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This Account Showcases Real Women That Said To Hell With Society’s Expectations (30 New Pics)
Interview With Expert
Throughout history, women fought hard to open doors and opportunities that now allow many of them to be whoever they want to be, whether that’s a scientist, a business owner, a mom, a wife, or all of the above. However, numerous misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding womanhood still exist to this day, interfering with the growth and empowerment of half of the world's population.
To squash the lingering clichés about women, we’re looking at unfiltered photos and stories depicting what it really means to be a female, courtesy of the Women In Real Life Instagram account. Scroll down to find them, and be sure to upvote the ones that made you realize how amazing women actually are.
While you're at it, don't forget to check out a conversation with women's wellness advocate, educator, and founder of Mom Wife Worship Life, Alexandria Smith, who kindly agreed to share with us ways we can further support women’s progress and equality.
This post may include affiliate links.
#2
My hubby snapped this pic as I fell asleep sitting up, breastfeeding our 2 week old twins. Exhausted doesn’t fully describe this experience as I was healing from 2 types of births (Baby A vaginal, Baby B cesarean) and my body is working non-freaking-stop to make all the milk for these boys. . This is the least flattering/aesthetically pleasing image I could share of me bfing my twins but, man, it makes me proud as I look back at how hard my body was working. Sneaking in a nap while the boys ate because, holy cr*p, I could have fallen asleep anywhere during that first year of their lives. . Our bfing journey lasted 28 months. I amazed myself. Each day/week/month/year that ticked away was mind boggling to me. We were figuring this thing out. Together. It was not easy and required so much sacrifice, but I was 1,000% committed to this part of my journey and thankfully we made progress together. . I enjoyed so many beautiful moments with my boys nursing side-by-side. The first time twins hold hands while bfing is heart-bursting 💗 Those moments of connection, warm snuggles, love given and received got me through."
Susie Elle 6 days ago
Least flattering? I'd say it's very flattering in a humbling and admiring way :)
#3
Kayci Styles 5 days ago
Mine even complained then. The difference is that when I was pregnant and they didn't like it, they just made it go away and back out the door it came in.
"For me, being a woman is about embracing the unique strength, resilience, and grace that comes with our roles in society, whether as mothers, leaders, or individuals pursuing our own dreams," tells us women's wellness advocate, educator, and founder of Mom Wife Worship Life, Alexandria Smith.
"It’s about finding a balance between nurturing others and nurturing ourselves, understanding that our worth is not defined by how much we do but by who we are as individuals. Womanhood is a journey of growth, connection, and self-discovery."
#5
This teen dressed up as a tired mom for Halloween and honestly, I feel seen
Indeed, individually and as a whole, women resiliently power through whatever is thrown their way, and this should be remembered and celebrated more.
Smith believes that one of the greatest achievements so far has been the growing movement toward mental health awareness and wellness advocacy, especially among women.
#7
I tried my pre-quarantine jeans on and they didn’t even slightly zip up so I did this crazy thing where I just bought myself a new pair of jeans, put a cute top on and angled myself nicely
And I feel fabulous OKAYYY
No one will stand up at your funeral and say 'she was so so great but, man, she fluffed up a jeans size during quarantine dafuq was that all about?' So in case anyone needed this: if ur jeans make you feel weird, buy a new pair.
#9
Annik Perrot 6 days ago
Been there, done that, and yes, there were moments when I wanted to cry, too. The mental load, the loneliness. I wouldn't have made it without my "network" of similarly situated ladies.
"The way women have opened up conversations about self-care, emotional health, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health struggles is remarkable," Smith says.
"It has paved the way for more equitable workplaces, better support systems, and a more compassionate view of what it means to be “strong.” Women advocating for themselves and others in this space is something we should all be proud of."
