Ashley Graham, plus-size model and first "obese" Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl, was voted a Glamour Women of the Year Award winner (along with Gwen Stefani). In her acceptance speech, Graham preached on body positivity, whatever the size. She praised pushing boundaries for big women but her words contradicted actions because recently, the 28-year-old lost weight. Does body image conforming weight loss send mixed messages? Is Lane Bryant's most famous model advocating obesity, body love, or weight loss? Or is a more subtler dynamic at work?
Ashley Graham cheers bikinis for all
The Glamour girl had harsh words for fat-shaming and praise for body positivity. She called on girls not to lose weight to please their boyfriends. She urged postpartum moms to love their stretch marks. Graham shouted out women who wore a bikini for the first time last summer. She didn't say if she meant women who finally lost enough weight to fit into a bikini or those who finally felt comfortable in one. She may have been talking to the many who sport size 18X bikinis, 100 (or more) extra pounds be darned.
Ashley Graham calls for laissez-faire?
Is what the plus-size model calls body positivity really acceptance of obesity? Is acknowledging weight problems body-shaming?
Should obesity be accepted, and by whom? Model Cheryl Tiegs was blasted for suggesting Graham was unhealthy. So what differentiates tolerance of and promotion of obesity? Does anything go weight-wise as long as no one feels fat or thinks someone is making them feel fat? Is it bullying to advocate weight loss? At what point, if any, should people stop being complacent about weight and start thinking about losing it?
Ashley Graham hypocrisy?
So body-shaming isn't healthy, but neither are confusing body image messages. If you love your body the way it is, why would you lose weight? Ashley flaunted pictures with noticeably smaller tummy, buttocks and legs. Is that a kind of fat-shaming, to say one thing and do the other? Is it hypocritical to tell girls to ignore body ideals and then conform to those standards yourself?
And further confusing is that Ashley Graham proudly boasts a plus-size Barbie doll modeled after her--because girls should aspire to be a toy?
Ashley Graham talks healthy weight loss
There's a fine line between body acceptance and awareness. But it's there. On the other side of obesity are equally scary dangers of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, bulimarexia, etc. What big body promoters who lose weight are saying is to be aware of what you need to change but accept yourself in the process. Unlike the Kardashian obsession with skinny, self-love is self-care. Be as healthy as you can and if that means shedding weight, do it in safe ways like common sense dieting and exercise.
