Ex-American gymnast Aly, winner of six Olympic medals, feels heavily-edited pictures can be toxic for self-image
Aly Raisman
In a world driven by social media and where heavily-edited pictures are common, America’s star gymnast Aly Raisman has voiced her opinion on the importance of being your most authentic self.
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Raisman, who has won six Olympic medals for her country, wants people to stay away from this trend. Talking about her four-year association with Aerie, Raisman says she is glad that the fashion label was one of the first in the industry to use untouched photos.
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“It’s really important for images to just be how they really are—not retouched—because I think it’s really hard to see an image that’s [heavily-edited] and creates an unrealistic expectation of what people should like. It can be really bad for people’s self-image.
“I’ve been very lucky to work with Aerie for about four years, and each time there’s a campaign, it’s really awesome to be able to meet new people and hear their stories—it’s inspiring,” the gymnast told bazaar.com.
Meanwhile, speaking about her designated me-time, the former gymnast said: “I try to go for a walk outside. If I’m somewhere that I’m able to, I’ll try to close my eyes for 10 minutes and take that time for myself to relax.”
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