8 Epic Women Using Instagram In Inspiring Ways

Amika George is the founder of the Instagram-born @freeperiods movement. After reading a study published by the charity 'Freedom4Girls' that revealed girls are missing school because they can't afford sanitary products she decided to do something about it.

She told ELLE UK, 'This is a basic need for women on their period. It's not right and it can't be justified. These girls need our help.' And Amika is definitely giving them that.

Gina Martin used Instagram to campaign about criminalising the act of 'upskirting' and last month it was announced that it is to be made illegal in the UK. After she experienced unwanted and inappropriate pictures being taken by a stranger at a music festival Gina took matters into her own hands and began a one-woman brigade to change things for all females in the UK.

Now she's achieved her goal, Gina's Instagram provides advice from public speaking to balancing personal life with activism.

ELLE UK Contributing Editor Liv Little is founder of @galdemzine, an online and print magazine written by women of colour and non-binary people of colour. Little has created a hub for minorities and uses her Instagram to share how she has used feminism to help her overcome some insecurities with her body and support other women on the same journey.

Plus size model and body positive activist from Birmingham, Sonny Turner challenges the notions of skinny equals beautiful. Using the hashtag #everyBODYisbeautiful Sonny deconstructs society's idea of what is 'perfect' in terms of beauty.

When asked by ELLE UK if she describes herself as a 'plus-size' model her response was 'I'd consider myself human!' And you can find more of her refreshing attitude on her Insta grid.

Libby is a body positivity campaigner and artist. By showcasing her art on Instagram (which is bloody good!) she spreads much needed body positivity by depicting a variety of human body shapes in a unique style.

Not only that, her captions are the first thing you need to read when you wake up, 'You were not born to tick boxes. You do not breathe to be suffocated by standards and expectations.'

Florence Given addresses social issues with playful illustrations. With over 130,000 followers, her work challenges outdated attitudes towards women. Some of our favourite slogans include, 'Stop valuing women based on their sexual history' and 'Not taking anymore sexist bullshit'.

Florence also sells merchandise and we'll be getting ourselves seven t-shirts for every day of the week.

Here at ELLE UK we're all about sustainable fashion and so is Tolmeia Gregory. Using her blog and Instagram, Tolmeia not only wants to encourage consumers to shop more ethically but she wants her followers to be more confident in themselves and what they wear. What's not to love?

Beauty blogger Hodhen Liaden and founder of @darkskinnedhijabis celebrates women of colour. With over 26,000 followers on her personal Instagram account you can find messages of self-love and make-up tutorials. Click follow to get some great beauty tips and encouraging words on loving yourself.

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