Australian actress Caitlin Stasey has started ‘Herself.com’, an online photo project that encourages women to be proud of their bodies.
Stasey was inspired to come up with the website as a space for women of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, sexual orientation and gender identities to share their experiences. She was also spurred to create it as a rebuttal to the unrealistic beauty standards women are often held up to in society.
“I wanted to feature women from all walks of life in the hope that women who rarely see themselves reflected in the media could find solidarity, could find people LIKE them rather than people they are constantly being told to be like,” she told BuzzFeed.
Stasey noted that the majority of the women who participated often apologized for their bodies, adding that her job as an actor meant she was always keenly aware of how women’s bodies were looked upon and judged by others.
The portraits were shot by photographer Jennifer Toole, whom Stasey credits with helping to make everyone feel comfortable and at ease.
Aside from showcasing nude photo shoots, the website also features in-depth interviews with the participants that touch on their personal life and experiences.
Through this project, Stasey hopes to empower women everywhere to be comfortable in their skin and not apologize for who they are.
Read more about the stories behind each portrait at Herself.com, and head here if you’re interested in participating.
[via BuzzFeed, images by Jennifer Toole via Herself.com]