Hareem Farooq urges fans to embrace their bodies, reject beauty standards

Hareem Farooq has urged people to embrace the bodies that have carried them through life’s highs and lows, arguing that physical appearance should neither determine self-worth nor become an invitation for public commentary.

The actor shared a series of pictures of herself posing on a rooftop in a brown dress designed by Manal Saleem. Alongside the photos, she opened up about the insecurities many people experience over acne, hair loss, weight changes, body shape and skin tone, encouraging her followers to look beyond conventional ideas of beauty.

Addressing the physical changes people can experience throughout their lives, Farooq listed the features and fluctuations that are often unfairly scrutinised, from stretch marks and acne to weight changes and different body types.

“Stretch marks. Acne. Marks. Hair loss. Weight gain. Extreme weight loss. Flabby arms. Toned arms. Back rolls. Thick bodies. Thin bodies. Tan, fair or golden skin. Thin or voluminous hair. Straight or curly hair and what not. None of these determines your beauty or your worth,” she wrote.

Rather than defining beauty through physical appearance, Farooq highlighted qualities such as empathy, courage, kindness and resilience as the traits that give a person greater meaning.

“Your deepest beauty lives in your empathy, honesty, courage, helpfulness, character, perseverance, joy, faith, kindness and fearlessness, in the love you carry in your heart, the intelligence of your mind, the purity of your soul, the glimmer of hope in your eyes, the way you face adversity, the desire to always do and be better than yesterday, how you treat others, owning your roots, your values, lifting others, being happy for others and how you cherish the rare, beautiful things only you may see,” she said.

The actor also acknowledged that bodies are not static and can change significantly through different stages of life. She pointed to pregnancy, hormonal changes, illness, stress, trauma and grief, saying these experiences are often overlooked when society imposes rigid expectations about how women should look.

Farooq wrote that bodies can change through “pregnancy, hormones, illness, stress, trauma, grief and survival”, while also highlighting the pressure created by patriarchal beauty standards that encourage women to conform to particular sizes or shapes to be considered acceptable.

Rather than viewing such changes as flaws that need to be explained, Farooq encouraged her followers to recognise their bodies for everything they have endured. “Accept, embrace and honour your body. It has carried you through the good, the bad, the extraordinary and the unbearable. Be grateful for it,” she continued.

Farooq also challenged the culture of unsolicited commentary surrounding people’s appearances, arguing that individuals should not have to explain changes in their bodies or defend the way they choose to look, dress or exist.

“Your body is not a public debate, a cautionary tale or an invitation for commentary. No one owes the world an explanation, apology or performance of acceptability. Let everybody exist without needing permission. Let people dress, age, change, heal and take up space without being measured against someone else’s standards,” she wrote.

She further called on people to examine not only what they say about others’ bodies, but also the assumptions and attitudes that allow such judgement to continue. “Break the cycle, in your words, your gaze, your assumptions and your silence. Choose respect over judgment, freedom over conformity and compassion over control,” she said.

Farooq ended her message by reinforcing the idea that self-acceptance and acceptance of others should go hand in hand. “Your body is yours. Your life is yours. Be unapologetically yourself and make room for everyone else to do the same. You are beautiful just the way you are.”

Fans respond

Fans praised Farooq for her message, with some sharing their own experiences with body image and personal insecurities.

“Just saw the description, I have experienced both severe acne and 105 kg weight gain in my life, and also financial constraints. All these things have just perished now. The fact is that none of them are the parameters of judging a person,” one fan wrote.

Another user praised Farooq for staying true to herself despite her fame. “Literally a decade ago, I started loving you for this very reason, and it still remains the same. Nothing has ever come close to her. She owns it, and she knows it,” they wrote.

The actor has also spoken about standing up for herself and others throughout her career. In a 2017 interview with The Express Tribune, Farooq discussed the importance of women staying true to their core beliefs and building their careers through respect and hard work.

Farooq is set to star in the upcoming Punjabi film Mango Jutt alongside Faysal Quraishi.