Earlier this week it was announced that Brigitte, Germany’s most popular women’s magazine will stop working with professional models in favour of “real women” whose bodies better resemble its readers.
While I am all for showcasing Real Size Women, I don’t think eliminating a group of women all together should be done nor is it fair. They’re doing the exact same thing that has been done to plus size models and women for centuries. That reason alone makes it wrong in my eyes. Why can’t they embrace diversity? Why the need to include one or the other but not both? I’m a plus size woman, always have been and always will be but I do not agree with treating a group of women differently even if they are smaller than I am.
Secondly, these magazines that just woke up and decided to embrace all women are getting way too much credit in my opinion. If Glamour didn’t showcase these women, would Bridgitte still be doing this? If the picture of Lizzie Miller didn’t get so much attention, would they bother to include more pictures of Plus Size women baring it all? Those of you who read my interview with model Anansa Sims, may recall her saying that the other models were present during the original photoshoot yet we don’t get to see them until the November issue. Let’s assume the issue with Lizzie Miller alone didn’t do well, Would the photos of the other models still be published?
They may be speaking to a whole new audience and filling a void that is long overdue but don’t think for a second that thoughts of financial gain did not enter their head.
The fact that I believe all of this is mere strategy is why Plus size magazines, countless amount of blogs and websites dedicated to plus size women are so important. We speak to all women from multiple standpoints and more importantly we are not showcasing plus size women because it’s in style but because it represents who we are as women.
Editor-In-Chief, Stephanie Penn-Danforth -- Daily Venus Diva.
I’ve always been a fan of plus-size models! There’s a great site with many images of plus-size models here:
http://www.judgmentofparis.com/
They’re all gorgeous.
The site’s forum also has thought-provoking discussions about body image and the media.
I agree, in that I hope the trend is toward inclusiveness of different sizes and ages and various other markers of diversity and not of exclusiveness.
I would also like to see more diversity in height, race, and cultural backgrounds. I think that the market is shifting somewhat and that people are recognizing that there is a place for 12s, 16s and 20s AS WELL AS size 2 and 4. Hopefully the decision makers at Brigitte and Glamour will discern that inclusiveness is the trend and that the market feels that size 4 can be beautiful, Size 14 can be beautiful… etc…