This heated debate has ravaged societies and fashion industries far and wide. With the recent increase of plus size models in media campaigns, magazine covers, and runways, there is greater dissension than convergence over the issue. Read along to know the polarized views on whether plus size models promote obesity.
Plus size models do not promote obesity. Instead, they promote body acceptance and self-love amongst bigger ladies, and body inclusion in the fashion industry. Their presence is to say that they too are beautiful.
Obesity is considered a vice that society shuns. It is conveniently associated with a reckless and negligent treatment of one’s body and health. The question that perpetually lingers in the minds of people when they meet an obese individual is “Why are you that big?’ In essence, they question and blame the individual for allowing themselves to gain excess weight which is detrimental to their health.
Many people adopt a pragmatic approach when it comes to the issue of obesity: they consider what should be done to stop this rising trend. Those in this camp are generally split into two – sympathizers and diehards. Sympathizers are more lenient and understanding in their approach. They embrace rather than judge obese people to help them make more healthy life choices. They do this by advocating for weight loss techniques such as yoga, diets, and workouts that are tailor-made for overweight people. They are generally more positive, liberal, and empowering in dealing with the obese.
On the other hand, you have the diehards, who clench to ideal standards of health and wellbeing and bash everyone who seems to be irresponsible in this regard. Their tone is harsh and condescending and looks to guilt-trip, condemn, and judge any overweight individual, perhaps to stop them from the dangerous highway they are on or perhaps to deter other members of society from being equally careless with their weight. Notably, those in this camp object to anything that is not the ‘societal ideal’, and seek to uphold this ideal come what may, whether or not it is realistic or attainable, without exceptions – they simply do not matter.
It is from this premise that the recent rise of plus size models is to be viewed. Already society had very deep-seated and crystallized views on the issue of obesity and how to weed out the menace.
The Divide
There are two polarized views when it comes to the question of whether plus size modeling promotes obesity and oh my! Don’t they bring some hefty points to the table. Those who agree with the assertion have this to say:
It Normalizes and Glamourizes Fat
This is one of the leading critics by a majority of those who condemn the rise of plus size modeling. They argue that the constant viewing of fat women adorned with accessories, makeup, and apparel from renowned brands; posing in very luxurious or sensual settings or runways, and being termed as beautiful or strong or curvy normalizes being fat. An individual gradually ceases to associate fatness or obesity with health risks such as heart and organ failure, and begins to associate obesity with notions of beauty and luxury.
This has been termed as the era of the glorification of fat, where plus size women with cellulite and bulging bellies walk down the runways sporting lingerie and showcasing nearly every lump and bump on their bodies, while receiving numerous claps and cheers from the audience.
No longer do people see the health implications of being exceedingly big, but are drawn in by the lights, the glitz, and the extreme beauty of these models. Most of these beautiful pictures are curated. A lot of editing and filters are added to give the perfect big silhouette, but tell that to a teenage fan and they will hate you!
Plus Size Models Make Poor Role Models
With plus size women distinguished as celebrities and silhouettes of beauty, they are likely to attract a huge following, especially on their social media accounts. As we all are aware, social media allows us to share the good, bad, and ugly of our personal lives more informally and intimately. Some of these models make poor lifestyle choices and advocate a eat anything you want philosophy to their followers, further encouraging a detrimental lifestyle.
Additionally, many have admitted to not liking working out and fervently condemn the practice of ‘pushing their bodies beyond certain points’ while exercising. This essentially promotes a very loose and noncommittal approach to fitness. By consistently making unfavorable remarks concerning dieting and exercising – the two most fundamental ways an individual can actually manage their weight and health – they seem to actively promote unhealthy carefree lifestyles that are certain to wind people up in obesity or, at worst, sick or dead.
Some people opine that acting cautiously and in the best interest of the general public is one of the duties of being a celebrity. Plus size models such as Tess Holiday have received plenty of criticism because of this. She has been badgered for promoting an unhealthy lifestyle by posting pictures of her eating sugar-laden foods with high-fat content. The general expectation is that given her increasing fame she should promote healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices amongst her fans and faithful followers and not the opposite.
Conversely, those who dissent to the notion that plus size promotes obesity have this to say in response.
Plus Size Does Not Mean Fat or Obese
There is a general assumption that when we talk of plus size women we automatically refer to those who are obese or morbidly obese. This is not the case. The generic term plus size is used to refer to women above size 14 whether they are healthy or not. Some women termed as plus size are healthy, strong, and lead active lives. Nothing about their appearance promotes fat or obesity.
