This Campaign Is Combatting The Beach Body Complex

These days, we're slowly starting to pay attention to the fact that bodies come in different sizes, and that said fact should be OK. And as of yesterday, the All Shapes campaign — a new body positive social media page based in New York City — is fighting against the "Are You Beach Body Ready?" advertisements by Protein World that prompted British feminists to to turn to vandalism a couple of months ago. Clearly not learning a lesson after the ads so heavily backfired in the U.K., the campaign continued its way to America to shame more people and ignore the backlash that it had already received.

Luckily, journalist Rula Al-Nasrawi, with her two friends Rod Bastanmehr and Steph Singer, realized that although everyone separately loathed these hateful ads that had appeared over New York, nobody had yet banded together to do anything about them. Through their passion against body shaming and this particular brand of marketed body shaming, the three started their All Shapes campaign on Instagram.

Although their first post — consisting of co-founder Al-Nasrawi posing in her bikini clad beach body, holding a sign of "YES" to declare that she is beach body ready — was posted less than 24 hours ago, the campaign is building momentum. Already showcasing 12 pictures and 22 "YES" posters, All Shapes is showcasing locals who refuse to be forced into changing their bodies, just to make them "suitable" for the beach. How do you make your body into a beach body? By putting it on a beach! Or in All Shapes' case, determining that you won't allow an advertising campaign to dictate your right to sunbathe.

The project is barely just beginning, but Al-Nasrawi wants all fans to know that the campaign is open to submissions. Just take a picture with your "YES" sign and tag @all.shapes in your Instagram post. As much as Protein World's bright yellow ads may only be affecting self esteems in the N.Y.C. area at the minute, body shaming based on the ideal "bikini body" is a problem everywhere and this campaign rings true for all, whether you've seen the advertisements or not.

All Shapes is also looking to start a new hashtag on Instagram to fight against beach-themed body shaming — #NoOneBody. The clue's in the name, but these campaigners are hoping to dispel the myth of the "right" body type for the beach.

There is no one type of beach body, but all shapes and sizes are beach ready. So get your best body positive bikini on and start snapping with your YES signs for All Shapes; because yes, you are ready for the beach (and ready to be away from anyone trying to lower your self esteem).

Images: All Shapes/Instagram