We already knew that Chrissy Teigen has some massive power over the internet. I mean, this is the woman whose crying face meme went viral in pretty much a millisecond after the Golden Globes, so yeah, whatever she says, goes. But the model and veritable Instagram goddess went viral for a different reason last week when she posted a selfie of her stretch marks on Instagram (adorably calling them "stretchies"), which in turn inspired women all over the world to post their own, so now #LoveYourLines is trending on Instagram to celebrate stretch marks.
I basically want to fist bump the entire internet for this. This trend is one of the most powerful body positive movements we've seen hit social media in a while. Women are fearlessly and unapologetically showing off their "tiger stripes," showing not just the inherent beauty of their stretch marks, but sharing the journeys that helped them earn those stretch marks. Instagram just became a triumphant journal entry for women everywhere, who will be able to scroll through these photos and see pieces of themselves and their own journeys in every single one of them.
These women prove that stretch marks are nothing short of a product of a life well-lived—not just their lives, but the lives they brought into the world. And what is so stunning about them is just how unique each woman's stretch marks are to her, and how they choose to celebrate them. Instagram is basically a body positivity parade today, and we should all be proud of ourselves for owning the beauty of stretch marks and standing up against a culture that would just as easily airbrush them into obscurity.