#10
One is 18 months out, while the other is 18 weeks in. What a privilege to have this picture of me, in real time, providing nourishment for two of my babies, both in and outside of the womb. When Wisdom was born, I nursed for 2 years and was shamed by most of my family because no one before me had chosen to breastfeed and it didn’t make sense to them. With Courage, I have nursed for the last 18-months and I have served as a milk donor, helping to provide supplements for my girls and 3 other babies. Although I love the benefits of feeding in this way, so much more has come from my experience. Growing up in foster care, without the nurturing of a mom and being completely detached from what it meant to be a mother, it was a very slow and hard journey for me to connect. The utter reliance that a baby has on you when you’re nursing taught me to surrender my own longings for a mom and to step into the role of being one. Breastfeeding was and has been my saving grace. I struggled so much those first couple of months as a mother, learning, healing and growing, but nursing quickly became my most cherished time with my children. It taught me what mothering was all about, an unspoken lesson that I needed so badly that could only come by experience and it has been instrumental in helping me to bond with my babies. I can’t wait to meet #3 + to start this journey with them.
#11
Hayley Garnett of @th3littlestavenger asked her husband to write something about her postpartum body and now his words are going viral: "Sure, things look and feel slightly different—but in the grand scheme of things, nothing changed. The reasons I fell in love with her had nothing to do with any of the body parts affected by her postpartum. She still has the same beautiful smile, determined mind, banging body, and strong work ethic as the girl I fell in love with over 15 years ago. She still has the same sense of humor. She still smells great and tastes great too. Her postpartum body does look and feel slightly different, but why should that be a factor in my life at all? The soft pillowy skin around her belly button held my three best friends for 18 months. The marks show the strength it took to carry the weight of two beautiful girls that will be raised by this bad ass mom. Nothing has changed or altered my love for my wife. I get praised for being a ‘great husband’, but that’s nonsense. I’m literally doing the bare minimum by loving my wife for who she is, 'imperfections' and all. Imperfections make the world fun. If everything was Barbie doll perfect, wouldn’t we all get bored? How else would we show what life has put us through? So whether it’s regrettable tattoos, scars, surgeries, dumb facial hair, or a postpartum tummy, honestly...who gives a s**t? Be good to each other. Learn from mistakes-yours and others. Help those in need and let’s stop dwelling on who looks like what. My wife isn’t perfect and that’s what makes me love her. That’s why you are all reading this. If she was perfect, not a one of you would be able to relate to her. And to the husbands out there that don’t do their fair share of diaper duty, cooking, cleaning, and telling your wife how beautiful she is—step up your game bro. You’re a team."
#12
Nothing about postpartum should be described by the words 'bounce back.'
Nothing goes back to the way it was before, it isn’t supposed to.
Isn’t it funny that having a baby is the only time a woman is encouraged to go back to who she was before?
This is a slow meticulous process, becoming someone new.
We don’t bounce back.
We grow forward.
However, as mentioned previously, there are still some misconceptions that are holding women back.
"The “superwoman” stereotype continues to weigh heavily on women," Smith tells us.
"There’s this unspoken expectation that we should be able to do it all—excel in our careers, be perfect mothers and partners, and still make time to look flawless. This narrative not only fosters burnout but also prevents women from seeking help or accepting support. It’s essential to challenge this idea and redefine what success and fulfillment look like for each individual woman."
#13
Officially my last week of work before maternity leave!! I can’t believe it’s finally here! I absolutely love being a Nurse & all the responsibilities that come along with it but my body & mind are ready to be home, safe with my family... in quarantine until this precious baby girl makes her debut!! Far far away from known COVID. . Excited to not wear this mask & face shield 8hours a day, 5 days a week!! Excited to not have to dodge my family and toddler and strip down and jump in the shower every day!! Looking forward to being able to adequately stay hydrated & confidently eat my meals without washing my hands 25 times. (once will do at home)... looking forward to bonding with my toddler before baby girl comes and taking some weight off of my husband when he has his work meetings and is working from home
Katy McMouse 6 days ago
Brave woman, working through covid. Pregnancy can be nerve racking enough, without the worry of potentially losing yours, and your baby's life. And all in the service of perfect strangers. A thousand kudos to this woman - she more than enough earned her respite.
