“Plus Sized”?

By now, everyone knows that Whitney, the “plus sized model”, won America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 10, competition. It’s amazing to me that someone who is a size 8, maybe a 10, is considered “plus size.” Anywhere in the sane (not-modeling) world, “plus size” doesn’t even start until – what? a size 14, or higher?  I don’t have any idea.

I hope this helps all the girls and women out there to realize that just because you’re not what the modeling world deems as “thin” doesn’t mean you’re not as, or more, beautiful than the models in the magazines and advertisements we get bombarded with. I like the word “Model Idealism” that Eat A Cheeseburger came up with:

Model Idealism: The idea or belief that models are the norm and true or ideal standard of beauty. All beauty is therefore correlated to how close one appears to the model figure. In model idealism, too thin does not exist. The thinner the better. Therefore words like “plus” insinuate that something extra is being added to the norm.

I’m glad I don’t have to live in the “model idealism” world, even though I have to remember not to compare myself to them every once in awhile. I’m happy where I am – where being fit, being strong, and having a little curve.

Congrats again to Whitney for being the winner of ANTM’s Cycle 10!