When plus-size model Ashley Graham was on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" in the recent 2016 issue, many of us were absolutely enthused. Having a model who looks more like the majority of healthy women and that more women can relate to is a huge deal. Body positivity and the inclusion of all body types in advertising and marketing and modeling is an important concept that thankfully is becoming more common. However, even with such wonderful progress, there are always those who are stuck two steps backwards.
Former supermodel Cheryl Tiegs disappointed us all when she spoke out on Graham’s figure on the cover of "Sports Illustrated". "I don’t like that we’re talking about full figured women because it’s glamorizing them because your waist should be smaller than 35 inches,” she says. “That’s what Dr. Oz said and I’m sticking to it. No, I don’t think it’s healthy. Her face is beautiful. Beautiful. But I don’t think it’s healthy in the long run.” Uh? What? I’m sorry Ms. Tiegs, were you under the impression that full-figured women were a rarity? Or that full-figured women cannot be healthy? Or that there is no distinction between full-figured and overweight? Additionally, Miss Tiegs, are you really taking medical advice from Dr. Oz? Someone who is not actually a doctor and whose show is most definitely not a medical show?
In an article called “Study: Dr. Oz is full of shit,” the article asserts that according to a study from the British Medical Journal says that “his advice is baseless or wrong about half the time.”
So, Miss Tiegs, not only was your backhanded compliment supported by a medical claim from someone who is definitely not a medical professional, but you have made the assumption that weight directly corresponds to health -- newsflash: it does not. There are plenty of stick thin women who are extremely unhealthy, there are plenty of stick thin women who are perfectly healthy, there are plenty of full-figured women who are not healthy, and there are plenty of full-figured women who are completely healthy. Miss Tiegs, times have changed since you were a model and thankfully the modeling industry is now more inclusive than it has ever been -- that includes plus sized models, models with Down Syndrome, and even disabled models.
I am not here for body shaming as I know many other women and men alike are not, and I am disappointed in your comment on the beautiful Ashley Graham’s body on the cover of "Sports Illustrated." Full-figured women are just as beautiful as the tiny and toned Victoria’s Secret models that we are used to seeing, but the difference is that full-figured women are not nearly represented enough in advertising, and that is why Graham being on the cover of Sports Illustrated is so incredibly important.
