Plus Size Models
And teaching us a lesson in the process
If Aretha Franklin didn't have the golden voice and extraordinary musical talent that we covet, she would probably be just as successful as one of the first plus size models of the world. She oozes sensuality, possesses a killer smile and knows how to work a camera.
Women are finally getting the picture … big can be sexy. Some men have known it for a long time. Some big girls are also aware of their appeal. It's the media, however, who are just starting to catch up and take notice. Plus size models are making their presence known in an industry previously a slave to the 'thinner is better' mentality. A female rebellion has been simmering below the surface for years, rejecting images of the grungy waif and the calorie-deprived supermodel. What's been missing has been the education of the public, via the media, to accept imagery of women who have a bit of meat on their bones.
The average star struck young lady who wants to make it in modelling, has previously endured fad diets, starvation and other detrimental factors in an effort to fit the mold of any agency she would approach. And frankly, her dreams of being a calendar girl or the Next Big Thing in Hollywood would likely be shattered if she didn't present a size six figure or smaller. She perhaps may not even be able to open her portfolio for the casting director. Today, however, thanks to consumer feedback and changing attitudes, plus size models are valued for their realistic, 'common woman' appearance. They portray a more believable image that more regular women can aspire to and relate to, and the marketing companies are lapping it up.
All of this is very healthy indeed, because when a society questions an issue that conveys a negative image, and the response is an encouragement to embrace the positive, everyone wins. It's not uncommon to see photos of plus size models in magazines, portrayed in optimistic and upbeat circumstances instead of only 'before' and 'after' photos in weight loss ads. As consumers, we are becoming much more accepting of the beauty of larger women and we can identify aspects of ourselves in the face and body we see on the page. Showing a big girl in well-fitting jeans, having fun and enjoying the attention of men tells us that we too can wear jeans and be a little flirtatious. Just because we might benefit from losing a few pounds, doesn't mean we have to sit on the shelf and let the world pass us by. Plus size models teach us not to be content with mournfully watching the 'beautiful people' have all the fun. We have to experience life and all its exciting mysteries ourselves, not vicariously through our size four and size six sisters.
Plus size models ought to be congratulated for their courage and self-confidence. But they're just demonstrating what they've known all along … big is beautiful and it's about time the world knew it.