Mean Girls’ Reneé Rapp is changing the conversation around bodies for the better

It turns out, Regina George is the nicest girl of all

The actress, who is just 24 years old and wise beyond her years, is already working to dismantle unrealistic body standards and negative commentary around them one interview at a time.

In Hollywood and Broadway, the pressure to conform to unreasonable female body expectations is rampant, and when left unchallenged it can trickle down into wider society, and take root in young minds.

For example, at the Teen Vogue Summit last year, the actress was posed with the question:

"From a public perception [and] media standpoint, how do you reckon with what you can control and what you can’t?”

To this, Renee did not hold back and dove straight into the issue at hand and how detrimental it can be on a person's self-esteem and health.

The Mean Girls star plays Regina George in the remake of the iconic 2004 comedy.

Since she has come to fame, she has been vocal about living with an eating disorder, something which the sexist body standards have, sadly, exacerbated at times.

Working on the Broadway production of the film, Reneé experienced her fair share of negative commentary surrounding her body.

She told The Guardian that people involved in the show said "vile f*cking things", which prompted her parents to travel to New York to withdraw her from production for her well-being and health, emphasising the dangers of body-shaming.

Eating disorders don't just go away, and like, you're healed, like: 'Sorry, I can eat again, ha ha!

It's a lifelong thing. There are battles with addiction and whatever everywhere.

I still struggle with it, but at least my parents know that I've been taken out of environments that were really harmful to my sickness, which is awesome and a huge win.

Reneé Rapp - The Guardian, August 2023

Opening up about her eating disorder helps to inform and bring awareness to a condition that many contend with silently and alone.

Being educated on the health condition may stop one person from sharing their unsolicited opinion about someone's body, and, even if just that, it's a win on the quest to squash unrealistic body standards completely.

While the actress appeared at the Teen Vogue Summit, she shared an update on her eating disorder, adding that it never really goes away.

If you're struggling with an eating disorder or worried about yourself or someone else, help is always available.

Please contact BodyWhys, the national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders, on their National Helpline at 01-2107906 or email [email protected]

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