Dascha Polanco got real about being a minority in Hollywood, saying, “We have to be fake Latinas”

The amazing thing about humans is that we come in all shapes and sizes, each one equally beautiful. But between societal body standards and that little voice in our heads, the journey to self-love isn’t always easy. And this actress seems to understand. Dascha Polanco just got super real about body image in Hollywood.

The Orange is the New Black star has never been one to hold back when it comes to expressing her truth and sharing her experiences, and it’s one of the reasons we admire her. While speaking to Vogue last year, Dascha, who plays Dayanara Diaz on the Netflix series, revealed that many designers have refused to dress her curvy figure. Now, in an interview with Vivala, she’s sharing the hardships she’s faced as an afro-Latina in Hollywood.

When it comes to dealing with the pressures of Hollywood, body image, and fitting into stereotypes, Dascha Polanco had this to say.

"We have to be ‘Fake Latinas!' And here’s the thing about ‘Fake Latinas’ – when you look at Latinas who are succeeding in Hollywood, they’re super thin and you really can’t tell if she’s Latina or not."

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"I was growing up and not thinking that I was good enough. I just thought, 'Oh my God, if only I had lighter eyes. If only I had lighter hair. If only I was skinny. Oh my God, if I was a size 0, I know I would get more work. I could play an Italian right now! This is why you’re not getting a job.'" she continued.

It may have taken a bit of time and a lot of work (most wonderful things do), but Dascha has now accepted her body and her glorious curves and is hoping to encourage others to do the same.

“Something I’m working on is #SelfLovery. This is this whole project that I’m working on where we’re including men and women, to just take a moment to self-analyze and just say, ‘I love myself,’” she said.

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Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being a size 0. This doesn’t make you less of a woman or any less of an “authentic” Latina, but we definitely understand Polanco’s point: Hollywood has extremely narrow standards of beauty.

And like Dascha, we’re encouraging you to rock what you’ve got, no matter the shape or size. You’ve got this!