International plus-size model and body positivity advocate Kat Gumabao recalled how taking diet pills and doing crash diets before never made her feel happy; her self-worth “non-existent.”
“There were lots of time I wanted to hide under a rock,” she shared.
But one day, she decided to change the path she was taking and to appreciate herself.
“Every day in your life is an opportunity to change the way you go. It’s never too late to decide you want to get the things you deserve,” she beamed.
Today, Gumabao actively uses social media to promote body positivity and empower women of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
In this day where plus-size women still face humiliation from people whose standards of beauty is being skinny, Gumabao reiterates the only voice that matters is hers and that even though she might not be the “sexy” in the eyes of others, she is sexy in her own terms.
“I care more of what I think of myself and what God think of myself than what other people think of me. Because if the love for yourself comes from deep within your heart, nothing that the world says matters,” she enthused.
Gumabao is one of the four women Levi’s Philippines has tapped to spread the message of its #IShapeMyWorld campaign. The said campaign celebrates women who have made bold and brave choices to lead the life they want to live and to make a difference in the lives of others.
“We want to inspire a revolution with I Shape My World in the Philippines. For the second year in a row we have gathered women from different walks of life, each with her own advocacy, to share their stories. Through this, we hope to inspire young women to live their lives without apologies and make this world a better place for everybody,” said Levi’s Philippines marketing manager Kat Costas.
Also part of this campaign is journalist Jamela Alindogan, whose career has let her meet people from all walks of life, and see the best and the worst of societies. This awareness has led her to establish Sinagtala Foundation, an organization that helps women and children in conflict areas.
Most recently she found herself in the thick of Marawi siege. “I have never been to a place of both hope and despair,” she said.
She uses her capability to live a life of service to others while being a good mother to her own child.
“Shaping my own world cannot be just shaping my own world. It means being an instrument to other people as they shape theirs. There is no such thing as living for yourself anymore. I think a life living only for yourself, a life purely for personal recognition, is dull and boring. Being of service to others is what we need to do now,” said Alindogan.
Trans woman Heart Diño believes that being an empowered woman is a continuous journey of learning. From her days as chairperson of the UP Student Council, where she helped shine a light on LGBTQ issues and advocacies, she continues the fight by being herself and sharing her story.
“It is not easy to be a transgender person in the society we live in. It’s not easy to speak and tell our stories. People judge us, silence us, and invalidate us. But we still need to do it,” she said.
Tiffany Uy does not let her illness stop her from going after her desires in life. When she was first diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease which causes her own immune system to turn against her healthy cells, she felt shame and isolated herself from others.
But when she learned how to accept help from the people around her, she powered through her sickness and achieved things other people never thought she would.
Uy graduated cum laude from UP Diliman and recently completed the grueling Spartan race.
“I shape my own world by realizing that if you really set your mind to it and really work hard and maximize what you have, you can achieve your goals,” said Uy.
These women prove that anyone can break down barriers and shape their world, and in turn help others shape theirs. Levi’s encourages women to share their story of overcoming obstacles on social media using the hashtag #IShapeMyWorld.