top of page

Lara Lago: Fatphobia in the Beauty Industry

Writer's picture: Vittoria CerioliVittoria Cerioli


Few stories have moved and involved me as much as Lara Lago’s.


A powerful force in the world of journalism and body positivity activism, Lara began her career in local television, navigating various landscapes from Italy to Albania, eventually settling in Amsterdam. There, she discovered a new perspective—not only on her profession but also on herself. Author of "Il peso in avanti", Lara bravely shares how living abroad changed the way she views her body, authentically addressing the fatphobia that is so prevalent in Italy, and offering a deep reflection on the beauty of body diversity. Today, she works at Sky in the digital video sector, while continuing, both on social media and in real life, to challenge stereotypes and inspire others with her message of inclusivity and body positivity.


Today, Lara will talk to us about size inclusivity and fatphobia in the beauty industry, sharing her views on how even the cosmetic sector is not free from beauty standards and stereotypes that fail to celebrate diversity.


 

  1. To start, can you tell us about your fight against fatphobia and your activism, both in daily life and on social media?


I’ve always been a fat girl, but until I was 27, I never accepted it. So, I was a fat girl doing everything not to be: exhausting diets, eating artichokes for breakfast, or just an apple for lunch during my university years. My first diet was when I was a teenager, back when Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were the icons. I wanted to wear the same low-rise pants they did, but I didn’t have a flat stomach, and I never would, even after losing 14 kilos in two months. Was I the one who was wrong? For years, I thought so. I kept postponing things I wanted to do until the moment I would finally be thin. In stores, I’d buy jeans that were too tight, thinking, “This will be my incentive to lose weight”, “I can only get bangs if I lose weight because my face is too round”, and so on. I didn’t know it then, but I had built myself a prison—one that wasn’t even mine but that of all women my age. It was the unreachable patriarchal standards of thinness and beauty as a social obligation. Standards that, even today, are far from outdated; they keep evolving, ensuring you can never fully meet them. It’s a practical way to keep bodies under control and under siege.


Lara Lago and other activists fighting fatphobia in the beauty industry and promoting size inclusivity
Silvana Denker “Body Love”, Amsterdam

At a certain point in my life, in 2016, I moved to Amsterdam for work, and there I discovered the world of body liberation activism, which is very vibrant in Northern Europe. I don’t consider myself an activist but rather an educator, yet in Amsterdam, for the first time, I joined a flash mob that completely changed my perspective on my body and how I started perceiving others' bodies. A German photographer, Silvana Denker, brought her initiative called “Body Love” to the main square of Amsterdam: eight women with non-conforming bodies stripped down and displayed their bellies, where letters spelled out “Body Love.” Beyond the cold (December in the Netherlands, standing in the square in underwear, not recommended!), I felt an immense sense of sisterhood, reclamation, a mix of change and a sense of a fresh start, and an overwhelming feeling of freedom and liberation. I started studying what the fight against fatphobia was, and I’ve never stopped since.


Lara Lago smiling and eating gelato, addressing fatphobia in the beauty industry and size inclusivity

Being a fat person in a body-centric society is very challenging because the non-acceptance of non-conforming bodies seems like a solid barrier to break down. In daily life, I try to ignore stereotypes. I enjoy dressing not to cover myself, and I try to live joyfully in my fat body without limitations. But even if you make a personal effort every day, society or various stages of fatphobic discrimination (medical fatphobia, not finding clothes in stores, being represented in media only through stereotypes) are there to remind you how unaccepted your body is.


Social media helps show that it’s possible, and it also highlights the contradictions of certain types of journalism aimed at a female audience that do nothing but judge and pit appearances against each other, balancing ageism and elegance.


 

  1. We often hear about fatphobia in the fashion industry. What is the situation in the cosmetic sector? What are your observations?


Fat bodies are never present. If a brand needs to convey an attractive image of beauty to its audience, it opts for the representation of a sexy face, as close to the beauty standard as possible. And, coincidentally, aside from the American model Ashley Graham being chosen as a Revlon ambassador, even in the cosmetic sector, fat models are not selected. And yet, fat women also have lips for lipstick, cheeks for blush, and eyes for eyeliner. What I notice is that when a brand has the courage to invest in the representation of everyone - and I think of you at Lebubè, as well as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty—it becomes easier to feel included and valued. There are no right or wrong faces for makeup, not in shape, gender, or skin tone. The cosmetic sector should remember this from time to time.



