'From being big to dreaming big': Iza Calzado shares throwback photo of younger self, hopes to end name-calling culture
Iza Calzado looks to inspire young girls to be confident about themselves, hoping to stop the culture of name-calling against those who don't fit society's beauty standards.
Sharing a throwback photo of her younger self just recently, the actress opened up about getting "teased a lot" even by her nearest and dearest due to her size.
Meet Big. She was teased a lot by her family and friends. A lot of them were well meaning and even came from a place of love and concern but the truth with name calling or labels is that it sticks and you may carry it with you or believe in it. pic.twitter.com/z65HoUUNsW
— Izadora Calzado (@MissIzaCalzado) September 8, 2022
The 40-year-old, who is currently pregnant with her first child, expressed her hope that the culture of insulting one's body and looks would finally come to an end.
"It takes a whole level of confidence, courage, and strength to break free from these names thrown your way," Iza wrote.
"I hope we can stop normalizing in our culture where young girls have to live under the shadows of the names people call them," she added.
Looking back at her past and reflecting on how she was able to embrace herself fully, the mom-to-be wrote: "From being big to dreaming big, here now is Iza. No longer making size a source of pain but rather a source of power. Shine bright, ladies. You are enough."
Iza has long been an advocate of self-love, body positivity, and women empowerment. She's the co-founder of She Talks Asia—an organization aimed at "holding space for women and allies to continue stepping into their power."
On her 39th birthday last year, she talked about the importance of practicing self-compassion and how it made her "more compassionate towards others."
“At the root of it all is self-love. Working on having a better understanding of what it means to me. Working on my sense of self-worth, my being enough. Filling my cup first before giving to others,” she said. “By being aware of the darkness within and around me, I create more light from within and around me. Tapping into the limitless light inside all of us which comes from the source whom I call God.”