#14
#15
I came across this picture today and it means so, so much to me. This was a time in my life where I was so stressed. Like really stressed. I was worried about not finishing residency on time. I was struggling immensely with breastfeeding and ultimately ended up stopping way before I desired to. I was studying like crazy literally with a newborn in one hand and books in the other. I felt an enormous amount of pressure to finish residency and pass boards because of doubts from my attending physicians and honestly me just doubting myself. I look at this picture and it reminds me there are no shortcuts. No one is just going to hand anything to me. I look at this picture and it reminds me there is no substitute for hard work. I look at this picture and it reminds me you have to put in the work to get your intended results. It reminds me not to make excuses and to go after what you want wholeheartedly. I look at this picture and I want to tell myself that it will be ok. That it has always been ok. That no matter how much I worry, things have a way of working out. I want to tell myself in that picture that God brought me through so much already and He won’t stop now. I look at this picture and know I HAD to finish. I HAD to. Because I knew that if I finished, I could then encourage someone else to do the same. I encourage you today to keep going. You. HAVE. To. Finish! Finish whatever it is that you started. Not just for yourself; but for everyone who is looking up to you
Feathered Dinosaur 5 days ago
This makes me sad. As a doctor myself this US American thing called 'residency' is extreme exploitation of young doctors, where they created an artificial scarcity of spots so people will let almost anything be done to themselves for a place. In Germany when you passed your exams you start working as a normal employee in a hospital while you complete your 5 year specialization. With all the rights and protections, one of them having mandatory maternity leave and paid parental parental leave. I was home 14 months with mine while completing my specialization and that’s considered short, most stay home for 2-3 years.
To improve support for women, their progress, and equality, Smith proposes focusing more on policies and cultural shifts that normalize balance and wellness for women.
"This includes better access to affordable childcare, workplace flexibility that supports parents, and more visibility for women who take alternative career or life paths. Additionally, I want to see women encouraged to prioritize their own well-being without judgment. When society values women for their humanity and not just their productivity, we’ll see a real shift toward equality."
#16
Dolls are for girls - cars are for boys, Let him be a boy' I laughed so hard when I got that comment because to me, there is nothing manlier than a man who holds a baby in his arms. . Something a lot of women out there would agree on - so that’s why it’s so funny to me how when a grow man care for a baby everyone thinks he’s amazing but when a baby boy plays with a doll people seem to think it’s inappropriate. But honestly - there is no such thing as “boy” toys and “girl” toys, there are just toys - did you know that playing with dolls helps children develop compassion and empathy learning how to care for another person, why would that only be for girls?
arthbach 6 days ago
My brother was very concerned his son was playing with dolls and a pram. My Mam took him to task, and said, "So what if he's gay, are you going to love him any the less?!" She also pointed out this little boy had just become a big brother, and he was copying his daddy. Daddy fed the baby, so the little one fed the doll. Daddy pushed the baby in the pram, so the little one pushed the baby in the pram.... It finally twigged the little one was learning how to look after a baby by following his daddy's example.
