One size Does Not Fit All
The rise of the body positivity movement has led to an increase in acceptance of all body types. Body positivity has largely been beneficial because it acknowledges the diversity in bodies and celebrates them in every shape. Despite the uplifting message, the rhetoric used to describe the body positivity movement has a problematic undertone due to the assumption that plus-size models deviate from the “norm.”
In 2015, a campaign launched by Australian model Stefania Ferrario highlighted the dangers of labeling models as “plus-size.” Ferrario’s #DropThePlus campaign calls for the destigmatization of larger body types.
“Maybe the plus-size label served a purpose to begin with, but it’s now time for complete acceptance, for us to all just be called models and to stop the industry pigeonholing us. By separating us, they’re segregating us – it’s creating a ‘them and us’ mentality,” Ferrario said in an interview with Dazed Magazine.
As Ferrario said, plus-size modeling generates an “us vs. them” mentality, pitting women against each other. Plus-size models are scrutinized simultaneously by the media and public. They are seen as the minority, when in reality 68% of consumers are plus-size, according to a study by Plunket Research. By dropping the term “plus-size,” the fashion industry can acknowledge that plus-size women are not uncommon. The fashion industry has the opportunity to remedy the damage they have done to women’s bodies and change the regulation of them.
The existence of the plus-size modeling industry is hotly debated. For one, people argue that plus-size models are needed to showcase the natural variations in body types. On the other hand, the term “plus-size” can be damaging as it assumes that there is only one body type – thin. However, being thin is not attainable for everyone considering each body is unique. Additionally, it is often physically and mentally unhealthy to strive for the thinness portrayed on runways, fashion campaigns and social media.
The notion that being thin and tall is the standard not only perpetuates negative stereotypes about those who do not have those characteristics, but it also pressures people into embodying those standards. According to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Northeastern University, sixty two percent of models were told to lose weight by their modeling agencies. The same study reports that eighty one percent of models have a Body Mass Index (BMI) classified as underweight. This frightening statistic demonstrates the unrealistic ideal body type the media pushes. Attempting to mimic these impossible conventions may lead to eating disorders, which is a serious phenomenon among young women, placing them in a vulnerable position due to the influence of the media.
The fashion industry should strive for the destigmatization of larger bodies and the usage of the term “plus-size.” It is contradictory for the fashion industry to promote inclusivity and diversity when they cannot implement their own claims. In its effort to be more progressive, the fashion industry should let go of outdated views about beauty standards.
Though fashion’s history is imperfect, it is never too late to initiate change. Embracing women’s bodies for what they are instead of categorizing them is what the fashion industry needs to evolve.
Mika Butalid