Chloe Bailey.Photo: Peace of Mind with Taraji
Chloe Baileyhas essentially grown up online — she launched her singing career at age 10 on YouTube — and the negativity she endured had asignificant effect on her self-esteem.
The singer, 23, spoke with actress Taraji P. Henson on her Facebook Watch showPeace of Mind with Tarajiabout how she has learned to deal with social media body shaming.
“I’ve been like, really insecure for a long time, and I’m finally at that place where I have self-confidence,” Bailey said.
“I think there was a collective of them and I can’t sit here and lie and say, ‘Oh, I’m bulletproof, nothing hurt me,’ because it honestly did,” she said. “And I think what hurt me the most was when I would see some post saying how I’m doing this for male attention, or I’m just trying to sell sex to get attention for myself.”
“And at first I was really getting sad about it,” she continued. “But then I thought — why would I let that control my thoughts and feelings when I know it’s a lie. So I kind of had to give it not so much power. I’m not doing anything crazy; I’m just loving and appreciating my body and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
Bailey saidshe’s started posting more body-conscious photos of herselfon Instagram as she’s developed more confidence, but that it took time.
“They were talking about me posting my body,” Bailey said. “And ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always been curvy, to the point where sometimes it was my biggest insecurity. I remember the first time I got stretch marks. I was 12 at this field trip and we were hiking. I’m like, ‘What is this?’ I still have them all on my thighs.”
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Bailey said, though, that she no longer worries about them.
“As I’ve gotten older, I have learned to really appreciate my curves. I love my stretch marks. Every time I have a photoshoot I’m like, ‘No, don’t airbrush the stretch marks cause I like them.’ "
Bailey said she’s proud of how her confidence has grown.
“I used to think that I wasn’t very strong. But I’ve learned that I’m a pretty strong woman,” she said. “I’ve learned to say no to things that I don’t agree with, I’m learning to find my own voice, and it is so powerful and liberating. And it’s only going to get stronger and louder.
source: people.com