#17
Did I just go there? Yes I did. There are definitely two types of mother-in-laws, either those who have opinions about e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g and want to raise her grandchildren her way, she is definitely not afraid to dash out what she would do and believe you should do so too. Or those who can accept and realize that there are different ways to parent and give trust and support to others (just like my moter-in-law). Do you have the first type or know anyone who does? oh yes I have met those ones who seriously made their opinion heard about how to parent within a minute of meeting them. How do you handle that kind of mother-in-law? I lucked out scoring my mother-in-law. Thankful that she and my father-in-law raised the father of my children, my husband, to be a loving, strong, responsible and supporting man. Thankful that she is the grandma to my children, giving us endless support and love
#18
As I turn 22 today, I’d like to reflect on what I wish I had known when I was younger (and perhaps what other young girls in my position would find useful). So here’s a letter to my past self & to all of you, titled 'Reasons why you should choose recovery' - 1. You won’t look sick. People won’t stop in their tracks & stare whilst wondering what’s wrong with you. . 2. Your hair will grow back thicker, stronger & faster than ever. . 3. You won’t take months to recover from a single paper cut. . 4. You won’t hurt your bones when sitting in a chair, or lie in bed. . 5. You’ll fall asleep much faster, instead of spending hours lying awake in pain from how hungry your are & how empty your stomach is. . 6. You’ll ENJOY hanging out with your friends, instead of worrying about them offering food, or where you’re going for lunch. . 7. You can spend treasured time with your family over family dinners again. You can celebrate Christmas Lunch with your loved ones. . 8. You will LOVE every single day of your medical placement because you finally have enough energy to engage with your patients & survive the shift. . 9. You will be FULL of vigour & your happiness will radiate out towards others. You’ll become that girl with the contagious smile again - the one that could have a whole room howling in laughter after 5mins. . 10. You will become the person you want to be, and achieve everything you’ve ever wanted.
Smith also emphasizes the importance of community and connection for women. "We thrive when we support one another, share our stories, and create safe spaces where we can be vulnerable. Whether it’s through mentorship, friendships, or online communities, building each other up is key to sustaining progress."
#19
Yes- these photos were taken about 3 seconds apart. No- it’s not a before and after. I wanted to share to show y’all how easy it is to make a photo look a certain way. How posing, the placement of your pants, and angles can change how you look. Remember- social media is all a filter and it’s usually our highlight real (which is ok!) but just remember to be kind to yourself ❤️ there’s so many different perspectives
#20
Dear Postpartum Body,
First of all I don’t hate you. On the contrary I’m so so proud of you. You have been through a lot. You grew a whole human. You kept her warm and safe and let her grow until she was ready to go it on her own. You made room for her, then let her go, with selfless bravery. You nourished her as long as you could and I’m proud of that too. You didn’t fail. You did amazing things. You might be different than you used to be, but you aren’t ugly, damaged, or scarred. You are marked with a roadmap of the life you created. Postpartum body, you are beautiful, and I am proud of you.
Nadine Debard 5 days ago
Took me 5 days after pre-eclampsy, premature birth and C-section + Staples (not stitches) to manage to touch my belly and thank my body. I didn't fail. I won. I then breastfed my son for 19 months and gave tons of milk to lactarium (something I'm very proud of) and my son is healthy and happy. My belly took a month to recover and deflate, my blood pressure stayed abnormal for 5 months. I feel like a warrior. I did it.
#21
Pregnancy in our relationship can be complicated," shares Christina and Katie Bailey of @babybaileymamadrama as part of our photo series on feeling sexy in your own skin. “For us, we only had one of us experience it," they continue. "We each had our bodies go through many things at the beginning. We injected our bodies with hormones, we went through pain, bruising, bloating, and mood swings. We had one of us go through egg retrieval twice. We had one of us carry, grow and give birth to our two beautiful babies. Being two women, we understood each other’s bodies and all the changes they would undergo throughout our pregnancy journeys. We were there for each other for each change and continue to support one another as our bodies have changed over the years. It is important to make each other feel beautiful because sometimes, we don’t. We feel like we looked better at the beginning of our relationship but we continue to cheer the other on as we continue to change in the best of ways.
This is exactly what she does over on Mom Wife Worship Life. She uses her blog to support women by sharing her own experience of doing it all—being a mom, wife, and educator while also coping with a chronic mental illness.
Mom Wife Worship Life is a safe space for anyone looking for help to achieve harmony, enhance mental well-being, and practice intentional self-care.
#22
To the mom who hides in the bathroom in an attempt to get a second alone, with tears running down your face - because you’re all out of energy, I was her today, I’ve been her in the past and I will be her in the future. .