  1. In the world of skincare, phrases like "Reduces the appearance of cellulite," "Helps visibly diminish the look of orange peel skin," and "Shapes and firms the most problematic areas of the body" are still, unfortunately, very common in brand communications. What emotions do you think these phrases are meant to evoke, and what are your thoughts on them?


I love skincare, I really do. Taking care of my skin, moisturizing it, feeling how soft it becomes after applying a serum an hour earlier - it’s a treat. Could I live without skincare? Absolutely. Does it make me feel more beautiful? Not necessarily. I admit I often don’t see any aesthetic difference, but that’s not the reason I do it. A while ago, someone commented on my (questionable?) beauty choices, like blue hair, glitter on my teeth, facial piercings, and a short fringe despite my round face and size 52 body. They asked, "Why do you go out of your way to make yourself uglier?" The question caught me off guard, and I didn’t respond. But the answer I’d give today is that being the most beautiful version of myself is no longer my goal—or my only goal. I say this with a certain pride, considering that at 20, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said “the most beautiful.” So when a guy, seeing me much thinner at 24, asked, "How beautiful do you want to become?" I was ecstatic.



But today, at 40, I just want to become who I am, to align more with the idea of authenticity and uniqueness I have in mind. In this context, if I flip the perspective, I no longer care whether I have cellulite or orange peel skin—or an entire fruit basket’s worth. There are no “problematic” areas on my body. There’s only my body, my skin, and it’s valid no matter what, regardless of my choices tied to the capitalism of bodies.



  1. What does makeup represent for you? Does being made up or not affect your self-confidence? This question arises from an article I read about a fat woman who said that when she went out with makeup on, she experienced fewer insults and discrimination because she appeared to "care more" about her appearance.


When you wear a fat body and know discrimination intimately, you develop all sorts of “compensations” that are nothing more than survival strategies, especially for our mental health. One of these is hyper-femininization. It goes something like this: “I’m a fat woman? Okay, but look, I’m also always perfectly made up, with perfect hair, I still dress cute, I’m sexy.” It’s a way to declare yourself implicitly less “non-conforming,” more aligned with the expected feminine image. Is it easier to occupy social space this way? It was for me, especially when facing sexist environments, such as work. Personally, I’m guilty of hyper-femininization; at times, it was my only shield against being targeted. I love makeup, even though I separate it from concepts of performativity. But makeup helps me a lot as armor, making me feel more secure. When I lived abroad, I almost stopped wearing makeup—it wasn’t necessary anymore; my voice was equally valued. Now that I live in Milan, I wear a lot of makeup, partly because I love playing with colors and experimenting, and partly because, especially when I’m the only fat woman in the room - and often the only woman in the room - makeup helps me feel more confident and authoritative, like adding an extra layer of protection in case someone wants to attack me. I give them no aesthetic weak spot to target. Impeccable, even if I’m fat. Is it a sad reality? Yes, very much so.

 


  1. What does beauty mean to you?


Becoming stubbornly who you are. And seeking as much serenity as possible while becoming it.



  1. What message would you give to those who don't feel represented by the current beauty standards?


Don’t let yourself be contaminated by non-representation. And that’s difficult because never seeing yourself in any advertisement, news anchor, Italian TV host (no, Antonella Clerici is not fat), or any commercial that isn’t about weight loss is frustrating. It makes you feel like you don’t exist, and if you do, it’s better if you’re not seen. But non-conformity exists, and it’s the most natural thing in the world. My advice is not to flatten yourself, not to change, and to rationalize that it serves no purpose to be all the same. Persist in your identity and uniqueness because trying to resemble a standard often leads to losing who we are.



  1. How do you see the future of the beauty industry in terms of inclusivity and representation? What changes do you hope to see?


I hope to see more diversity, even though it seems to have been a passing trend, something that’s already gone. But we cannot be a trend. We are individuals and deserve respect, dignity, care, and, if we want it, beauty - just like any other individual.

31 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating
bottom of page