Model whose bloated tummy makes her look pregnant throws light on Insta Vs reality

A model whose bloated stomach often makes her look pregnant has taken to social media to highlight the Instagram Vs reality of having a so-called ‘perfect’ body.

After years of being discriminated against because of her height and size 12 frame, Aeva Andersson, 19, from County Donegal, Ireland, finally became a model last year.

Now the teenager is hoping to break down industry stereotypes and has shared a series of photos and video to prove to others how normal a ‘model body’ can be and that even fashion models have ‘bad body days’.

"I want to use social media in my own unique way by not only posting professional modelling photos, but showing my real side also,” she said.

At 6ft 2inch tall without heels and a size 12 Aeva has had to fight to be accepted into the modelling industry and was once deemed ‘plus size’ because of her frame.

"I am still discriminated daily for my height and size but I've still managed to achieve my dreams to become a model - so I want people to know that models aren't just tall, size zero girls,” she explains.

"I don't want girls looking up to me as this tall 'skinny' girl who doesn't take a bad photo, which is not true, I get rejected for not being skinny enough and for being too tall.

"So I want to share the reality and not cover it up by only posting the good days," she says.

Despite now having the confidence to post her 'bloated' stomach on social media, Aeva explains that it was once her biggest insecurity.

"The extremity of my bloating belly was a huge insecurity for me growing up,” she reveals.

"All I wanted was to be a model and therefore wanted a stereotypical flat tummy.

"Given that I had already been labelled as plus size, I would try my best to watch what I ate to minimise the bloating, but now I've learned to love it.”

READ MORE: Plus-size model urges women to write a love letter to themselves

And now that she’s overcome her insecurities the model wants to help others to do the same and is working with Models of Diversity to help breakdown beauty stereotypes.

"I like to make people feel good and laugh - humour is what got me through the rejection and mental torture of trying to he a model, so as an ambassador my goal is to he relatable, real and inspiring.

"I thought that a model posting her 'pregnant' belly would be an effective way of doing so."

Since posting the 'real' representation of herself to social media, the model has received an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the 'unusual' post.

"The post got some positive and supporting comments, but I can imagine some people thought I was crazy exposing myself in this way,” she says.

"I think this proves that there needs to be more of these kind of posts.”

Aeva now hopes others will now follow in sharing true representations of themselves on social media.

"Instagram is mostly full of people posting the most perfect representation of themselves that they can - trying to fit the stereotype, only showing the photos with skinny angles, edited to perfection, that give them thigh gaps and snatched waists,” she says.

"The pressure and mental torture girls go through to get to the top and become models is heartbreaking.

"Growing up not accepting and loving my body has made me learn not to be as hard on myself when I bloat up.

"People get so caught up on creating perfect media feeds and layout - but life's too short!"

It isn’t the first time a model has opened up about diversity within the fashion industry.

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Earlier this year a woman with vitiligo revealed she had become a model after bullies accused her of “trying to be white” due to her skin condition.

And back in February an Australian lingerie model has taken to Instagram to show how dramatically her body has changed over three years and to slam the advertising industry for its obsession with “thin” body types.

Another model also shined a light on the impact bloating can have on so-called model bodies. Australian bikini designer Karina Irby took to social media to highlight the reality behind what one might consider the ‘perfect’ Instagram snap.

Sharing two photos of herself, Karina cradled her bloated belly as though it’s a baby in the hope it would help “normalise the bloat”.