A year and a half ago, Jameela Jamil called her friend of 10 years, Meg Ellis. Jamil had just posted a picture on Instagram – a reaction to what she called the “low self-esteem epidemic” caused by unrealistic images on social media – annotated with all the things she valued about herself that had nothing to do with her appearance.

The post received an overwhelming response, with hundreds of people recreating Jamil’s ingenius “I Weigh” format and adding their own points of pride. Jamil knew instantly that she’d touched on something big, and she asked for Ellis’s help with taking the movement even further.

“She asked me to make an account for all the I Weigh posts and I was like, sure, I’ll give it a go,” says Ellis. “I started uploading them and it was clear that people needed the page. It took on a life of its own.”

Today, Jamil’s I Weigh movement is a 700,000-strong community and full-blown media platform. Ellis is now its director, and when we meet in London, she’s fresh off a flight from California after hosting an event at LA Pride. She’s making plans to move there permanently to expand Jamil’s account into a bonafide company from October. 

I Weigh’s rapid growth marks a major shift in how we’re using platforms like Instagram, which have been criticised for their effects on mental health and body confidence. Jamil herself is one of the A-listers who has been instrumental in this change, frequently using social media to build women up, rather than tear them down. 

Now, thanks in large part to A-listers such as Jamil, people are rejecting the false lives celebrities and influencers present online, posting airbrushed photos and sponsored endorsements of products they don’t use, for something altogether more real.

“We’ve done a lot of research into Gen Z and they are all very aware of celebrities and their unrealistic posts,” says Ellis. “They don’t actually like it and they don’t want to engage with it. They’re now following activists and brands associated with good causes. We’re starting to see a shift away from those traditional influencers selling detox teas and unhealthy images.”

Collectives like Jamil’s I Weigh are becoming cultural touchstones, giving voice and power to those who want to challenge the status quo. “It’s a huge responsibility,” says Ellis. “We’ve become like a bat signal: if people don’t like something online, they tag us in it and ask us to call it out. We’ve had entire campaigns taken down within hours – like Avon’s adverts for stretch mark and cellulite creams.” In an unprecedented move, Avon even apologised to customers after removing the cellulite campaign, after Jamil took to Twitter to demand the company stopped “shaming” women.

Although Jamil and Ellis are using their influence to pull up those selling a damaging narrative of perfection online, Ellis is adamant that I Weigh be a catalyst for constructive conversations, not witch-hunts.

“We’re very much about progress, not perfection,” she says. “I don’t agree with cancel culture. There’s been a lot of that online and it’s really harsh – we want to help people, not just call them out and make them feel bad. Everybody’s going to say things that don’t go down well but we can all keep improving and educating ourselves daily.”

Instagram is aware of the pitfalls people like Jamil and Ellis are highlighting, and has recently hinted at plans to make likes private so there is less competition between users. But as someone who has seen and felt the negative effects of social media use firsthand, just like Jamil herself has, Ellis has learned how to tailor her feed herself to make scrolling through Instagram a positive experience. 

“Following positive hashtags like #selflove, #happiness and #mentalhealthawareness is a great start,” she says, “and I recommend unfollowing anybody who airbrushes their photos or makes you feel negative about yourself. Also try to engage with communities where you can talk to likeminded people and give each other a boost. Connection is so important.” 

Ellis is positive about the future of social media, buoyed by the grassroots activism and inclusivity that has blossomed from it in recent years. “I’m so much more in tune with all the good work that’s being done now,” she says. “There are loads of people using their influence to actually make change.” 

We can’t wait to see what Jamil, Ellis and the I Weigh movement accomplish next.

Want to follow in the footsteps of Jameela Jamil’s I Weigh movement, and make your social media feeds a more positive and empowering place to be? Here, Ellis has selected her top picks for uplifting accounts to follow now:

Images: Instagram/courtesy of Meg Ellis