Inspiring woman stood in her underwear on the street to promote body-positivity

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A woman publicly stripped to her underwear in Piccadilly Circus, London on Sunday to promote body-positivity. Jae West, who once struggled with an eating disorder, stood blindfolded on the corner of the street in front of a sign that read:

"I'm standing for anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder like me ... to support self-acceptance, draw a [heart] on my body."

West struggled with an eating disorder throughout both high school and college and has since worked to advocate for body-positivite mentalities. She was inspired by Amanda Palmer's TED talk "The Art of Asking," in which Palmer stripped to her underwear and asked her fans to write on her. West wrote of the inspiring TED talk:

"That night as I was going to bed, the idea of linking the vulnerability of nudity with self-esteem issues in a public setting came to mind. Just the thought of looking down at my body and seeing it covered in love hearts from other people brought tears to my eyes. It was a reality check of how harsh we can be on ourselves, we really can be our own worst critics. The unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves can cause us to reject the love that others openly give because of a feeling of unworthiness."

On Sunday, West put her pillow thoughts to action. She exposed herself to the world in hopes of being received in a positive and loving manner. As she stood vulnerable on the street corner, hesitant onlookers began warming up to her. They provided the support and encouragement she sought by covering her body in hearts and kind words.

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We can all take a note from West and enable others to help us reverse even our most self-conscious thoughts and feelings. Kindness from strangers can clearly go a very long way.

Watch this video to learn how to spread body-positivity:

How Teens Can Use Social Media To Spread Body Positivity
How Teens Can Use Social Media To Spread Body Positivity

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