In 2022, the body positivity ‘trend’ fizzled as quickly as it blew up. Criticisms about how the movement focuses heavily on appearance and tends to support some unhealthy lifestyle habits marred what started as a robust and positive push towards body inclusivity. This year, social media personality Grace Charis is bringing body positivity back.
Influencer Grace Charis
At the core, the Newport Beach native believes body positivity is not about supporting one specific shape, size, or body type. That’s why she needs to remind everyone — regardless of gender — that this movement has inclusivity as its critical center point.
“For me, body positivity is all about being comfortable in one’s skin, regardless of how a person looks,” says Grace. “It’s all about that feeling of self-confidence and self-acceptance, rather than a specific look or physique.”
Grace Charis exemplifies body positivity and inclusivity by being comfortable in her femininity and athletic physique as a professional golfer, relatively new as she may be in the sport.
“I’ve always been a woman in action, and being stuck all the time indoors made me feel like I was stagnating,” says Grace. “I knew I had to break the monotony, so I pursued golf again.”
Grace was in high school when she first held a golf club. To her, it was love at first swing. Though she had to prioritize her academic standing and what was then a budding influencer career, playing golf has always been at the back of her mind.
“It’s been a little over two years since I found my way back to the golf course again,” says Grace. “I have been playing and teaching others interested in golf ever since.”
However, the basics of playing golf are not the only things Grace Charis has taken upon herself to teach others. Mental empowerment is vital, and Grace teaches young men and women everywhere that all bodies are meant to be celebrated through her sultry fashion style, body-inclusive lingerie, and costume line.
As a professional golfer, Grace Charis often dons bright, body-hugging crop tops and fashionable skirts, unlike the typical collared-shirt-and-trousers ensemble golfers wear. She rarely ties her hair up in a bun, too, as she feels more beautiful wearing her locks down even while playing an intense round of golf. Grace would also go braless on the golf course often, as a testament to how comfortable she is with her body.
“You have no idea how freeing it feels to take my swings in these cute outfits, some of which I’ve designed myself,” says Grace. “It’s empowering to step away from the conventions of what female athletes should look like and to look my best while doing something that I love.”
But Grace’s body positivity and inclusivity message is not just communicated loud and clear whenever she’s at the golf course. She’s likewise spreading the same message on social media, where she regularly posts pictures, videos, and reels of herself celebrating her athleticism, femininity, and one-of-a-kind physique.
She usually posts short films of herself practicing her form, collaborating with other golf influencers, and even participating in competitions — all while wearing her signature athleisure-style clothing. Sometimes, she would also film a typical day just to give her loyal following a glimpse into her life when she’s not having the time on the golf course.
Across all this content, Grace always promotes body positivity and inclusivity. While many other body-positive content creators have lost their following due to heavy criticism against the inclusivity movement, Grace Charis has consistently seen her following increase since posting golf content promoting body inclusivity. She has over 1.1 million followers on Instagram, almost 3 million followers on TikTok, over 625,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, and over 100k subscribers on Snapchat.
These numbers stand as a testament to one thing: that body positivity is more than just a trend that came and went in a year. They also encourage Grace to use her influence and platform to inspire more people to love and accept their bodies. Furthermore, an important learning of Grace is that she also focuses her platform on reaching young entrepreneurs and encouraging them to improve while also igniting their love for golf.
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