Plus size models?

http://www.flavourmag.co.uk/ashley-graham-first-ever-plus-size-model-feature-sports-illustrated/

 

You may want to look away if you offended easily.

 

Of course plus size models will be popular. As a nation we are FAT, so having role models, pretty men and women, that are FAT looking great is a boost to our confidence and makes us feel inclusive, instead of excluded from the normal high street fashion brands idea of attractiveness. 

 

Having a beard would have often exluded you from the check list of ideal men a few years ago, now they're popular and everyone is trying to grow one desperatly to aquire the admiration of ladies while they're still in fashion. As someone who has always had a beard, you will now feel vindicated,  "you were right all along" beards are sexy! 

 

Since Ashley Graham has hit the spot light i've heard many conversation and posts on social media reiterating these statements. 

 

Real women have curves

Larger is better

now thats a REAL woman

thats what women are supposed to look like

 

SHE DOESNT REPRESENT THE AVERAGE WOMAN

Lets just back up a minute!  Yes she certainly does look good in a bikini, as do many ladies her size. How ever the vast majority of women who are the same dress size look absolutely nothing like her in a bikini.  Were still talking figure, forget who beautiful face, flowing hair, perfect and eyes to die for.  They're curves arent in proportion, they dont have the undlying muscle tone. 

 

While many say she represents the everyday woman, i somehow cant help but feel i live in a slightly different dimension. I would love to know where all these women who have the stunning goodlooks she has are. Or the firm breasts for that matter. My experience is the average woman (who she is stated to represent) looks only slightly closer to her than to any other model, but still a million miles away. 

 

 

THE ISSUE

People can and do like different trends and 2 opposing trends that are in at present are the

"twerky twerky big hip hop backsides and the curves that come with it"  

"strong is the new sexy" lets all get a six pack.

 

2 quite opposing figures that are desirable. Which ever one you like, go for it. If your a size 18 and want to have a six pack, change your lifestyle and go for it. If your a size 10 with a small and no body fat, then get on the weights to increase your glute muscles and increase your fat (by increasing your overall calorie intake though consuming more fruit vegatables (ie the healthy stuff). No one is naturally a big person obese. If you want to change your figure go for it. Because every year hundreds of thousands of people look completely different to how they did the year before. (gaining muscle, losing weight) 

 

THE ISSUES

 

1 REAL WOMEN 

How insulting and degrading to any women who happens to be slim that they are not considered "real" just because theyre in an outlying percetile. ie In a nation of over weight people, theyre of normal weight.  How downright hypocritical is it to call someone skinny or to suggest theyre ill, just because theyre slim.  The celebration of a plus size model is supposed to be that it is inclusive, and yet it seems to be a catlayst to exclude whole groups of people.  

 

This is also before you get to the millions of women who are petite.  If you want to know if a woman is skinny, then you look at the thickenss of their bones (necks, wrist and ankles)  at the amount of muscle and fat on here not at her size.  While some women may look really slim, a quick grab of their belly fat will reveal if their body fat is really low or not (obviously athletes with 6 packs aim for this).  I know several women who train at the gym, weights and cardio 7 days a week, lifting good weights who are still very petite. Theyre fit, theyre toned and they're very healthy and theyre tiny.  I often here comments from other women, theyre too small, they wanna put some meat on, thats not healthy. Which is not only hypocritical but extremely insulting. 

 

 

 

2 HEALTH ISSUES

As a personal trainer when someone asks me if a person is fat it has no relivence to whether i think theyre attractive. FAT is someone whos body fat percetnage (the amount of fat they have for their body size (bone structure) and muscle volume) is significantly increasing their chance of ill health.

 

Both men and women can be fat and still remain attractive.  You do not have to gain much weight to see the chances of suffering ill health go up. 

 

With regards to health there are three more very important factors.

 

1. Where you carry the fat  Carrying fat around your tummy massivly increase the risk of ill health

 

2. How fit you are. If you are a little over weight but are very fit and active then your risk of illness goes up only a little. If you are a little overweight and inactive/unfit your risk sky rockets

 

3. Diet. We normally assume people get fat by eating junk.this isnt necersarily the case.  If you have gained a stone of weight by eating too much fruit and veg, then your risk will be a lot lower than someone who had gained weight eating a poor diet. 

 

when looking at how healthy someone is you must consider:

1. SIZE 

2. FAT DISTRIBUTION

3. FITNESS LEVELS

4. DIET

 

 

In conclusion, while it is great to have "healthy" attractive women from all sizes and shape it is important to keep in mind the health. Cat walk models rightfully so have been highlighted for health reasons, as have ski jumpers (many men became anorexic so there is now a min weight they have to maintain in order to compete). But it works both ways.  Throwing unhealthy people up as role models will not help society become healthier. 

 

Although the counter arguement to this whole peice is why is health so important. shouldnt happiness be put before health. Wouldnt you rather live to 40 happy and die, then to 80 miserale?