Travel Influencer Shares Why She Never Posted Bikini Photos: "24 Years In India Taught Me To Be Conscious"

Imagine going to a beach, clicking thousands of pictures in a swimsuit or bikini, and never posting them. Why? Because what would society think? What if the neighbourhood aunty sees the video or picture and calls you degrading names?

Often, Indian women, when they visit abroad, especially beach destinations, wear bikinis, pose in them, and shoot videos, but many just keep the photos and videos saved on their phones as memories, never sharing them on Instagram. Travel influencer Rita was also among them until now.

Influencer On Never Posting Bikini Photos

Taking to Instagram, Rita shared a video. The text read, "24 years of living in India have taught me to be cautious of what I wear."

She said, "Bahaut time se soch rhi thi ki maine agar bikini me photo daali to kya hoga. But fir mujhe realise hua ki jaisa desh waisa bhes bolte hain to mai bikini Faridabad me thode na pehnungi. Yahi par pehnungi na because yahan par of course main full kapde pehenkar thode na jaungi beach par [For ages, I have been thinking about what will happen if I post my photo in a bikini. But then I realised one should dress according to the culture. Obviously, I won't wear a bikini in Faridabad. I can only wear it here on the beach. I cannot go into the water wearing full clothes.]."

"So I am wearing it right now, and I will post it," she said while turning the camera towards her top to show her gorgeous two-piece.

She further said that she was going to post the video without giving a second thought to what people would comment. "I will post it," she asserted, adding that Indian uncles jump into pools, seas, oceans, and lakes half-naked in shorts, not even proper swimwear.

In the caption, she mentioned that as an Indian woman, she never thought that she would post this video. She had worn a bikini multiple times in Thailand and Indonesia, where she felt completely normal at beaches. "Growing up, I became very conscious of what I wore and how people might react. Even when you're fully covered, you can still feel judged, stared at, or uncomfortable," she wrote.

The first time she wore a bikini, she was overthinking, but then she saw that nobody cared. "People were swimming, reading, talking to friends, enjoying the ocean, and living their own lives. And I realised that most of the pressure I was feeling was coming from years of conditioning and worrying about what others might think," she added.

"This isn't about bikinis. It's about feeling comfortable in your own skin and not letting fear stop you from enjoying an experience," the travel influencer concluded.

Social Media Reactions

A user encouraged Rita to upload the video. Sharing her experience, she wrote that she felt comfortable and free in Thailand because she noticed that no one was staring at her.

Another wrote, "Just DO IT, my girl."

A third commented, "You look hot, girl! Post it!"

A fourth said, "Your body, your money, and your choice."

But when a woman talks about freedom, there will always be men carrying the "cultural" flag and giving unsolicited advice. A user wrote, "Guys, take notes: just make sure you never commit to these women in comments supporting her. Stay far away from all of them, they're all lost cases."

"Wannabe Westerners, copying whatever the West does, and then giving explanations. Wearing modestly does not mean a lack of freedom," another commented.

"The fact that some people are offended by a woman feeling comfortable in her own skin says more about them than it does about you. Loved the message behind this," commented a user calling out the misogynists.

It's 2026, and a woman's choice of clothing still influences how some men perceive her worthiness of commitment. Instead of policing what women wear, perhaps it is time people examined the very "culture" they so passionately preach and questioned the prejudices and narrow mindsets that underpin such misogynistic and sexist behaviour.

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