It’s been a good year for women who aren’t a size 2.
In the last 12 months, there’s been a growing acceptance of voluptuous bodies — that they’re not only OK, but beautiful, celebrated, and worthy of magazine covers, TV shows and best-dressed lists. In February, Ashley Graham landed the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue — the first time a “plus-size” model graced the coveted slot. Meanwhile, Adele has appeared on the cover of Vogue, Amy Schumer corralled both GQ and Glamour, and Mindy Kaling made InStyle’s roundup of “Best Dressed at the Oscars.”
Millennials have been at the forefront of the movement, beginning in 2012, when Lena Dunham pushed the envelope with her series “Girls,” appearing naked so often that it went from being revolutionary — remember the outrage that occurred online every time she appeared topless? — to “what else is new?” And it gained traction in 2014, when Meghan Trainor’s hit “All About That Bass” celebrated having “all the right junk in all the right places.”
But lately it’s seemed like the “normal woman” movement is really gathering steam.
So, why now — and what the hell took so long?
Well, in part because traditional advertising as we know it is becoming obsolete.
“Instagram has had a huge influence on businesses — [now] people can see products used by real people,” says Krista Neher, CEO of Boot Camp Digital. “People are demanding more authenticity, and I think we’ll continue to see reality celebrated, not airbrushed.”
Millennials, the coveted demographic of all of the aforementioned industries, tend not to like anything that feels inauthentic, and because there is so much media to consume, they won’t stick with brands that feel fake.
This whole effect makes companies more accountable for an unpopular casting choice they’ve made. Twitter outrage is bad for business — in the old days, an angry consumer wrote a letter that got tossed in the trash; now, someone can make thousands pay attention with the right hashtag.
“There is definitely more of a leaning toward the term ‘real people’ [in casting calls]. I get lots of ‘no one too fit, chiseled or muscular,’ ” says commercial casting agent Brooke Thomas. “I’m getting more calls for a … woman who’s a size 8 or 10.”
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There’s also been a growing movement that celebrates strength over size: Witness the new NBC fitness show “Strong,” in which contestants compete not to lose weight, but to “find the balance between mind and body.” And there are countless “fitness inspiration” stars on Instagram, many of whom celebrate a more attainable idea of beauty.
Alissa Rumsey, an NYC-based registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says she’s all for an expanding definition of what’s healthy. “I am loving the acceptance of different-size and -shape bodies,” she says. “I think we are seeing a switch from a focus on weight to a focus on health.”
She adds that one size doesn’t fit all. “Just because you are skinny does not mean you are healthy, and vice versa.”
Not that the size issue has been resolved for good. This month, Glamour dedicated a “Chic at Any Size!” special-edition issue to plus-size women, featuring Graham on the cover, along with the line, “Women Who Inspire Us: Melissa McCarthy, Adele, Amy Schumer, Ashley Graham.”
Hooray, yes? No. As a size 6, Amy Schumer isn’t even close to plus size. “Plus size is considered size 16 in America. I go between a size 6 and an 8,” Schumer wrote on Instagram. “@glamourmag put me in their plus size only issue without asking or letting me know and it doesn’t feel right to me. Young girls seeing my body type thinking that is plus size?” Glamour Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive quickly responded with a series of tweets, explaining that Schumer’s inclusion was tied to her “message of body positivity.”
In the fashion industry, “plus size” refers to a model size 8 and up. But the average American woman is size 12 to 14, and most plus-size clothing labels don’t start until size 16.
In the past, we’ve gotten used to seeing opposite ends of the spectrum — mostly superskinny, with the occasional large woman included as a token gesture. Now, it seems, the middle ground is the new ground.
And that’s nothing short of groundbreaking.
— With additional reporting by Anna Davies and Sara Stewart