Speaking against body-shaming, former captain of the Pakistan women’s cricket team Sana Mir, in a Facebook post, slammed advertisement campaigns that paint a false picture of the 'ideal’ body type.
Her sharp reaction came following an advertisement of a hair removal cream, which “magnifies a girl’s concern about how she looks on a basketball court”.
Make no mistake: you need strong arms, not smooth arms, on a sports field.Sana Mir, Pakistani cricketer
Mir asserted that talent, hard-work, and skills contributed to a women being a successful sportsperson and not the colour or texture of her skin. Female sportspersons, she said, have reached the top of their fields owing to their talents, hard-work, and perseverance.
She further said in her 12-year career as a sportsperson she never endorsed beauty products despite receiving several offers.
She summed up her thoughts by urging sponsors and celebrities to encourage young girls to follow the right path to success instead of endorsing products which make them self-conscious.
I request all sponsors and celebrities to ensure that when we engage young girls to fulfill their dreams, we show them a path that gives them actual confidence rather than disabling them by making them self-conscious.Sana Mir, Pakistani cricketer
Facebook users lauded her for speaking her mind and hoped that her voice would help in bringing about a positive change.
‘Proud of You, Sana’
Twitterati weren’t far behind in praising Mir’s thoughts either.
‘You Are an Inspiration’
(The Quint is now on WhatsApp. To receive handpicked stories on topics you care about, subscribe to our WhatsApp services. Just go to TheQuint.com/WhatsApp and hit Send.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)