The latest role model making us feel okay about ourselves is a mum in “badass” undies.

“Screw what society wants from me. This is what’s on offer.”

You gotta love a woman with #badassundies.

South Australian mum Mel Rymill never expected to find fame for her grannie pants she just wanted other women to find the same pride in their bodies that she has.

But in just a few days she has not just found unexpected viral fame but become a role model with her message about body empowerment.

Her inspiring words came just after a session with a personal trainer.

She says the trainer confronted her with a statement that left her shocked and angry.

“Obviously you want to get back to your pre-baby weight”

Mel says that when she heard it she was annoyed.

“It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. And it pissed. Me. Off.”

Following her session Mel uploaded a photo to Facebook complete with greasy hair, makeup free, her breast-feeding bra and her granny undies and she  urged other women to do the same with the hashtag #badassundies.

The post has now been shared more than 6,000 times with women from Ireland to the US saying Mel’s photo has left them feeling empowered.

She said in her post  “I corrected her nicely by simply saying “my goal is to regain my core strength and endurance…I’m not worried by how my body looks, only how it functions…it can be pretty badass”.

“But it got me thinking” she continued.

Mel went on to explain that no matter what size women are there is pressure to look good.

“Post pregnant women are told they look good if they return to their pre-baby body quickly leading to the assumption that they look bad if the keep the extra weight. Skinny people are envied for their lack of fat or shamed for apparently starving themselves. Voluptuous women are either labelled fat and shamed or they’re labelled brave for being comfortable in their own skin.”

“No one is comfortable in their own skin 100% of the time. Constantly labelling people and piling expectations associated with these labels on them is harmful to everyone… including those doing the labelling.”

“So here I am. I may not be magazine ready, my nana undies and bedtime nursing bra are certainly not going to be rocking a runway anytime soon, my hair is greasy, I have no makeup on, my body is squishy and plentiful, I’m not even sure I’m totally ok. But I am strong. My body is healthy.

“Hell, I am badass as fuck! Screw what society wants from me. This is what’s on offer.”

Join me if you will #badassundies.”

Her post has inspired a social media movement of real bodies. One woman writing:

“I never would’ve felt comfortable posting this photo before – but since seeing your post, I’ve decided to embrace my curves in all their glory – even the lumpy and bumpy bits.”

Another:

And even more:

Mel’s make-up free nursing bra, beige undies pic is just the anecdote women need when confronted with a bevy of bounced-back-from-birth-bodies gracing our magazine covers.

Mel Rymill never expected to start a movement but she did and let’s hope it continues.

Mel says she is thrilled her post has taken off saying “it is so empowering seeing all these awesome people owning their bodies and shouting it from the rooftops.”

Good for you Mel what an inspiration.

“You are bold, you are brilliant and you are beautiful,” Watch this inspiring Ted Talk by “plus size” model Ashley Graham…