Jameela Jamil and the story that led to her joining the body positive movement

Jameela Jamil is one of those women who has been dealt quite a bad hand in life. As a child, she underwent several surgical operations because she was born partially deaf.

Throughout her teen years, she suffered from anorexia and at 17, she was run over by a car. After a long stay in the hospital, she started teaching English to foreign students.

Then, Jameela Jamil decided she wanted a career change. She became a presenter on Channel 4 which won her the Glamour Award for Radio Personality for the work she did on Radio One.

And her professional experience has really made an impact on her and how she sees the world. She has explained that working in radio was the best place she had ever worked because everyone is treated as an equal. Nobody cares about how you’re dressed and you are recognised for your brain and your talent instead.

But then, at the age of 27, Jameela Jami tried to commit suicide after falling victim to body shaming from the media. From then on, she decided that she would spend the rest of her life fighting to make sure that young women wouldn’t have to go through life as she did.

Jameela Jamil packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles where she continued fighting for women and equality, explaining to the press that nobody should impose limits on themselves.

She joined the cast of The Good Place where she continues to play the role of Tahini and she quickly became a star.

And that’s when the hashtag #IWeigh appeared which encourages women to define themselves beyond just how much they weigh.

‘I refuse. I don’t want to and will not let anyone tell me or put pressure on to the belief that I have to tell anyone anything about my weight.’