A mother who spent years avoiding photos because she was embarrassed of her body has revealed why a French man calling her ‘fat’ made her change her mind.
Evie Farrell, 46, from Sydney, has been travelling with her nine-year-old daughter Emmie for the past four years, home schooling her along the way as the pair visit Europe, Asia and New Zealand.
Recently, while the mother and daughter were in the Philippines, Evie said a French tourist called her ‘fat and stupid’.
A mum who spent years avoiding photos because she was embarrassed revealed why a French man calling her ‘fat’ made her change her mind (Evie pictured with her daughter Emmie)
Evie Farrell, 46, from Sydney, has been travelling with her nine-year-old daughter Emmie for the past four years, home schooling her along the way (pictured together)
‘It was all because I wouldn’t leave “his” sun lounger that he and his wife had put towels on hours and hours before and then disappeared,’ Evie posted on Instagram.
The 46-year-old said she was ‘shocked’ to be called fat and stupid, but it mainly made her angry:
‘No one has the right to comment on my body or your body,’ Evie said.
‘No one has the right to try to shame us for our bodies. I love my body and that’s all that matters.’
She even said that being called fat is ‘not an insult’ to her:
‘It’s a lazy pathetic attempt to hurt and shame and it doesn’t work. My body is my body, and I love it no matter what shape or size it is,’ Evie said.
She added that she responded to the man and the situation by saying ‘bye a**sehole’, and she intends to post many more photos in her swimwear as a retaliation.
Recently, while the mother and daughter were in the Philippines, Evie said a French tourist called her ‘fat and stupid’ (Evie and Emmie pictured in the Philippines)
The 46-year-old said she was ‘shocked’ to be called fat and stupid, but it mainly made her angry (pictured with Emmie)
Last year, Evie told FEMAIL that when she was looking through the hundreds of photo albums she noticed that despite taking thousands of photographs, she was in very few, bar a few close-up selfies.
The 46-year-old decided to start a campaign – called #mumsinphotos – where she challenged both herself and mothers around the world to include themselves in their photos with their kids, rather than hiding behind the lens.
‘It’s my own fault as I don’t like to be in photos because I think I don’t look good and I’ve gained weight,’ Evie told FEMAIL.
‘I feel as though photos are prettier with just Emmie in them.’
Last year, Evie told FEMAIL that when she was looking through the hundreds of photo albums she noticed that despite taking thousands of photographs, she was in very few
The 46-year-old decided to start a campaign – called #mumsinphotos – where she challenged both herself and mums around the world to include themselves in their photos with their kids
Taking matters into her own hands, the 46-year-old located what few photos she had in her albums – and started sharing them on Instagram.
‘When I mentioned this on Instagram and asked mums to share pics of them with their children so many of them messaged me in shock to say that they could only find a couple,’ she said.
‘One lady had to go back years to find a photograph of herself with her kids, and another went through more than 500 photos from a recent holiday and was in none of them.
‘So many stories like this. And everyone is surprised that they are missing. Mums are making themselves invisible.’
Taking matters into her own hands, the 46-year-old located what few photos she had in her albums – and started sharing them on Instagram (pictured with Emmie)
Speaking about her personal experience, Evie said that all too often she opts out of photos, ‘only taking ones of Emmie or politely declining strangers’ offers to take pictures of us’.
‘I often say, “no thank you, I don’t like being in photos”. But it’s not about me, it’s about creating memories for my daughter, a record of our lives together that we can look back on and chat about, laugh about and enjoy.
‘And it’s what mums need to do, get in the photos!’
‘I was looking for a pic of Em and I from Bali yesterday and I was in tears. We spent about three months there and I could find two photos of the both of us.
‘I think mums don’t realise we are missing until we start looking for pics – and then we can’t find any photos of us with the kids or family. It’s a real shock.’
Since adopting the hashtag, there have been several hundred photos shared on Instagram with #mumsinphotos, many of which have been inspired by Evie (Evie and Emmie pictured)
Since adopting the hashtag, there have been several hundred photos shared on Instagram with #mumsinphotos, many of which have been inspired by Evie.
Evie said it’s great ‘we are committing to being more visible’.
‘Many of us are insecure and not used to being in the photo. I am the same! But it’s like when I look back on photos of 18-year-old me – when I thought I was fat – and OMG I had a banging body.
‘We think we don’t look that great or have the confidence to be in the pic, and when we look back, all we see is a lovely family photo… and what do our kids see? Beautiful mummy in the pic!’.
Evie recommended all mothers ‘buy that selfie stick and make those memories’.
‘Get out from behind the camera,’ she said. ‘Things are changing.’
To follow Evie and Emmie’s adventures on Instagram, please click here. You can also visit their blog here.