The year in body positivity warriors
2015 was a colossal year for body positivity, and this sky-high level of sheer badassery would not have been possible without all the body positivity queens working overtime to expand the definition of what it means to be beautiful.
As the year comes to a close, we want to take this opportunity to honor some of the women who have made this world a better place to be for ALL bodies.
Tess Holliday
Earlier this year, Holliday made modeling history by being the first model of her height and size (5’5 and size 22) to be signed to a major modeling agency. In the wake of this win, Holliday has been kicking butt and taking names with a PEOPLE cover, a new clothing line, and the best “how to get a bikini body” tutorial ever, i.e. getting a biking a putting it on your body and having what size your body is not factor into the equation at all. Girl, you’re a queen.
Amy Schumer
When Amy Schumer isn’t tearing up the comedy scene or having the platonic ideal of a friendship with Jennifer Lawrence, she’s spouting major body wisdom. Whether she’s sincerely opening up about her body image struggles (and revealing how fashion gave her confidence) or taking the goofy route and giving herself a trophy on Instagram for “Best Body,” she’s firmly committing to Team Body Positivity and we <3 our girl for that on top of everything else we love her for.
Megan Jayne Crabbe
Let’s hear it for Megan AKA BodyPosiPanda, the Instagrammer who describes herself as a “…recovered anorexic, recovered self-loather, trying my best to shatter the ‘not good enough’ mentality we’ve all been taught about our bodies.” On her Instagram, she posts her “Before/After” pictures, celebrating the body she has now that she is recovered, and celebrating the awesome figures of others in the spirit of inclusivity.
Ashley Graham
How do we love Ashley Graham, let us count the ways? The full-figured model is regularly on her megaphone spreading the word of body acceptance and self love (Did you see her TED talk? Go watch her TED talk), she was one of the featured models in Lane Bryant’s New York Fashion Week #PlusIsEqual campaign, and that very NYFW she made history with her Black Orchid lingerie line runway show, one of the first ever NYFW shows to feature a majority of fuller-figured models with the f— yeah tagline #IAmSizeSexy. Preach, girl, preach forever.
Chastity Garner Valentine
Remember the blogger who awesomely challenged Target’s limited sizing problem? She ended up working as a consultant on Target’s new size-inclusive line Ava and Viv (along with fellow body positivity bloggers Gabi Gregg and Nicolette Mason). Proof that sometimes when you call someone out for being on the wrong side of history… they hire you to come in and help fix the problem.
Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthy AKA one of our favorite funny ladies on Earth has already changed the comedy world forever (and for the better), and now she’s out to use her Glinda the Good Witch powers to change the fashion industry. Her size-inclusive line Melissa McCarthy Seven7 is a wonder to behold. She’s also working to ban the plus-size label, and when faced with sexism and sizeism in fashion and Hollywood, rather than back down she puts up the smartest and most good-hearted fights (What she said to that journalist who took apart her appearance about how, with that kind of talk, he’s teaching his daughter that “…she’s only worthwhile or valid when she’s pretty”? Priceless times infinity.
(Images via Instagram)