That said, Jamil is always quick to ensure she doesn’t come across as judgemental. “I’m not here to shit on anyone who’s had botox, there are a lot of trans people in the world who rely on surgery or botox to live a safe life. But I think we need to be more transparent about it and shift our goalposts to what we think is important. Those of us with big platforms have a duty to remind people that they are not just what they look like.”
This perhaps is the key point Jamil is making. While plenty of celebrities, actresses and A-listers might look a certain way when dressed up and having had their hair and makeup done, when it’s off, they don’t look like that. Despite her desire to be transparent, that doesn’t mean Jamil hates clothes and makeup—far from it, she’s a big fan often sharing pictures and videos of herself in red carpet gowns and bold makeup looks.
What’s the line, then, between enjoying makeup and clothes and it taking over your life? “I think if you feel like you can’t leave the house without it or you apologise when you don’t have it on. That’s a problem. I think there’s a way to be celebratory with makeup but I think you have to spend as much time without it on, so you’re not repulsed by that image. I think it’s really important to not edit your photographs too, as the detriment it does to you is so little explained. One of the things that really drew me to The Body Shop when I was a kid is that they didn’t edit their photographs. It was one of the only places I see goosebumps or pores or body hair.”
