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Why I love my gray hair: Food blogger responds to critic in moving video

One woman's powerful response to an online commenter has sparked a movement to encourage women across the world to love their bodies.
/ Source: TODAY

One woman's powerful response to an online commenter has sparked a movement to encourage women across the world to love their bodies, regardless of any so-called flaws.

Food blogger Rachel Farnsworth, better known as The Stay at Home Chef, said she has fielded comments for years about the spattering of grays she has in her dark brunette hair, but recently she posted a video response to one particular commenter who suggested she dye her hair to avoid looking like "such an old hag" in her recipe videos.

"Usually I just post something funny when trolls comment, but I have really strong feelings about ... body-acceptance and self-love and shaming other people," Farnsworth, 31, told TODAY Style.

In the video, Farnsworth explains that she has a rare autoimmune disease that means she might not live to be 70 years old.

"Every sign of aging that I have is a sign that I am still alive," she said. "A lot of people don't get the privilege to ever live to be old. And I probably won't either, which means that I don't have time to waste criticizing myself, and I don't have time to waste criticizing other people. I care a lot more about what my life is like right now."

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The mother of two, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, added learning to love her body has been a long journey.

"It has taken me more than a decade of really hard work to change how I felt about myself," Farnsworth said. "I have a crooked nose with a hook in it, I've got freckles and bags under my eyes, I've got a yellow tint to my skin, I have hairs that grow in places I don't want them to. I fluctuate in weight and carry more pounds than I'd like to, sometimes. And I also have gray hair. And I love all of it."

She ended the video with a call for people to be more accepting.

"The world needs people who will build each other up instead of tearing each other down," she said. "The world needs more men like my husband, who are willing to encourage women to embrace who they are. The world needs more people who are willing to rock their bodies exactly the way that God made them. Be that person."

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Now people are sharing her message with the hashtag #BeThatPerson, and her video, posted on Facebook and her website, has been shared and commented on thousands of times.

"I didn't expect any of this," Farnsworth told TODAY Style, adding that she made the video at a film school boot camp hosted by YouTube. "I'm receiving hundreds of personal messages and emails a day ... I'm overwhelmed and humbled."