Irish mum with thighs that CLAP says: 'I'll wear my bikini with pride'
A mum is going viral for her message of body positivity this summer – saying her 'thighs don't gap, they clap'. And she'll be bringing the mantra with her while at the all-inclusive buffet.
Riona O'Connor is known for her quick wit and side-splitting videos. But the 43-year-old has an important message to spread to her 910,000 followers now that summer is fast-approaching. And using her sense of humour she's doing just that – bikini reviews – with one racking up 10.8m views and over 362,000 likes alone.
'I tried to hop on the body positivity train,' Riona, from Ireland, but living in London told What's The Jam. 'I even saw an incredible Intuitive Eating Psychotherapist for a year, hoping she'd unlock the magical door to body acceptance. Spoiler: there's no door, only more snacks.
'Deep down, I couldn't feel the self-acceptance everyone was posting about. So I started writing speeches for myself about how even if my thighs clap like it's opening night on Broadway, that's ok. If they worked for me, I thought they might work for someone else – and that's what I'm doing.'
In the clip, Riona steps into shot wearing a red floral two-piece and holding up a hose. She says: 'I saw the bikini, I loved it.
I propelled my body into it with a fervour – not unlike your drunk aunt at a wedding trying to get into a conga line. I fought my low self-esteem like it owed me money and flirted with my boyfriend.
'I buried that low self-esteem in the back garden under the patio slabs right next to my dignity. Yeah, my belly's wobbling, my arms are jiggling, my thighs are clapping louder than a theatre kid at a production of Hamilton. But this body paid bills, made humans, parallel parked, survived mild inconveniences and major emotional meltdowns in Aldi.
'So this body deserves a bikini in the sun, cocktails and to be belligerently horizontal on a plastic lounger. If you don't like it, though, look away. I'm not here for a photoshoot, I am here for vengeance – and snacks. And if the bikini starts digging into my kidneys, that's just my body's way of giving itself a little hug for being so magnificent.'
Riona says that self-love should be practised aggressively, not softly, as she walks off to enjoy the sunshine. Users have flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many people praising the content creator for her message. 'That bathing suit is so pretty! You look fantastic,' Meg commented.
Another user said: 'Love EVERYTHING about this and you!!' [sic] "Tried on a bikini last night and my thighs gave me a round of applause,' Alex added.
Shelly said: 'Vengeance and snacks, plus I survived cancer twice. I'm wearing a sodding bikini. This body says WOMAN! Wow what a gift,' Tamu commented. [sic]
She says that her message is to show people that thigh gaps are a 'myth for most'. Riona added: 'We spend so much time thinking our bodies are public property, open for judgement, but the truth is most people are too busy worrying about their own bits.
'It's just us.
'I think that thighs that kiss, clap or try to start a small campfire when you walk are not a flaw. They are a sign of movement, power and the fact that you're very much alive – and likely on your way to the fridge. Your legs aren't supposed to look a certain way, they're supposed to carry you through life, with no gap required.
'I still have bad body thoughts, they pop up like unwanted software updates, but I'm learning to hit 'remind me later' and carry on.
'It's hard work of unlearning decades of self-criticism, but someone's got to break the cycle. Might as well be me, in a bikini, holding a biscuit.'
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Riona O'Connor is known for her quick wit and side-splitting videos (Image: Jam Press/Lissette Arenas Photography) 1 of 12
Riona h as an important message to spread to her 910,000 followers now that summer is fast-approaching (Image: Jam Press/Lissette Arenas Photography) 2 of 12
'I tried to hop on the body positivity train,' Riona, from Ireland, explains. (Image: Jam Press/@rionnaoconnor_) 3 of 12
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