Look, I love Ashley Graham as much as the next person – probably even more – but there are plus-sized icons that don’t get as much recognition. It is time to recognize that beauty comes from within, and in all shapes and sizes. I have comprised a list of influential women that are plus-sized and proud! Enjoy!
Bree Kish
Courtesy: Pinterest
Bree Kish, born Feb. 6, 1996, has been featured in Seventeen magazine, Forever 21 and many other fora. She has an impressive following on Instagram (216,000 people!) and over 9,000 followers on Twitter. She started modeling at age 14 and since then has shown the world that the weight of your body doesn’t matter. Kish is also a major Jeff Goldblum and Disney fan. Can you hear my sobs?
Precious Lee
Courtesy: PopSugar
Precious Lee was the first black plus-sized model in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue and Vogue magazine. She appears in Lane Bryant ads often and shows off her luscious curves in other magazines, too. On her Instagram, Lee has over 100k followers (including me) and counting (you!).
Candice Huffine
Courtesy: NY Magazine
Candice Huffine is a size 12 beauty and is a shining light in this world. Since she was very young, Huffine has competed in pageants and competitions until she finally got her big break in the modeling world. Since the beginning of her career, she had refused to lose weight for the agencies she signed for, and when she finally got her big break in Vogue Italy, she came into high-demand all over the world.
Philomena Kwao
Courtesy: Kamdora
If you look up the definition of “beauty and brains,” you’ll find a picture of Philomena Kwao, a scholar, campaigner and spokesperson for a variety of issues. She has multiple advanced degrees and runs her own health and advising business called “The Lily Project.” Kwao also fights to end segregation of size and race in the fashion industry. Did someone say “QUEEN?”
Danielle MacDonald
Courtesy: Daily Telegraph
Danielle MacDonald is an Australian actress who has owned her physique in every performance. Most recently, she starred in the original Netflix film, Dumplin’, which features a teenage girl who is surrounded by petite pageant queens until she finally joins the pageant. Her character is an up-and-coming icon that won’t sit and wait for opportunities to come to her. Honestly, I’ve watched Dumplin’ four times since its debut in December of 2018, and I will be watching it again soon.
Tess Holliday
Courtesy: ModCloth
Tess Holliday. Period.
Tess Holliday was born in Mississippi and moved to LA to assume a modeling career in 2010. Since then, she has left her footprint on the modeling world, including starting a body positive movement called #effyourbeautystandards. She continues to empower people of all genders, races and sizes to embrace the body they are in.
These women make me proud of my body type and have taught me to never assume that people automatically judge me because of my stature and assume I don’t exercise or eat a healthy diet. These women, and many more just like them, influence the world we are in today and are working to make it a better place by changing outdated mindsets about beauty as it relates to one’s size.