60 • happiful.com • September 2019
every bit as passionate about
helping people to feel better about
themselves. However, Gok believes
that there are some aspects of
the continuing social media
phenomenon that exacerbate
issues around low self-esteem –
and he’s particularly concerned
about younger people who have
never known a life without these
platforms.
“We’re in a dangerous position at
the moment; the majority of the
images that we see are no longer
just unrealistic, they’re computergenerated, and people are aspiring
to look that way. I don’t think the
world knows what is beautiful any
longer.
“We’re aspiring to be something
that is completely artificial – it’s
not real. And I think that’s really
confusing to a lot of young people.
“As a 45-year-old man who works
in an industry that is governed
by how we look, I can talk about
this quite freely and understand
the right and wrongs of that,”
Gok explains. “However, if I’m a
13-year-old girl or boy, then I haveno background knowledge, no
research, and no references on
this. I’m just thinking: ‘Why don’t
I look that way?’ And I think that
this can cause quite severe mental
damage.”
Gok has real gravitas when
he shares his opinion on these
subjects, not only because of
his professional background,
but also because of his personal
experience with eating disorders,
stemming from his young adult
years. And now, how does Gok
view himself today?Follow Gok Wan on Instagram @therealgokwan, and visit gokfashion.com
for more about the One Size Fits All tour.
To support LGBT+ communities across the world, visit allout.org, a global
movement fighting for a world where no one has to make sacrifices because
of who they are or who they love.