Kim Kardashian may have thought she broke the internet showing off all of her ‘assets’ a while back, but the insta/twittersphere has been blowing up over Sports Illustrated Swimsuits newest rookie. Who is she you ask? Well she just happens to be Wilhelmina New York’s very own plus size model Robyn Lawley. Not only is she a stunning beauty, but she is also a soon-to-be mommy, swimwear designer, cookbook writer and inspiration to women everywhere! Check out her gorgeous figure (wearing my favorite bikini designer, Montce Swim BTW) on a lake in Jackson Hole Wyoming. Now, why is the social-sphere going mad over this gorgeous women? Is it her long flowing locks? Her perfect cleavage? No! it’s the fact that this unbelievably beautiful woman is considered a plus size model. In a world where a size 2 is the new 4 and a size 6 is the new 8….#headscratch, this perfect being is being labeled plus in the modeling industry. I know of agencies that label their size eight and up girls as ‘curve’ instead of ‘plus’, and I believe that the word plus has built up negative connotation as supermodels got taller and taller and thinner and thinner over the last thirty years.
As many of you know I am part of Wilhelmina’s fitness division. My body is athletic, muscular and under 5’9”. The fitness board is where I will be able to book work. I am not 5’10” and a 115 pounds which means I wouldn’t be placed on the fashion board or the plus board for that matter. We are all placed in the category that works best for our body type, and most of us are fine with that because there is work to be had by all. After seeing tons of posts on this size twelve beauty today, I do understand the frenzy of applause, commentary and praise surrounding Lawley’s natural size 12 booty…ahem beauty, but according to Time magazine, Lawley says, “I don’t consider myself a plus sized model, I consider myself a model because I am trying to help women in general accept their bodies”.
I just have to say that I love that so many more companies are empowering female beauty of every age, size and skin tone. We still have a long way to go, but I think there are many women out there that will wake up and believe that they can do anything they put their minds to regardless of their genetic makeup, IF they start to see more real bodies out there in the media. I use the term “real bodies” loosely since we were all born with different body types and genetic makeup. I am muscular and have been called so many different names on the internet from porkchop to juicy to skinny bitch. I recently shot for the new Jazzercise campaign and people complained that they used fitness models and not “real people”. I am not real? I am currently in bed in my old navy robe, I ate three chocolate truffles after dinner and tripped up the steps walking into my bedroom. I am a real person with real feelings trying to live the most active and healthy lifestyle as I possibly can, and yet people can still find a way to make you feel bad.
When I was featured in the swimsuit edition in 2009 for an NBA dancer pictorial I was dubbed as “most athletic of the bunch”, butter face, wide nosed with a crooked mouth (even though they photoshopped the crap out of my face in some photos) and a PORKCHOP. I had to type that again just in case you missed it. The internet can be a cruel cruel place, but It can also be a place to share triumphs and lift others up.
Here is an example of what NOT to do folks….
good to know I wouldn’t be thrown out of bed…HA
Thanks buddy…
Anywho, Not only is this the first time that SI has featured a size 12 model, but there will also be an ad for ‘SwimsuitsForAll.com’ including a campaign for #CurvesInBikinis featuring the stunning Ashley Graham (@TheAshleyGraham). What I must say though is that I am happy that this will start a dialog, and women are already coming out of the woodwork and feeling inspired and empowered to love their bodies.
I am loving the mix of bodies on my Instagram feed!!!
I hope that the dialogue continues and we can ban together to work towards the same mindset that Lawley has! #HealthyIsTheNewSkinny folks. Love yourself, be kind to others and embrace the new norm. Congrats @robynlawley1. Now that you have her handle go show her some serious praise!
Love and Body Love,
Taylor