Rachael Langham
We spent some one-on-one time with Good Squad member Rachael Langham during our campaign shoot with her and the rest of the Squad. Rachael shared her story of finding love, coming out to her supportive family, and becoming the confident boss woman she is today. We couldn't be any more proud to have her as part of our GA family.
What do you see as the new beauty ideal?
The person being themselves. I think it's not about image anymore. It's more about what comes out of you and how you present yourself from your personality. It's not about what makeup you wear, or what clothes you wear–as much as that's still part of it–but it's about being an honest person. I think that's the new beauty ideal to me.
What do you see missing in the industry?
Diversity. I think we’re taking massive steps forward from what the industry was 10 years ago, even 5 years ago. This is something I would like to see continuing. That ball keeps rolling and girls like me, different races, sexuality, and sizes–they deserve a chance like everyone else. So the way that it’s going just needs to keep going.
If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
Let yourself fail and feel all those emotions. Be in the moment, because moments, where you feel down and out, is what will put you out there in the future. It’s what happened to me when I was so down and upset with my body and sexuality. Looking back on it now, I’m grateful because I know what I don't want to be like, and how I don't want to look at myself. Let yourself feel those emotions. There will be a lot of them, but they’ll put you in a better place in the future.
You have a history in modeling. Did you ever sign to an agency?
I signed with an agency when I was 15 and I was constantly trying to lose weight. There were weeks I wouldn't eat. I would lie to my parents because I didn't want them to worry about me. I was just so desperate to go overseas and be a model. I wasn’t tall enough so I had to be extra skinny. When I was 16 I came out as gay, and I started getting excluded from my friendship group. I hated myself and I felt like such an outsider. I quit school, went to my mom and I was not happy. I wanted to quit and she was like, “That’s fine. If you want to quit, get a job, and do what makes you happy.” I'm so grateful for my parents being like, “You are giving me a heart attack, but it’s cool. If you are happy that’s okay.”
Then I finally reached a point where I cut my hair and I got tattoos and I really started to express who I was. There are days where I wake up, look at myself in the mirror and I'm not happy with it, but a few moments after that it disappears. I don't have that mindset anymore, it's just a thought. And it's something we'll always have. We are never going to be truly happy with who we are, but it's something that I continuously work on. I think we all are, and that's just life.
How was it when you came out to your family?
I was really fortunate when I came out to my family. They were super understanding, and I have such a close relationship with my mom and dad. I'm so grateful for them. It was my grandparents–I didn't want to tell them until I had someone I really wanted them to know. They grew up in a different age, and I totally get that it's not normal to them. And then when my parents finally told my Nana and my Pop, because I have my girlfriend now. I really wanted them to meet her because I love her so much. I have this voicemail on my phone from my Nana, because I missed her call. She was like, "I want you to know it is perfectly okay, and we are happy!"
She passed away last year, and when she met Brooke for the first time she almost felt like she idolized her. She could see how much she loved me and that was really special for me. I was actually in LA last year when she passed away.
I have had a lot of people accept me for who I am. You feel it from strangers every now and then. Men are like, "Well, you don't look gay, you just have had the right man." I’m like, "I’m sure I could please your girlfriend more than you ever can!" But, we’ve taken big steps in that community, and we are a lot more accepted and it’s a lot easier to be who you are now.
Now that you have this platform to send a message to others out there, what would you like to share?
Be yourself. I think that's what a lot of our messages are going to be and we are all doing it and starting to come out of our shell, and I hope the next generation never feels put in a box or like they can't be who they want to be. You have one life, this is you. Why would you ever want to be somebody else, or hate your body in this life that you are so fortunate to have?
What 3 words best describe Good American?
Understanding, acceptance, and powerful.
So, the entire Good Squad is finally here together, what's this been like?
We’ve been hanging out, and we all get along really well. We all have different personalities, like a few of the girls are super loud and I can be super quiet sometimes. We all involve ourselves in the conversations and no one feels left out, or like an outsider. It’s very much a little sisterhood.
We all have confidence in different ways. I'm confident in the way I speak, and others are confident in the way they dress. There are many different dynamics in the confidence area.
When do you feel most powerful, most BOSS?
When I run. I've been running a lot lately and exercising and eating really well, and waking up in the morning feeling really well, I'm so in love with that feeling at the moment. Also, being able to provide and create a really nice life for my girlfriend and I. We are looking to buy a house soon, so those kinds of things I'm feeling like a boss lady and a family girl. That’s what's making me feel very powerful, and I used to be a bit of a ratbag in the past and all that stuff in my early 20s. It feels nice to know who I am, and really know my personality and what I want. Also, it's nice to have goals for my future. I think it's important because you never know what direction you're really going in. It's nice to have a foreseeable future and feel like a boss doing that.