--- --- # Here's How the 'Don't Judge Challenge' Totally Backfired  by [Jack Linshi](https://time.com/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Jul 8, 2015 1:18 AM UTC  by [Jack Linshi](https://time.com/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Jul 8, 2015 1:18 AM UTC A social media campaign calling for an end to body shaming may have made things worse. The hashtag #DontJudgeChallenge has taken off on Instagram, Twitter and Vine this month with users posting photos or videos of themselves with drawn-on unibrows, acne or other physical features often the targets of body shaming. Then, they wipe off their “flaws” to reveal what’s underneath: > [](https://twitter.com/Elisa%5F%5Fx333/status/617544716389883904) > [](https://twitter.com/jimmykid6/status/618090460779679744) You’re not alone if you’re totally confused. While the origin of the hashtag is somewhat unclear, the #DontJudgeChallenge began to trend around the time beauty blogger Em Ford posted a viral [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=173&v=WWTRwj9t-vU) of herself removing makeup from her face, revealing her acne, and encouraging viewers to accept themselves rather than to feel ashamed. Another recent viral video shows a South Korean fashion blogger [removing makeup from only half her face, revealing a dramatic difference.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpQS5i6nSH8) In contrast,#DontJudgeChallenge, to many observers, seems to be a parody, if not completely hypocritical: > [](https://twitter.com/aidanjalexander/status/618163277437104128) Users have instead begun flocking to the #BeautyInAllChallenge, posting images celebrating the parts of their bodies that others may criticize. And who knows? Maybe this will be the next Ice Bucket Challenge: > [](http://twitter.com/Blueisqueeraf/status/618086081662038016) > [](http://twitter.com/museturbation/status/618574037027942401) Don't Judge Challenge: Instagram Trend on Body Shaming Backfires ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3948968/dont-judge-challenge/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3948968/dont-judge-challenge/"},"headline":"Here's How the 'Don't Judge Challenge' Totally Backfired","datePublished":"2015-07-08T01:18:45.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:21:52.143Z","description":"The #DontJudgeChallenge was intended to be an anti-body shaming campaign","url":"https://time.com/3948968/dont-judge-challenge/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Living","Social Media","Body Image"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jack Linshi","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jack-linshi/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3948968/dont-judge-challenge/","name":"Here's How the 'Don't Judge Challenge' Totally Backfired"}}]}] ```