Tammy Hembrow is a fitness influencer, entrepreneur, and mom, whose name is so intertwined with wellness, dedication and massive online presence. A powerful force in the digital fitness world with more than 17 million followers on Instagram, she’s also guilty of some controversy. The latest proof of how quick admiration swings into scrutiny in the public view, it’s her most recent bikini post.
In October, Tammy posted a series of photos from the beach behind her in a bold orange and yellow crochet bikini. The photos featured a carefree moment of summer freedom that Tammy played with sand dunes, showing off her sculpted figure and her laid back attitude. It was another example of her hang glides as a body positive and fitness vocation. And for others, the post was turned into a lightning rod once more.
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It was met with swift online reaction, which was divided. She was applauded for her confidence, her aesthetic, and for her commitment to health and expression. And whereas the bikini was beautiful, critics targeted everything from the bikini’s design to Tammy’s body. As expected some people called it ‘impractical’ and ‘tacky’ and some other people even labeled her poor role model for mothers and all women for setting such unrealistic standards. Some even launched personal attacks on her, including one that labeled her as looking ‘unhealthy’ when her long-stated role as a fitness role model is one known to the public.
Tammy is not new to this. However, she has long been pushed for her choice of fashion, especially in terms of revealing or even minimal swimwear. There have been past posts that have likened it to ‘dental floss’ and lead to debates about whether it is empowering or inappropriate. Every supportive individual who’s in her content finds it inspiring has a supporter who’s willing to question her intentions and authenticity.
The moment turned into more controversy when some criticized a troubling contradiction. Tammy then revealed not long ago that a small freckle on her leg was melanoma, requiring it to be surgically removed with a 30-stitch wound. She showed off bikini photos in the weeks afterwards, in which she was visible sunbathing and the bandage was still in view. Hearing about her being this irresponsible and reckless is just so unforgivable, considering what she’s been through with skin cancer, many of her followers expressed alarm — calling her actions ‘irresponsible.’
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However, Tammy has never been shy about a bit of criticism. She’s been transparent about the ugly judgments she’s received, especially in the world of beauty, femininity, and fitness, in past interviews and posts. Once she wrote that she always got told all the time of being strong not being sexy or female. “I credit it becoming daily occurrence to a few years into my training.” Aside from her fitness milestones, her rise to fame has been paired with an ongoing discussion about body image, confidence and the weight women particularly mothers in the spotlight face.
The heart of the debate is that. As a mom of three, with a body that without a doubt seems unattainable to so many, Tammy therefore unintentionally reawakens the more intense insecurities that many people feel about beauty and self worth in the world of social media. She is an empowerment, discipline, and a fervent celebration of the body for her fans. She feels out of touch with everyday/clattering life/motherhood to others, who may see her as a filtered, a curated ideal of womanhood.
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The controversy surrounding Tammy Hembrow’s bikini photo is as much about the bikini as it is about the symbolism of the bikini, including a point in an ongoing conversation around, health, beauty, and what we choose to celebrate and vilify in this digital era. Tammy remains as relevant a figure as she is a problem child, whether people see her as a role model or problem figure at all, because she continues to stir water, set boundaries in terms of what it means to be unapologetic online.