Body Positive or Promoting an unhealthy lifestyle

The modeling industry isn't exactly spot on when it comes to showcasing women of healthy proportions....normally the models are anorexic. This is the same thing. I am not body shaming obese people nor anorexics.

MireyGal76 wrote: »

Big people shouldn't be relegated to wearing tarps because the current market doesn't "like" the way they look!

Or America could follow other country leads and make it hard to find clothes above a size 14 or 16. That way, people might be a bit more motivated to lose weight, if they actually had to wear tarps because they are too big.

I don't think it's ok to give the message that you can be morbidly obese like that woman and that it's ok. It's just not ok. And no, I don't like skinny models either, but at least they are 20-30 pounds from a normal weight... not 200+.

She's modeling clothing, clothing meant for women similar to her. Her lifestyle and health have nothing to do with it. It's refreshing because now women of her body type (and there are a lot) have a better idea of what clothing will look like on them.

KnM0107 wrote: »

I am 5'6" and at my heaviest weight I was a size 24. She can do what she wants with her body. I won't rally behind her because I have been there and the extra weight on the joints and fat around the organs is not healthy. I have seen too many people hide behind body positivity because of their own denial. Body positivity and fat acceptance are slippery slopes imo.

I agree. I'm 6' and was 307 and a 24 at my highest. After losing 40 some pounds I'm still obese. I struggled with the decision to start losing weight because I had spent so much time trying to love myself regardless of my weight that it felt like a betrayal to myself to admit I needed to lose weight.

I'm closer to being to terms with it, and I'm learning that loving myself and being comfortable in my own skin go hand and hand with getting fit. I can still think I'm an attractive person, and still love my body, while I'm overweight, but I get how it's a hard line.

On the other hand, as someone who has done nude drawings a lot, with people of various sizes, I do agree with the notion that beauty is not a size. Unfortunately beauty does not equal healthy (which also applies at all sizes)

stealthq wrote: »

Any time people see a behavior or condition that was previously viewed as a negative becoming more mainstream, more accepted, it lowers the incentive for people who do that behavior or have that condition to change (which can be good or bad, depending).

The point is I don't think one model--or even multiple models--makes much difference. A majority of the US is apparently now overweight, and yet when I was overweight (and certainly when I was obese) it never felt like something acceptable or desirable, because of the overall societal message (which is not primarily from models--I never had any interest or expectation in looking like a model or actress). Obviously we are in no grave danger of teen girls deciding that it's desirable to be a size 24. When people claim that as an excuse to slam someone who is simply saying she's happy with her own size, it seems to me that something else is going on, since the world I live in does not tell us that it's cool to be a 24 (or anywhere near that).

In any event, I don't think models are so much of an influence as people like to claim. Normal people don't care that much what models look like. People are influenced by the people in their life and who they actually know or interact with, as well as their internal ideas about themselves. I was super insecure as a teen and thought I was fat when I wasn't (I was about what I am now or thinner) and self-conscious about my body (and was embarrassed about all kind of other things about myself), but that wasn't about models, who I never compared myself with, but about the fact that I was insecure and filled with self-judgment and self-hatred for other reasons. Now I still know I've got way more body fat than a model, and am also happy with my body and comfortable with myself (while wanting to improve it my body still, to reach fitness goals mainly). Again comparing myself with models isn't the issue (and nor does being happy with your body mean that you don't want to improve it).

Broader point is that people are usually more able to make healthy changes when they have a more positive self-image. Becoming more confident as an adult, even when fat, certainly made me more able to lose weight, as well as more able to be a happy fat person.

Francl27 wrote: »

BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

She's modeling clothing, clothing meant for women similar to her. Her lifestyle and health have nothing to do with it. It's refreshing because now women of her body type (and there are a lot) have a better idea of what clothing will look like on them.

I don't know how to say this without sounding extremely rude, but do they really need to see a model their size to know what clothing will look on them? I'm sorry but I wasn't anywhere near that size and I could already tell you that NOTHING looked good on me, because I had too much fat.

I'm not fat and would like to see what clothing would look like on a woman more similar to me than most models are.

It's appears that you had some issues accepting yourself at a heavier weight. I do not agree that NOTHING looks good on overweight/obese women. I think that model is very pretty. Finding clothing you like and are confident in should be possible at any size. You don't just have to give up on style because you are heavy. And to address your earlier point, making plus size clothing ugly and hard to find will NOT motivate most people to lose weight. It just won't. Shame and negative reinforcement just doesn't work. It doesn't work for children and it doesn't work for obese people.

Francl27 wrote: »

GingerbreadCandy wrote: »

On the other hand, as someone who has done nude drawings a lot, with people of various sizes, I do agree with the notion that beauty is not a size. Unfortunately beauty does not equal healthy (which also applies at all sizes)

To an extent, IMO.

Well, it is obviously subjective, but a good artist or photographer will generally be able to capture beauty in just about anything and anyone. Lightning, framing and concept will play a massive role in it, of course. So I do believe it is possible to find beauty at any size, although I wouldn't find people of every size beautiful.

That was my thought process when I wrote that, anyhow.

Who cares? Mind your own business!

I am not in the "fat acceptance" crowd, but I mean really - why do people care so damn much about what other people do/look like? If a girl/guy wants to be fat - let them!

I follow some #curvyyoga posts on instagram. I'm amazed that women as large as they are can contort themselves into poses that I can only dream of doing right now. I told my boyfriend that for some reason I felt uncomfortable with it, but wasn't sure why. I think it's my own insecurity that I wouldn't want to be that fat, not that they are fat. A lot of the girls are either in the midst of their weight loss journey, happy with where they are, or have other issues that are causing the higher weight. I'm proud of them for being proud of who they are and what they can do.