There are so many things in the world that we may admire or even get inspired by, but there’s one main thing we may want to fall in love with before we start noticing the beauty of other things. It’s our own reflection in the mirror. Among all the numerous recipes for conjuring up self-love within ourselves, psychologists advise us to never compare ourselves to others and stop caring about other people’s opinions. Actress and producer Lena Dunham knows a lot about cultivating love for her own body despite all the criticism she faced, and she happily shares her journey with us all.
Lena Dunham doesn’t accept the term “body positivity,” and here’s why.
Actress and writer Lena Dunham has recently added another string to her bow and collaborated with the brand 11 Honoré to create a plus-size clothing collection. But the very term “plus size” frustrates Lena, and so is the term “body positivity.” In one of her Instagram posts, she explains that she feels more “body tolerant” than “body positive.”
In her interview, Dunham said, “The thing that’s complicated about the body-positive movement is it can be for the privileged few who have a body that looks the way people want to feel positive. We want curvy bodies that look like Kim Kardashian has been up-sized slightly. We want big beautiful butts and big beautiful breasts and no cellulite and faces that look like you could smack them onto thin women.”
Dunham has a very special relationship with her own body.
Dunhams path to self-love started with a decade-long journey with endometriosis. Since she started her own fight against it, she has been candidly sharing how it influenced both her emotional health and her relationship with her own body image. In her Instagram post, she emotionally described how she fluctuated between loving her body and the opposite.
She wrote, “Ya know when you’re home alone, and you realize you’d be happier in a hot lil’ onesie than your ketchup and cat food stained pajamas? And it’s not about a boy or a photo shoot or a weight loss before-and-after, it’s just for the feeling of glee you get from dressing your one and only corporeal form in pleasing fabrics, the unique pleasure of admiring the twists and turns of the body that loves the heck out of you even when you don’t love it.”
Dunham is powerfully addressing all people who come to her page with criticism.
In 2021, Dunham tied the knot with musician Luis Felber. It was such a darling event for her that she wore 3 wedding dresses to marry her love and shared the photos on her Instagram. However, she started getting some “gnarly” comments in her feed from people who commented on her body and appearance. The actress didn’t hesitate for a minute to address them with a powerful message.
She wrote, “One narrative I take issue with, largely because it’s a story I don’t want other women, other people, to get lodged in their heads, is that I should somehow be criticized because my body has changed since I was last on television. […] But lastly, when will we learn to stop equating thinness with health/happiness?”
Dunham’s powerful message can be echoed in the hearts of many.
For all people who have ever hesitated about embracing their body image, Dunham has some simple yet wise advice. She says, “Of course weight loss can be the result of positive change in habits, but guess what? So can weight gain. The pics I’m being compared to are from when I was with an undiagnosed illness. In the last 4 years, I’ve begun my life as someone who aspires toward health and not just achievement.
These changes have allowed me to be the kind of sister/friend/daughter that I want to be and yes — meet my husband (who, by the way, doesn’t recognize me in those old photos because he sees how dimmed my light was). I say this for any other person whose appearance has been changed with time, illness, or circumstance — it’s okay to live in your present body without treating it as transitional. I am, and I’m really enjoying it. Love you all.”
Do you find Lena Dunham’s example inspiring? What do you love the most about your appearance?
Preview photo credit Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images, lenadunham / Instagram
Test your eyesight: What pants is the guy wearing?
Optical illusions have a way of playing tricks on our minds, making us question what we see. A recent viral image has sparked debate and confusion across social media. At first glance, it appears as though the man in the picture is wearing tight white shorts, but if you look closely, something seems off. The question remains: What pants is the guy actually wearing?
Are you ready to test your observation skills and solve this mind-bending puzzle? Let’s break it down step by step!
Take a Closer Look: Can You Spot the Optical Illusion?
At first, the image seems straightforward—a couple is hugging near a beachside hut. The man, facing away from the camera, appears to be wearing tight, white shorts that seem out of place. However, many viewers instantly feel that something is off.
Is he really wearing those shorts, or is there something else at play here? Before you read ahead, take a moment to analyze the image carefully. What do you notice?
Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Optical Illusion
Now that we’ve identified the common mistakes, let’s analyze the image carefully to reveal the truth.
Step 1: Identify the Man’s Real Pants
The man is actually wearing black and white shorts. However, because of their design and how the woman is positioned, they create the illusion of a different type of clothing.
Video : 9 Tricky Tasks to Check How Good Your Vision Is
Step 2: Spot the Overlapping Elements
Look closely at the woman’s legs and shorts. Her light-colored shorts align perfectly with the shape of the man’s pants, creating the illusion that he is wearing something different.
Step 3: Notice the Illusion Created by Width and Shadows
The width of the shorts plays a key role in deceiving the eye. The black parts of his actual shorts blend into the background, while the white sections align with the woman’s clothing, reinforcing the illusion.
Step 4: Adjust Your Perception and See the Truth
Once you recognize how the illusion works, it becomes impossible to unsee it! The man is not actually wearing tight white shorts—instead, his black and white shorts have been cleverly masked by the position of the woman’s outfit and the contrast in colors.
Why Do Optical Illusions Like This Fool Us?
The brain processes visual information by identifying patterns and filling in gaps. This is why optical illusions can easily trick us—they exploit our brain’s tendency to make quick judgments based on incomplete data.
- Gestalt Psychology explains that our minds seek to organize visual elements into familiar shapes. In this case, the brain merges different elements (the woman’s clothing and the man’s pants) into one.
- Figure-Ground Perception plays a role by making us focus on what we perceive as the main subject while ignoring background elements.
- Color and Contrast Tricks manipulate the way we distinguish separate objects in an image. Bright colors pop more, making us misinterpret their true form.
What Can This Puzzle Teach Us?
Beyond being a fun challenge, this optical illusion is a great example of how our perception isn’t always reliable. It teaches us to:
✅ Look at things from multiple perspectives before making a judgment.
✅ Pay attention to details that may initially seem unimportant.
✅ Understand how our brains can be fooled by positioning, lighting, and contrast.
Video : WHAT NUMBER DO YOU SEE? – 98% FAIL
Challenge Your Friends: Can They Spot the Illusion?
Now that you’ve cracked the mystery, it’s time to put your friends and family to the test! Share this image with them and ask:
👉 What pants is the guy wearing?
Watch as they struggle to make sense of it—just like you did at first!
Final Thought: Keep Training Your Brain!
Optical illusions like this one remind us that things aren’t always what they seem. Whether you love solving puzzles, enjoy testing your observation skills, or just like a good brain teaser, challenges like these are a great way to keep your mind sharp.
So, the next time you see an image that makes you do a double take, take a moment to analyze it—you never know when your brain might be playing tricks on you!
Did you spot the trick right away, or did it take you a while? Drop your answer in the comments and let’s see how many people got fooled!
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