In 2016 we are making great progress to realize that a model does not need to be incredibly skinny to look attractive. Plus-size models are becoming more popular and more accepted; it is such a great thing! For such a long time women have always seemed to struggle with the alleged fact that if they aren't skinny, then they aren't beautiful. As a man, let me say, that couldn't be further from the truth. However, we still do need to be sure that obesity in both women and men doesn't become a "beautiful" thing, because that is unhealthy, deadly, and already a major problem in America.
Everyone is born different and everyone has a different body type and their own struggles every day. Some people seem to have fast metabolisms and they can keep a low weight no matter how much they eat. But other people can gain weight quite easily, with eating very little. There is nothing wrong with either of these! Both skinny and plus-size people are all very beautiful, but we also need to remember there are unhealthy ways to be both.
It seems like only a short while ago many people were upset, with good reason, about models being too skinny. It was found out that many girls who were trying to make it in modeling were struggling with eating disorders because they were trying to stay incredibly skinny so a model agency would choose them. So many celebrities, one example being Portia de Rossi, came to tell their stories of how they felt like they couldn't even eat when they were in the modeling industry because they were too scared to gain weight, and would then get fired and ruin their modeling career.
Now we are finally seeing "being too skinny" and starving yourself to be a bad thing and we really are starting to accept all body types into modeling and seeing that not just skinny is beautiful! This is so great because having a little extra weight and being chubby is not a bad thing and it can still be considered a very healthy weight.
However, just like being too skinny can be very unhealthy, being too big can also be very unhealthy. Once someone is too big it is called "obesity" and it really is an issue we are dealing with in this country. Obesity can cause type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke and many other things.
So as great as it is that we are finally seeing plus-size models starting to come into the picture and finally realizing, as a nation, that skinny isn't the only beautiful thing, we also need to realize that there are still unhealthy ways to be plus size.
However, no one should ever be rude and tell obese people they do need to lose some weight to maintain a healthier body weight. It is a process that people must undergo that will be draining emotionally and physically.
I think being healthy is one of the most beautiful things a person can be.
