ONE photo posted on her Instagram in January changed Sheppard co-frontwoman Amy Sheppard’s life for the better and now she wants the Brisbane band’s latest single Kiss My Fat Ass to do the same for other girls and women.
“In the photo I’m by my pool in a leopard print bikini with my back towards the camera,” Sheppard said.
“I remember coming across this photo and thinking how much I would love to post it but I had cellulite all up the back of my legs. It definitely wasn’t up to Instagram standard and I had all those kinds of voices in my head; the mean girl came out.”
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READ NOWSheppard said she spent 10 minutes trying to Facetune the cellulite out, but the result made her look like she had Barbie doll legs.
“I just thought ‘What the hell am I doing? Who have I become? Have my insecurities got that bad that I feel the need to post a fake photo?’,” she said.
“So I decided to post the photo as is and it quickly became my most-liked photo on Instagram, with endless comments and DMs from girls thanking me so much. It gave me the drive to post another one and then another one.
“I wanted people to see that my worth isn’t based on having perfectly smooth thighs. I’m here to show you can be successful, considered beautiful and still have cellulite on your legs.”
Taking the movement a step further, she wrote song Kiss My Fat Ass with bandmates George Sheppard and Jason Bovino, released July 26.
Proud of the song, the band instantly started having ideas for the video clip which features Amy and her sister Emma Sheppard, friends and other inspirational women of all shapes and sizes in their underwear, embracing their real self.
The Biggest Loser trainer Tiffiny Hall, body image activist Taryn Brumfitt, CrossFit expert Kara Saunders and Paralympic swimmer Monique Murphy are among the women in the video.
“I could definitely sense anxiety in the air in the morning of filming as everyone started to arrive,” Sheppard said.
“It was a beautiful day where everyone pushed themselves out of their comfort zone but it was well worth it. I think everyone there was incredible and shone beautifully.
“I’ve been healed of a lot of my own insecurities and bullies online have lost their power or their hold on me. I hope that for all women.”
