Gina Rodriguez covers the September issue of Health. Her expression mirrors what mine would be if I found myself in that dress – “whaaaa… ?” I love the color but the off shoulder and side cutout look like afterthoughts to make the dress less plain. The tutu dress below, though – I am all over that. I guess her hair has grown out from her Annihilation buzz cut. I thought the buzz was bada** but I love the styling they did in this shoot. What Gina says in the article, however, is amazing as per usual. She continues to promote body image and self confidence but gives a bit more context by explaining how her high school experience and thyroid issues shaped who she is today. Her promotion of Latino artists through #MOVEMENTMONDAYS is inspirational – and I am not just saying that because she posts beautiful shots of people like Edgar Ramirez.

ON USING #MOVEMENTMONDAYS, ON INSTAGRAM TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF OTHER LATINO ARTISTS: “I’m not trying to change the world with it; I’m trying to inspire the little girl or boy out there who doesn’t feel like he or she belongs—to remind them, ‘Look at all the heroes you have to look up to.’ I can use my platform to represent another community that feels like they haven’t been heard. I want to generate love, positivity and support.”

ON HER BEST ADVICE: “All of those thoughts, ‘I’m not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough,’ only exist within you. If you don’t feel like you’re strong enough, start working on your strength…. Let’s start breaking these thoughts down and understand where the illusion lies, where the truth lies, where your control is and what you can do to make it better. Now, when somebody tells me no, I say, ‘OK, thank you. I’m gonna look for the yes. Your no doesn’t end my world.’”

ON NOT TAKING HER PUBLIC PLATFORM FOR GRANTED: “When you’re blessed to live out your dreams, there is a responsibility to share your path and also excite and enlighten others. We do not live in this world alone. It disheartens me when I see artists take that for granted because I’m like, ‘You’ve been given this platform for power, but where does your power lie? What kind of change can you create while you’re given this little fraction of time on earth?’”

ON THE NEGATIVE RESPONSE SHE RECEIVED AFTER CUTTING HER HAIR: “What I realized is that I rediscovered my beauty, and it does not live in my hair. It doesn’t live in makeup and it doesn’t live in clothes and it doesn’t live in my weight…. It’s been awesome to rediscover part of myself where I don’t have to rely on anything but my character, my heart, my mind and my intelligence, which are what make me beautiful.”

ON WHAT SHE WAS LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL: “I looked like a little boy. I didn’t get my period until I was 16. I went to school with all the wealthy kids, and I was on financial aid, and they all seemed to grow up a lot quicker than I did. So it was difficult. These kids had Mercedes at 16. It was surreal to think, ‘Why isn’t this my life?’ But it made me work harder because I wanted it, too, and I knew I was gonna be able to get it: “Oh, this is not my life, but it will be one day.”

ON MANAGING HER HASHIMOTO’S DISEASE AND WHY IN SOME WAYS IT’S A BLESSING: “If I can at least walk for 30 minutes a day, it’s extremely helpful for my thyroid gland. Running, boxing, jump rope and hitting the heavy bag are my workout constants. It’s always been a battle for me with weight…. It actually became a blessing because then I got to represent not only women and Latinas but also women who are dealing with this disease. I’m gluten-free, which is the most difficult thing in the world because, like Oprah, I love bread!”

[From Health]

When I wrote about Gina before, I didn’t realize her thyroid condition was Hashimoto thyroiditis. There is so much here to applaud in the article but the one line that leapt out at me was, “I’m gonna look for the yes.” Hand on my heart – I have already printed that out and put it on my bulletin board.

I was dubious when I first read her line about negative thoughts only existing within you but reading her full quote, I see that she is talking about self confidence and not depression or anxiety. As for Gina’s activism, I agree that we all share some responsibility for advancement, especially within our own interests, but not broadcasting your efforts and taking your position for granted are not mutually exclusive. Anonymous change-makers are still change-makers. However, Gina is not one to sit back silently and bless her for that. Any day I read an article on her, I feel a little better about the world – may she never change.

Photo credit: Health Magazine