Hareem Farooq urges fans to reject unrealistic beauty standards

Pakistani actor Hareem Farooq has called on people to stop judging themselves and others based solely on physical appearance encouraging her followers to develop a healthier and more accepting attitude toward their bodies.

Pakistani actor Hareem Farooq has called on people to stop judging themselves and others based solely on physical appearance encouraging her followers to develop a healthier and more accepting attitude toward their bodies.

Farooq shared several photos of herself wearing a brown outfit by designer Manal Saleem. Alongside the images, she posted a detailed message addressing the insecurities people often face because of changes in their appearance.

She pointed out that acne, stretch marks, hair loss, changes in weight different body shapes and variations in skin tone are all normal aspects of life and should not be used to determine someone’s value.

According to Farooq, qualities such as kindness, courage, honesty, empathy, resilience and the ability to support others are far more meaningful than meeting society’s expectations of physical beauty.

The actor also highlighted how a person’s body can naturally change over time. Pregnancy, hormonal changes, illness, stress, trauma and grief can all affect someone’s appearance, she noted. She argued that these changes should not be treated as shortcomings or something people need to justify.

Farooq encouraged her followers to appreciate their bodies for carrying them through both difficult and happy periods of life. She also criticized the habit of making unsolicited remarks about other people’s appearance.

She stressed that nobody should be expected to explain changes in their body or seek approval for how they dress, age or choose to live. Instead, she urged people to give others the freedom to exist without being compared with unrealistic beauty ideals.

The actor also asked her followers to reconsider the assumptions behind appearance-based criticism and replace judgment with empathy and respect.

Her message received positive reactions online with several followers sharing their own experiences with body-image struggles and praising Farooq for addressing the issue openly.

Farooq has previously spoken about self-confidence and women remaining committed to their values. She is also set to appear in the upcoming Punjabi film Mango Jutt alongside Faysal Quraishi.