ama Ask Me Anything: Mia Kang, Model, Author, TV Host & Activist

[Mia Kang]

This AMA is now over, thank you to everyone that submitted questions and a huge thanks to Mia for joining us!

Hello everyone!

I’m Mia Kang - a model, author, tv host and activist. I try to use my platform to raise awareness and discuss different issues like racial injustices, eating disorder recovery, body image issues, mental health (in particular anxiety and depression) and feminism. DTL and I have had a long relationship and as someone who was bullied and cyber bullied in school, I truly believe all the work that they do is not only important but necessary. DTL and I have partnered on projects together in the past but they have also supported me and helped me through things I have personally had to deal with, both online and offline. I’m so proud to become an ambassador for an organisation that I not only wholeheartedly support, but they truly practice what they preach. 

Feel free to ask me anything! I’m an open book, and am a big believer in talking about things to break social stigmas. 

Xx

Best,

Mia Kang / @MiaKang

 

[Mia Kang]

Guys thanks so much for all your questions I have looooooved chatting, and cannot wait to do it again. If you would like to check out my book 'Knockout' thats available pretty much everywhere they sell books, and give me a follow in IG @miakang. So excited to get to know this community more, sending you all so much love and have an amazing weekend! Stay out of trouble! Love you guys xx

[jake]

Firstly want to say that I follow you on IG and think the things you post are awesome especially your posts on stop asian hate and BLM. Feel like Ive got so many questions but im mostly interested in what it's like being you and doing so many things, like what does your schedule look like and how do you manage to do so much? I personally find posting on IG quite tiring, do you feel like that sometimes too? and if so how do you keep going?

[Mia Kang]

On 6/3/2021 at 4:01 AM, dipsi333 said:

hi Mia! i really love how you are so body positive. Have you always been this way? If not how did you do this, i'm feeling nervous with summer here...

Hiiii! Thank you so much! So I say that I am 'body confident' as I believe the term 'body positive' should be reserved for bodies more marginalised than mine, but I would definitely say that I wasn't always this way. 

I developed eating disorders at 13 and started modelling. Since then I was told to be a certain size and weight and anything outside of that was not acceptable, not beautiful and wouldnt book me any jobs. I spent most of my life torturing myself to conform to those standards. Only when I was 27 did I break out of this cycle and realise that I need to respect my body because its amazing! I was the skinniest I had ever been but I was miserable, unhealthy and depressed. I thought that my weight was directly correlated to my happiness and my worthiness but I was so wrong. My health and my happiness is more important than my body image and adhering to diet culture. I am super proud of the woman that I am regardless of my size and my appearance.

You don't need to feel nervous because summer is here. Your body deserves love, acceptance and respect regardless of what you look like. You are worthy.  All bodies are summer bodies and if you feel good then f*ck what anyone else thinks!

 

(sorry again ditch the label for the language! >.<)

[cloudzs]

wowww!

my question is about muay thai, what got you into it? 

i think it is really cool! thank you

[Harper]

We're so excited to have you join us Mia and so thrilled to count you as one of our Ambassadors. The work you do is amazing and we really value your energy and support. My question -- what advice would you give to somebody who is going through a tough time and struggling to connect with their identity, perhaps against a backdrop of bullying? 

- Harper

[ðŸEllaðŸ]

Hey! What is your favorite thing about modeling? and what is your favorite  book?

[theblueintrovert6]

I'm an introvert and I'm ugly. I have a hard time trying to fit in. I hate looking at myself in the mirror. I don't know what to do with my social life. 

[reezwa]

hiiiii mia! 

what do you think the most important thing is to stay happy??

thank u 

[Mia Kang]

On 6/3/2021 at 3:22 AM, jake said:

Firstly want to say that I follow you on IG and think the things you post are awesome especially your posts on stop asian hate and BLM. Feel like Ive got so many questions but im mostly interested in what it's like being you and doing so many things, like what does your schedule look like and how do you manage to do so much? I personally find posting on IG quite tiring, do you feel like that sometimes too? and if so how do you keep going?

Hi Jake!!! Thanks for the follow and the support and the kind words! I really appreciate it!

I absolutely find it tiring, I have burnouts more often than I would like. I do my best to regulate my boundaries - when to put down my phone, when to unplug and when I need to increase my privacy settings because I just don't have the capacity to process how so many people feel and what they think about what I post. It's also really important for me to draw a distinction between being an instagram user and a contributor as I can easily blur the lines between the two and just get lost in rabbit holes and caught up in comment section debates. By far the most exhausting part is the hate, the trolls, the unsolicited opinions and the negativity. Its really easy to say "just ignore it!" but even if you ignore it it still affects you to some degree and I'm not going to pretend it doesnt. I have quite severe anxiety that can really flare up because of too much social media so I am still learning how to regulate and enforce my own boundaries. 

I have a really random schedule, every day and every week looks different, which may seem aaaaamaaazing but it comes with its downsides too.

 

Load of love Jake!! xx

[dipsi333]

hi Mia! i really love how you are so body positive. Have you always been this way? If not how did you do this, i'm feeling nervous with summer here...

