Stretch Marks are Normal. Stop Shaming Women Who Have Them.

Women get stretch marks all the time. From weight gain, pregnancy, changes and many other reasons. I get them. My mom got them. It's all so normal but it's 2021 and we are still shaming women for having them. Actor Malaika Arora Khan was trolled for letting her stretch marks show below her short t-shirt. Some social media users called her 'old' while another person said that if Malaika was getting old she could have tried 'some cream to iron the stretch marks.' Another user commented, "Was this caption necessary?" showing the attention her stretch marks received which would have otherwise escaped people's notice. But why not? What's wrong is showing stretch marks? Why are Malaika Arora stretch marks the talk of the town?

 

 

 

 

 

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Normalise Stretch Marks

Stretch marks occur post pregnancy and its okay to not get rid of them. For many men and women they also occur when people lose weight. If women are comfortable with the marks and are okay to flaunt them, we should applaud them and not ridicule them. One of Malaika's fans said, "These people bitching Malaika and praising Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Aniston!!! Hypocrisy is at its height!!!!".

Women alone don't get stretch marks. Men get them too. Anyone with skin on them gets stretch marks when they lose weight or gain it. Stretch marks could also be hereditary. If you believe you are not uncomfortable with them on your body, you can consult a doctor and try to remove them. After all, its your body and you get to choose but no one should give in to shaming.  

Here's what other celebrities said about their stretch marks

• Jameela Jamil : "Boob stretch marks are a normal, beautiful thing. I have stretch marks all over my body and I hereby rename them all Babe Marks. They are a sign my body dared to take up extra space in a society that demands our eternal thinness. They are my badge of honour for resisting society’s weaponizing of the female form. ❤️ ps. My face is white because I wear spf 100 sunscreen like a boss. 🤓 PS. LOVE YOUR BROWN SKIN. I tan responsibly but I love to tan! I love to embrace and celebrate my heritage. This skin bleaching and whitening should be banned. It’s inherently racist, classist and emotionally very damaging."

Malaika Arora stretch marks: Why the big deal and why shame her?

• Lexi Mendi - "I was thinking thrice if I wanted to keep this photo or dump it in the bin...ONLY because of my tiger stripes. I caught myself right before tossing it and just could. not. believe. how I let myself get so insecure about something so natural!!! It's taken me quite a while (23 yrs to be exact) but putting this out there to remind myself and everyone that it's really nothing to get all worked up or feel weird about. here's to learning to love the lines 💫"
   
• Iskra Lawrence - "✨💕 oh hey there.. Yes this is clearly a booty pic but do you see why? Because I haven't airbrushed my tiger stripe stretch marks 🐯 or my cellulite lightening bolts ⚡️ or my back fat 🌮🍔🍕because this is my body, I love it it's real and I love posting pictures showing how confident I am because society has taught us we have "flaws" and I'm telling you who gives a.. Because you are more than your body and you get to decide what beauty is❤️"
• Kayla Itsines - "Hey chicks!!! This one is for the ladies asking me if I have stretch marks anywhere, yes I sure do 😍😘..... and if any of my friends or family are on here you know how much I love them!! I am a woman, and I am proud to be one and have these marks! Some of us wont have any at all, some will have them just like me and others will be completely different. We all have them, mine are on the sides of my legs.... for now 😝 I'm sure when I decide to have some babies, I'll get some more - but hey, #thisisme! My beautiful bubba will be so much more important than a few lines on my bod! 👌"-