Additionally, they argue that being plus size is not squarely a function of poor dieting or lack of cardio exercises. In some instances, genes predispose people to be bigger regardless of their nutrition or workout regimen. There are those who will develop a wider set of hips and butt than others due to their genetic composition.
Plus Size Modelling Encourages Body Positivity
The increase in visibility of plus size models over the past few years can be attributed to the surge in body positivity and inclusivity campaigns the world over. The message that heralded the inclusion of plus size women in several fashion quarters and household names such as Victoria Secret, Forever 21, and the like was that plus size women do exist and that they deserve to have clothes tailored with their specific body needs in mind. They too, like all other women, deserve to look and feel fashionable and wear trendy outfits.
The very thrust of these campaigns was never to throw all care to the wind and grow fat! Neither was it ever a become like me campaign. Instead, what plus size models champion is body positivity and self-love of the various silhouettes among women, period! It was never about becoming obese. The presence of plus size models was to help women appreciate their different body shapes and sizes and not feel ugly or disadvantaged or self-hating because they do not have the ideal body frame.
Self-love and self-acceptance do not translate to being obese. On the contrary, it promotes healthy practices among women as they are motivated to eat right and work on their emotional and mental wellbeing as well. In the long run, as the message is embraced, women will be motivated and empowered to take care of themselves and thus commit to sustainable fitness practices.
Plus Size Models Are Realistic Images of the New Beauty Ideal
For decades, the stick-thin silhouettes have been famed as the beauty standard for women, young and old. However, with time, more and more women have found themselves classified as plus size as opposed to regular sized. In this day and age, plus size is the new normal and should not be treated as the exception to the steadfast beauty ideal held since time immemorial. Rather, every other non-plus size silhouette should be treated as the exception to the new beauty standard – plus size.
With up to 67% of the US women population being plus size, plus size becomes the most common and pervasive silhouette. Fashion cannot and should not turn a blind eye to this statistic but rather evolve to accommodate the change. Having plus size models on the runway or as the face of beauty campaigns and fashion collections presents a more realistic and real-time showcase of the pervasive trends amongst women.
Allowing small-bodied women to continue to dominate the fashion scene is unrealistic, archaic and frankly an insult to the average woman who is plus size. Why pick the zero-sized girl to model clothes that you want plus size women to wear? Why can’t fashion adapt to the current silhouette trends and body needs of women? Being the majority among women, plus size silhouettes should be the new standard and reference point when it comes to fashion and beauty.
Small-Bodied Models Also Encourage Poor Lifestyle Choices
This is primarily a response against the critique that plus size models encourage poor, unconscionable lifestyles among people. Well, small-bodied models do also!
Body size, as an independent factor, is an inaccurate way of deciding whether an individual is healthy or not. You can’t simplistically hold the notion that smaller women make better fitness choices than larger women. This is quite an exaggeration. Small-bodied women can equally be unhealthy and promote unfit practices that are detrimental to one’s all-around wellbeing. Being small just makes it easier to get away with it, as nothing on the outside betrays your poor choices.
Many stick-thin models are known for extreme fasting and depriving themselves of food to retain their body sizes. This is an equal vice to binge eating or indiscriminate eating. Having smaller women as the face of fashion only serves to encourage a plus size riddled population to take severe measures to achieve the same look. Consequently, many women go for long periods without food and only survive on juices and water, which weakens their immune system in the long run. Others turn to risky plastic surgery while others turn to pills or extreme workouts to attain this small-bodied silhouette. Nothing about this practice promotes a well-rounded and fuller lifestyle.
Obesity is a Function of Personal Choice
Unlike what many critics want people to believe about plus size modeling, obesity remains a function of personal choice. Every individual has an absolute say on whether or not to become excessively fat. The mere fact that there are some obese women on the modeling scene (who essentially are the minority of plus size models) does not compel you to look or be like them. Just as any other practice, you get to choose to what extent you agree with their lifestyle choices and whether or not you want to look like them.
Asserting that plus size models promote obesity downplays the place of choice in the matter. Ironically, studies have shown that with the increased visibility of plus size models, several women have opted to be more intentional about their weight and opt for better and healthier practices.
Verdict
Due to the health risks involved, it is understandable that society frowns upon obesity. However, concluding that plus size models do promote obesity is an overstatement. Studies continue to show that women are generally more empowered to make better and healthier choices, since the advent of body positivism campaigns. Indeed, the presence of plus size models counters the ill effects of consistently viewing thin girls as the beauty ideal which a majority of the population would never attain. Plus size models promote body acceptance while a considerable majority endeavor to lead healthy and active lifestyles and are vocal about their progress in the same.
