‘We all have our imperfections. But I’m human, and you know, it’s important to concentrate on other qualities besides outer beauty.’ – Beyoncé
There has always been a lot of stigma around the female figure and how women should view their own bodies. Last year it was recorded that 725,000 people suffer from eating disorders in the UK, and 89% of that number is girls. Girls are constantly made to believe that they should look a certain way and are often put down if they don’t. We let ourselves believe that we need to be thin to get boys’ attention or to be confident, however, that idea is gradually changing.
Now more than ever has there been a huge focus on body positivity and accepting the way your body looks. This has been spearheaded by plus size models like Ashley Graham and Iskra Laurence. They are women with curvy figures who maintain healthy, balanced diets and exercise. The acceptance of these women by the fashion industry shows a dramatic change in peoples’ outlooks. The fashion industry for many years has promoted the body type of tall and impossibly thin; an unhealthy ideal. This type of figure is impossible to attain unless you are born with that shape. There has been an increase in models opening up about their struggles with eating disorders and the pressure of having to look a certain way. By making their experiences public, it has helped impressionable girls realise that the girls you see in ad campaigns and fashion magazines are not real, they have been air brushed and made up to look a certain way.
In 2015 France banned modelling agencies from using underweight models and created a rule that meant models have to have a doctor’s note stating that they are healthy when applying to jobs. This was a huge move for France and the body positivity movement. It has stopped the promotion of a malnourished body type and has helped encouraged women to concentrate on a healthy lifestyle.
In January of this year Ashley Graham was the first ever plus size model to pose for the cover of British Vogue. Last year she was the first plus sized woman to be featured in Sports Illustrated’s swim suit issue, showing women that they do not need to be a size 0 to wear a bikini. This is a huge step for plus size models and all women. The acceptance of this body type in mainstream media has, and will continue to teach women the importance of self love and to not compare themselves to other women.