In the article "Plus Size Bodies, What Is Wrong With Them Anyway?," PLUS Model Magazine Editor-In-Chief Madeline Figueroa Jones posed a very valid question accompanied with some very thought provoking statistics and ways that consumers can change the current state of plus size fashion and the lack of clothing options.
Below are some of the stats mentioned:
- Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8 percent less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23 percent less.
- 50 percent of women wear a size 14 or larger, but most standard clothing outlets cater to sizes 14 or smaller.
This question can be answered hundreds of ways, in fact it has been. On the PMM website over 100 readers have given their answer based on their personal experiences. I've decided to share my response to this question with you.
I make no secret of the fact that I've always been a plus size woman. Although I understand how some people allow their size to hinder them, that isn't my story. As a plus size girl and then teenager I was captain of my cheer team and I competed in dance talent competitions and won not once but twice. When people discovered how active I was, they were in shock. How could a girl my size be so active, unashamed and fearless enough to not let the opinions of others get in the way? The first thing or people that come to mind is my family. My family was my first interaction with people other than my immediate peers. Their encouragement and refusal to give into societies standard of beauty made it easy for me to accept the size I was and since my brothers were active in sports, me wanting to follow their example was only natural.
We can blame society, entertainment and outside influences for the way that our children view themselves, but television is no match for good old fashioned lessons taught to children by their parents.
I think it's beautiful that we're proud of our bodies, but this message must be conveyed to our children and our grandchildren. We've been lucky enough to sort through the tainted messages that we encounter on a daily basis, but our children's precious minds are no match for corporations who plot against them daily in an effort to cloud their way of thinking.
So to answer the question: No there isn't anything wrong with our bodies. Our bodies are beautifully made. The ideology of a healthy, curvy, plus size body is worth preserving and to do this we must start relaying this message when the mind is young and fresh so that we can raise a nation filled with size conscious designers, CEOs and business owners.