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Best friends become Insta-famous after trolls inspire them to set up body-positive Instagram

Two best friends have turned criticism about their body shapes into an inspiring Instagram account [Photo: Instagram/Any.Body_co]
Two best friends have turned criticism about their body shapes into an inspiring Instagram account [Photo: Instagram/Any.Body_co]

More often than not best friends share a lot. Same silly sense of humour, same penchant for Prosecco, same guilty addiction to trash TV. Standard. But, besties don’t necessarily have the same body shapes.

Take Kate Wasley and Georgia Gibbs for example. The BFFs are both models from Australia, but their body shapes are quite different. While Georgia is a UK size 6, Kate is a UK size 16. But while their body differences are no biggie for the duo (and why would it be?), for some people it’s an issue.

When Georgia recently posted an image of the pair to Instagram it received some criticism, with some accusing Georgia of photoshopping the picture to make herself slimmer or her friend bigger.

But instead of rolling their eyes at the haters or getting into an online spat, the pair decided to use the experience to set up a body-positive Instagram account that not only celebrates friendship, but also women of all different body shapes.

Best friends or sisters? ???? @any.body_co #LOVEanyBODY ????????

A post shared by Any Body ???? (@any.body_co) on Mar 10, 2017 at 2:14pm PST

Reposting the original image that sparked the scrutiny, Georgia explained in a caption how hurtful they’d found the comments and why it sparked the idea for the new Instagram.

“We posted this picture online, just as best friends going out on the weekend, it got reposted a lot and the controversy started,” she wrote.

“‘You have photoshopped yourself thinner or your friend bigger, what kind of friend are you?’ was one of the comments. It broke my heart because Kate and I are best friends, why would I do that?”

“The fact that a simple picture of two people together went so viral purely because of their body types shocked me… and @any.body_co was created because no one should have to deal with that and it shouldn’t even be acknowledged,” she continued.

“All I see here is two women… not one ‘skinny’ woman and one ‘curvy’ woman. Stop comparing everyone to each other and accept every person as beautiful in their own right.”

You have so much more to offer than just what's skin deep???? #LoveAnyBODY @chrismohen

A post shared by Any Body ???? (@any.body_co) on Mar 15, 2017 at 10:53pm PDT

If we were to write a blog what would be the top 3 things you would want to know? ???????? #LoveAnyBODY

A post shared by Any Body ???? (@any.body_co) on Mar 15, 2017 at 7:51am PDT

Since launching the empowering account has received an amazing response, clocking up over 82.3K followers and receiving hundreds of comments from people praising the pair for spreading their positive message.

“Perfect. The world needs change it’s view on body image,” one follower wrote.

“Love this and love the movement so much and the message you are putting across,” added another.

“You perfectly represent the kind of positive vibes that social networks badly need,” another fan wrote.

Keep preaching ladies. Keep preaching.

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