Why hundreds of women are sharing photos of their stretch marks on social media.

It takes courage to pose for a photograph that reveals a private part of yourself. So why have so many women joined a campaign that focuses on their stretch marks? To inspire others, of course! And we can see why.

More than 24, 000 people have shared this gallery celebrating stretch marks and post-baby bodies created by two mothers in the United States. Dubbed the ‘Love Your Lines’ project, these intricate and sometimes haunting black and white images are a celebration of  real woman’s bodies.

The soft lines of a navel, the curves of the décolletage and shoulders resemble delicate tattoos. And each photograph comes with a personal story from the woman it captures.

The Instagram project’s anonymous founders told the Identities, Mic blog  they created the account to inspire women of all shapes and sizes.  

“We started the campaign on a whim, after a few discussions about our bodies after motherhood. The response has been phenomenal and we are so honored that [Love Your Lines] is being received so well. We knew other women would be able to relate, but we were not expecting such an overwhelming response,” they said. 

Not all the women participating in the project earned their stretch marks through pregnancy. Some have appeared after puberty, as a result of playing sport or after recovering from disease. 

We love this one:

“If you could name any place on my body, I have stretch marks there. I’m only 22, no kids, no nothing,”@alyciaa_khalifa wrote. “I’ve had my stretch marks since I was 12, and I used to get teased throughout middle and high school. I used to be so self-conscious. I wouldn’t buy shirts unless they had sleeves and covered my entire body. I even battled with bulimia for a few years because I wanted to be skinny and beautiful. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve accepted that my stretch marks aren’t going anywhere, so there’s no point in trying to hide them.”

What do you think of the gallery? How do you feel about stretch marks? Would you contribute to the Love Your Lines project?