be mean to ourselves," she also told Women's Health. "But you’re your own hero, not some image you can’t live up to." And she's a hero for putting that out there.
6. When Her Mother Taught Her An Important Life Lesson
While chatting with People in March 2015, she discussed how not only does her father promote a positive body image, but so does her mom. "My mom is so beautiful and never wears any makeup. She would say, 'You want a man to love you for who you are, not what you look like or what you're covered up by.'" She continued, "My parents really encouraged us to have confidence in who we are and accept who we are because it is not going to change and we are beautiful."
7. When She Decided It's OK To Not Play The Game
"As a woman in this industry, we are constantly being pressured to look a certain way and to get our hair and nails and makeup done and live up to these images that aren’t conducive to a healthy mind," she also told People. "But I have to remember that this is a game. And if the game says I should be looking like this, then I just don't play that role. And that's OK."
8. When She Called Out Hollywood's Expectations
"If you look like a swimsuit model then you're hot and everybody's going to want you and money's going to flow through, and everything's going to be grand and dandy. And that's bullsh*t," she told Yahoo! Style in March 2016 of the expectations of having the "perfect body" in Hollywood. Rodriguez continued, "You go to television and film, and, it does add 10 lbs., and, I don't look like a skinny mini, and, the truth is, that's OK too, and that is beautiful also."
9. When She Finally Became Her Own Hero
After appearing in Cosmo for Latinas in November 2015, Rodriguez took to Instagram to express how grateful she was for the cover and the images. For those unaware, the actor lives with Hashimoto's disease, which affects the thyroid. "This one was difficult for me, as many women can understand because I am showing more skin then I am used to," she said about the above photo from Cosmo for Latinas. She continued,
As a woman with hashimotos, my struggle with health and weight and body acceptance in this industry has been a loving, painful, growing, exposing, vulnerable and incredible journey. And to come to a place where I love the skin I am in and it isn't defined by anyone's expectations or limitations is beyond freeing. I love this picture because I feel like young Gina finally made herself her own hero.
I think it's safe to say that Gina has also become a hero when it comes to promoting body image in a healthy and positive way.
