'Orange Is the New Black' 's Danielle Brooks Posts Fierce Body-Positive Gym Selfie: 'I'm a Goddess'

The star went shirtless at the gym for the first time in her life

Published on July 29, 2015 11:10 AM

Danielle Brooks just decided to “turn up the notch” on self-love.

Posting a fierce mirror selfie on Tuesday in a hot pink sports bra, the Orange Is the New Black star celebrated a major accomplish – she finally allowed herself to hit the gym without a shirt.

“I’ve always wanted to do this but have felt shameful and have told myself ‘until my body is perfect I’m forbidden,'” she captioned the Instagram photo. “Today my inner being told me to turn up the notch on my self-love. I should not be ashamed of my body. I’m not a walking imperfection. I’m a goddess.”

While Brooks, 25, acknowledges that she doesn’t always feel so confident when she takes off her Spanx – “it’s a struggle” – she woke up Tuesday morning feeling beautiful, motivated and in love with her curves.

“I’m not saying World take your shirt off, twist it round your head, spin it like a helicopter, (lol),” she continued. “I’m saying everyone live in your confidence. One Life. One Body. Take Care of It.”

Brooks finished the inspiring post with a series of empowering (and hilarious) hashtags, including #yesmythightstouch, #voiceofthecurves #imabadshutyomouth and #ivebeeneatingmygreens.

The actress, who plays Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on Orange Is the New Black, is no stranger to her self-ascribed role as #voiceofthecurves.

“Being a woman of curves, I really find that it’s very important to talk about loving your body where you are,” Brooks said at a panel discussion in May. “People’s beauty standards [are] something I’ve definitely struggled with in my life. And I’m just so grateful to be on a show where people love me, Taystee, for who she is and they’ve come to love Danielle for who I am, and it’s not because I’m a size 2 and it’s not because I’m light-skinned with long hair.”