TikTok starAddison Rae Easterling spoke to Glamour Magazine about unrealistic body standards.- She said the cruellest comments she receives are about her appearance.
- Easterling, who just turned 20, said she is still learning not to compare herself to others.
TikTok star
She spoke about the hateful comments that she finds the most triggering in an interview with Glamour Magazine, saying, "A lot of it has to do with
"It's a really hard thing to deal with when you're a girl, especially going through your teens," she said. "I am 20 and my body is constantly changing, but people have this high standard around body image and say, 'Oh, you have to look like this to look great or to look hot or to be cool or to be pretty.'"
She said people often give her a "backhanded compliment" in telling her how comfortable she is that she doesn't fit the "beauty standard" or "look perfect."
"It hurts sometimes when people say that, because I think everyone's perfect, so why is there some standard of 'this body is the ideal body'?" she said. "I have thought a lot in the past year that it doesn't really define me and I am learning to love my body and who I am, for what I am."
Easterling added that she is still learning not to compare herself to all the other beautiful women in the limelight.
"I used to ask myself, 'Why doesn't my body look like that? Or why isn't my hair that way? Or why is my face this way?'" she said. "Or even feature-wise, sometimes I would just really look at myself and pick myself apart for no reason."
She said, like everyone, she hasn't been eating the best during the coronavirus pandemic, and hasn't been working out as much, "but we need to give ourselves grace."
Young TikTok stars are continually receiving comments about the way they look
Young TikTok stars with millions of followers are all subjected to hate comments and excessive critiques of their looks. Charli D'Amelio, the biggest TikToker in the world with over 100 million followers, has pleaded with her audience to stop talking about her body multiple times.
Back in April, 2020, Easterling spoke out against hurtful comments in a series of tweets.
She said she kept seeing people referring to her as "fat" and "a whale" and it was making her feel bad about herself.
"I've seen 5-10 tweets and TikToks today talking negatively about my body and weight," she said. "It makes me feel insecure, but luckily I'm looking at it in a different light."
Easterling said she would use the comments as motivation rather than letting them get her down.
"I've been very motivated to start eating better and working out every day to become the healthiest version of myself," she said, and inspired her fans to do the same - to ignore hateful comments and love themselves.
"It definitely hurts," She said. "I just want to encourage everyone who hears these things about themselves to love yourself!! If you are healthy and happy, do NOT listen to these hurtful comments. You are perfect."