It’s safe to say that 2019, so far, has been an incredible year for women in every field. “By women, for women” is the theme of the year and I, for one, can’t tell you how happy that makes me. However, if you were paying attention, no one had a better year than the plus-sized community. For the first time, I’m seeing women larger than the sample size everywhere I look. From the runway to the big & small screen, to the glossy pages of magazines, these women are killing the game right now.
Pay attention.
Image Courtesy of tacowaititi
If you’ve been out of your house at any point in time, you’ve heard, seen, or have been talking about Lizzo. “Truth Hurts” has become a national sensation (and has been added on every Girl’s Night and Getting Ready playlist known to humankind), and no one can seem to shake Lizzo’s infectious happiness. However, we know it probably wasn’t easy for her to make her way to the forefront. If Lizzo were to have been popular a few years ago, I doubt she would have received such a positive response. Not only is she a black woman demanding a space for herself in the pop music scene, but she also dares to be black AND fat (and doesn’t care what you think). It’s so refreshing to see a plus-size star be sexy without the world telling them they aren’t or can’t be. Image Courtesy of callthenerds
Not only have things been popping off in music, but we also have some incredible actresses not letting their size define them in Hollywood. Beanie Feldstein (starring in Booksmart as Molly Davidson, and in Lady Bird as Julie Steffans), has had a pretty incredible year. It was more than exciting to see her character in Booksmart as a smart, bada** woman, where she wasn’t targeted or made fun of because of her weight. Feldstein graced the cover of Teen Vogue this month in designer clothes and photo spreads that showed her full body. I have been reading and clipping pictures out of magazines for a very long time. This was the first time I saw a woman over a size 6 with their full-body on the cover. Image Courtesy of simplysweetpea
Barbie Ferreira, part of the cast of this year’s favorite teen drama, Euphoria, has been making waves for a while now. Starting her career as a model, she was a lot of people’s introduction to teenage “full-figured” models in campaigns from 2013-2015. In Euphoria, she plays a very empowered (albeit underage) degrading dominatrix after boys in her school leak a video of her having sex. We get to see her character, Kat, going from an insecure sidekick to a woman in control of her sexuality. One of my favorite quotes of hers was, “There’s nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn’t give a f*ck.” I think that accurately sums up the entire vibe of the year.
Taking a look back at the year so far, I can’t help but be proud of these women and everything they have accomplished. I wish I saw these women when I was a kid. I can only imagine how that would’ve changed and shaped me going forward. More importantly, I want to see these women continue to show the real-life stories of plus size women. Women who have loving relationships, are desirable, have killer fashion sense, and (gasp!) don’t hate themselves.
I don’t think I’m asking for too much and I’m ecstatic that society is finally ready to give that to me!
*Women in the hero image include Emma Hunton, Lizzo, Barbie Ferreira, Beanie Feldstein, Ashley Graham, Octavia Spencer, Britney Young, Precious Lee, Liris Crosse, Aidy Bryant, Danielle Brooks, Danielle MacDonald, Melissa Mccarthy, Dascha Polanco, Nicole Byers, and Katy Mixon.*