.
To the mom who’s feeling insecure about what shes doing, wondering when this “phase” will end, wondering why her baby is screaming unstoppable when everyone else’s baby seems like an angel, I’ve been her, and I’ll be her again. .
.
To the mom who would do anything to get a full nights sleep, but don’t get any help, to the mom who’s slowly falling apart because she’s drained. .
.
To the mom who’s feeling stressed about not getting enough done during the day and then spends the nights stressed about not spending enough time with her kids, I’m right there with you. .
.
To the mom who feels alone in all this even when she’s surrounded with people - remember, you’re not alone in this, you’re amazing and you’re rocking motherhood. .
.
Motherhood will change your life, it’s scary, energy draining and lonely at times, but it will pass - this, will pass, because it’s a phase in our lives and when we look back at it, it will probably be a way to short phase. .
.
But while we’re in it - remember to remind yourself that you’re doing a great job, even on your worst day, that you’re greatly loved and that no one would do this better than YOU. .
.
- like in this photo, I was crying in the bathroom for all the things above, trying to go to the toilet alone, but they couldn’t stay way for even a minute, even though I (in my head) was failing, they love me so much that they couldn’t bare to not be with me for 1 minute, that’s how amazing I am to them (and apparently Ludwig who took this photo to remind me of it). .
.
We all have bad days - we all breakdown, we’re not alone in this - we are mothers, amazing mothers.
#23
Stop trying to make everyone happy - you’re not guacamole. A popular body positive influencer was shamed recently for wanting to lose weight. Another has been shamed for gaining it. And both openly, authentically stood by their decisions.
It got me thinking: what would WE DO different if we were less afraid of BEING different.
Not just with our health, our wellness goals, but with our hopes, our dreams, our LIVES?
It’s easy to want to MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. To fit in. To softly and gently bend and fold with whatever voices shout the loudest or sting the sharpest. Whether that’s a parent or a loved one or a stranger on a screen.
Only in trying to PLEASE EVERYONE, we become no one.
We fade.
We lose ourselves.
Trust me, I’ve been there.
So here’s the lesson I’ve learned the hard way, and am still constantly, endlessly relearning:
We will NEVER make everyone happy.
We won’t. It’s impossible.
Humans are complex. Our opinions are vast and varied and strong.
And that’s ok.
That’s WONDERFUL.
What matters is that we each EXPLORE what sits INSIDE US. That we remain open to growth. To development. To being called in and learning.
And that we honour, we ALWAYS honour, the truth which curls quietly inside of us.
Whether it’s about how the goals we set FOR OUR BODIES or the plans we have FOR OUR LIVES.
Even if it makes us different.
Even when it shows how we all truly ARE different.
I know it’s scary, but we can do this.
You can do this.
Be yourself, babygirl.
No guacamole required.
Susie Elle 6 days ago
After struggling for two decades with my weight and food, going from being severely underweight to binge eating and back, I decided I'm going to shift my focus towards eating like I want to eat (with healthy boundaries) and learning to love the body that comes with it. I'm done with all the restrictions and rules.
#24
ARMPIT BULGE / ARM BO0B. Whatever you want to call it, a lot of us have it. Because, hey, we have lady tatas and while side boobs are considered sexy, apparently this bit of skin, for whatever random reason, is not. 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ It doesn’t even make senses. 😂 Anyways, today, tomorrow, let’s rock our bit of folded skin. It’s human and normal and absolutely NOT something we should be ashamed of. Enough is enough.