[Mia Kang]

On 6/3/2021 at 5:23 AM, ðŸEllaðŸ said:

Hey! What is your favorite thing about modeling? and what is your favorite  book?

My favourite thing about modelling would have to be the traveling it has allowed me to do. I have been so lucky to be able to shoot in some incredible places that I probably wouldnt have gone to if I wasnt doing what I do. From the mangroves in Sumatra, to white sand beaches in the Maldives, to historical monuments in Copenhagen...its a blessing that I am really grateful for.

 

xx

 

 

 

[Mia Kang]

7 hours ago, reezwa said:

hiiiii mia! 

what do you think the most important thing is to stay happy??

thank u 

Staying in tune with yourself. Listening to yourself at all times and honouring what you need. No body will make you happy like how you make you happy xx

[Mia Kang]

7 hours ago, honeybeetree said:

What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?  and what are you the proudest of in your life?   thank you!

 

One of the proudest moments was when I graduated from my Masters - I have a BA in Philosophy and a Masters degree in Finance and Financial Law. So proud of myself for doing that. 

All the embarrassing moments that come to mind are when I was bullied in school (but I think thats more traumatising than embarrassing), or times when I've completely stacked it in front of people looool. 

 

xx

 

[Mia Kang]

5 hours ago, charlchurros said:

I love following you on IG I don't have loads of followers but try to do as much as i can to support BLM and stop asian hate but the hate i sometimes gets is really nasty. How do you deal with it?  

I always say it doesnt matter if you have 50 followers, or 5 million followers you better practice what you preach. When people write to me saying you should post xyz, why arent you posting about zxy?! And I click on their page and they dont even post about it I find that pretty hypocritical. The burden doesnt just fall on those with over X followers, it falls on all of us. So I really admire you using your platform however big or small for speaking up! 

Yeah it gets really nasty it can be rough. First of all utilise your functions! Block, report, restrict, delete, mute. Protect your space. Yes my page is public but it is still my digital space. People are not entitled to access to me let alone entitled to just hurl nastiness at me. I police my page and have my own set of community guidelines and if you dont follow them I will remove, restrict, block or delete. Do not be afraid to enforce your boundaries. YOUR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH COMES FIRST! Also, pick and chose your battles. I (try to!) only engage with those who seem open to discussion and sharing perspective. If they are just forcing their thoughts or negativity on you its not worth engaging because its not productive. But to be honest I don't have all the answers, I still struggle almost daily with how to deal with social media nastiness!

 

xx

[Zayn]

hi mia, really inspired by your post and feed. what has been your biggest highlight in your career? and what advice would you give to someone looking to build a platform and be visible?

[Zayn]

another q, what is it like being a model? you always hear mixed messages about it, sometimes its meant to be really glamorous and other times really stressful, what's the reality?

[DanTheMan]

What's it like writing a book? and how long did it take? 

 

[Liam Hackett]

Welcome to the community Mia !

My question: if you were President for a day, what 1 thing would you do/change?

[kqfellasfan]

Who is your favourite musical artist?

I looove kpop at the moment

[honeybeetree]

What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?  and what are you the proudest of in your life?   thank you!

[billywaffles]

Hello Mia!    how do you deal with anxiety? It really affects my life and my friends don't always understand cause i'm quite loud x

[Monsoon]

Heyyy Mia,

What advice would you give to people who feel really low about the way their body looks? 

[charlchurros]

I love following you on IG I don't have loads of followers but try to do as much as i can to support BLM and stop asian hate but the hate i sometimes gets is really nasty. How do you deal with it?  

[Mia Kang]

On 6/3/2021 at 7:52 AM, cloudzs said:

wowww!

my question is about muay thai, what got you into it? 

i think it is really cool! thank you

Soooooo I found muay thai when I went to Thailand for a getaway. I was completely run down from modelling, I was at rock bottom, I was depressed and exhausted, I had just been asked to starve myself for 10 days for a photoshoot, I was riddled with eating disorders, and I needed to escape. I went to thailand alone and I drove past a muay thai gym on the side of the road, pulled over and asked to try. A 10 day vacation turned into me living in the gym for 6 months and deciding to have my first fight! I fell in love with the sport and what it was teaching me about myself. It helped me to learn how to respect my body and ultimately decide to recover from my eating disorders. I wrote a book about this journey from self loathing to self love if youd like to check it out! Its called 'KNOCKOUT' xx

[Mia Kang]

On 6/3/2021 at 3:44 AM, Harper said:

We're so excited to have you join us Mia and so thrilled to count you as one of our Ambassadors. The work you do is amazing and we really value your energy and support. My question -- what advice would you give to somebody who is going through a tough time and struggling to connect with their identity, perhaps against a backdrop of bullying? 

- Harper

Hi Harper! Thanks for the warm welcome :)

So I was bullied and cyber bullied in school, and what I wish someone had told me is that nastiness, judgement, bullying, being made to feel different and unaccepted is a reflection of them, not you. Do not waste your time and energy (the two things we can never get back in life) trying to fit in or feel accepted. Self acceptance is far more important. Everybody deserves to exist being unapologetically themselves. You do not need to fit into a box. You are unique so f*cking embrace it, and enjoy it. 

(sorry ditch the label for my language lol)

xx