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Meet the new (ultrathin) champions of body positivity

Meet the new (ultrathin) champions of body positivity

A new cultural ideal for women is ultrathin and cloaked in the language of inclusivity and self-acceptance. Some see it as a sneaky contradiction.

Influencer Clara Dao amassed 2.9 million followers on TikTok by encouraging flat-chested women to embrace their look – then revealed a set of breast implants and started a new brand around her unwavering acceptance of her new body.  

Recently, Instagram led me to the account of a very thin social media influencer. I would not usually begin an article with a description of the subject’s body, but in this case, it’s also her personal brand. She often appears in luxury apartments or hotels, modelling club wear while filming skits about how heterosexual men and women ought to relate to one another – pretty standard fare for an Instagram model in 2025.

The twist? She identifies as disadvantaged, a survivor of adolescent bullying over her slender frame who has become a champion of “body positivity” for the ultrathin. In one video, she lists her height and weight in the corner of the image as she films herself stretching in athleisure; in another, she works to “boost the confidence of girls with a slim body type” by celebrating her own “small waist”, sharp jaw and prominent collarbone.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/meet-the-new-ultrathin-champions-of-body-positivity-20250501-p5lvs1