#26
If you have been asked either of these on a day you went bare faced (or even just forgot a part of your usual getup!)🤦🏻♀️ . I can remember in high school being asked this question on a day I ran late and didn't do my makeup.. my answer 'this is just my face.' It was my answer again after I joined the working world and forgot to put on my eye make up one day. Of course at that time I said it to be snarky and hide my embarrassment for either making a seemingly poor choice or being in too much of a rush to fix my face up. But today, after a lot of work in the self confidence department, I say it with certainty: This is just my face. And I can choose to wear makeup I like, a little or a lot, or choose to leave it bare . . Part of learning how to live a nourished life ( and I'm still learning.. trust me!) is building up the confidence and acceptance you have in yourself, your body, your appearance, and your choices. . It's not easy. And if one day is easy you can bet the next day will be hard. But it's so worth it to trend in a way that feels more comfortable more confident and less insecure.
Susie Elle 6 days ago
On a day to day basis people ask me if I'm feeling okay. IT'S JUST MY FACE AND THE ENDLESS STREAM OF MADNESS THIS PLACE DELIVERS AT MY DOORSTEP, OKAY.
#27
Well, if this isn’t postpartum in a nutshell... Actually, this is just motherhood. Welcome to eating your meals wherever you can get them. Just wanna give a shout out to the moms eating their meals on the go while driving kids to and from ALL the activities the moms like me hovered over the kitchen counter eating cold leftovers while nursing a hungry, fussy baby. The teacher moms eating in a classroom while simultaneously helping a student. The health care worker moms eating hospital peanut butter and graham crackers for yet another meal. The moms too busy to find time to eat at all. And all the other moms in between. Wherever you’re eating or not eating today, I see you and you’re doing a good job. As I was shoveling cold pasta down my gullet, I was reminded that everyday we prioritize the needs of others over our own. That’s wonderful and just what we do as moms often without any thought. The least we can do for ourselves at the end of the day is to take a minute, look in the mirror and say 'I’m a good mom.' No ifs, ands or buts, just 'I’m a good mom, period.
#28
My sister took this photo of us yesterday without me realising. She said ‘it’s lovely, you should post it’. My first thought was ‘absolutely not’ - but why? This is what I spend a good amount of my day (and most of my night) doing. This is completely normal to me and its something I do anywhere and everywhere with zero shame (clearly 😂). So why does sharing a photo still feel so weird? I think it’s not something you see much of. The UK has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. I don’t think mums are given any real information or advice about how difficult it can be (I know I never was - to be fair nothing could prepare you!). It’s really hard, painful, relentless and exhausting at first. I am also aware that I’m one of the lucky ones. I was determined to breastfeed and both my babies have taken to it well and thrived. I know not everyone has this experience and although we have had our issues we have overcome them. I’m mainly sharing this because think it’s so important to normalise this. I saw a baby feeding under a blanket in nearly 30 degrees today. We shouldn’t have to hide away - this is a baby eating! For those who can it’s the most rewarding journey.
Chad Olin 5 days ago
Mother's should NOT have to hide when feeding their baby!! Anyone who sees it as inappropriate or even remotely sexual, needs serious help. We were at an amusement park and a young mother was feeding her cranky baby and an older woman began beating her. I walked over and stood between the mother and the old witch and told her to mind her own business. I didn't know either one of them, but I couldn't believe the audacity to make such a scene, when no one else paid any attention, until the old bat started ranting. After the grumpy grandma realized I wasn't going to move, she left in a huff, still yelling about how "disgusting it was to show her boobs in public and she should cover up or go in the bathroom". It was hot outside and the bathrooms at this particular park were definitely not a place to sit and breastfeed. After the old wench left, I turned around and the young lady was crying and grabbed my hand, squeezed it and said thank you very much. BTW, I'm a guy!! 😉
#29
My hubby snapped this picture because he said as I watched my movie I was so unbothered by Nixon’s nursing shenanigans. We went 3.5yrs strong!!!! Some days I miss it. He still asks for milk at least once a week. But this shop is closed
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What do you think ?
Gozer LeGozerian 5 days ago
So womanhood is primarily popping out kids. Nothing better than being invalidated because you don't have them, amiright....
Gozer LeGozerian 5 days ago
So womanhood is primarily popping out kids. Nothing better than being invalidated because you don't have them, amiright....
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