It's not every day that you take Internet star and actress Barbie Ferreira to a nudist camp, but that's exactly what Refinery29 did. As part of the ongoing series How To Behave, the Euphoria star sought to interrogate public opinions on body image, body hair and nudity.
The 25-year-old hasn't been immune to public scrutiny about her weight. As someone who lives outside of the sample size, she has spoken out about the "backhanded compliments" she's received. "It’s not radical for me to be wearing a crop top," she told Who What Wear, adding that people project confidence onto her simply because of her weight.
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"Many of us are self-conscious about our bodies because we’re still very much judged on how we look. So I’m on a journey to see if it’s possible to love your body wholeheartedly," Ferreira says in this Refinery29 video.
Walking through a park, she interviews passersby, asking them questions ranging from what body hair they remove to what they like to see on other women. She finds that some people aren't "crazy about" body hair on others and some people "shave [their] arms and legs and armpits". One person admits to "just let[ting] it all hang out... all natural" but adds that they "don’t particularly care for body hair on women [though] a little hair on the arm is ok".
"I used to really hate having body hair… but when I stopped shaving and stuff that’s when I really grew into myself and was able to realise this is what my body does and it does it for a reason. Before I always felt like I had to shave," Bronx-born artist Monica Hernandez tells Ferreira.
Then, Ferreira pays a visit to Young Naturists America, a group of people that believe in tolerance, body positivity and ending censorship around bodies. Here, we see her interacting with a group of naturists in their birthday suits — congregating around campfires, skinny dipping and sunbathing outdoors.
"It’s designated to be a safe space," says Ferreira at the end of the experience. "Being here you can feel whole because you’re more than just your body, you are a person.”
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Watch the full video below.
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