Why I don’t think plus size models are inclusive.

Being pretty is never going to change.

So being fat in our society has its repercussions. I would know since I was labelled as one at one point of my life, at least in Asian standards, which are impossible. I think everybody deals with this to some extent.

And I know the classic argument of “skinny shaming exists too.” Yes, I know, but I’m just going to put it out there that fat shaming is much more prevalent in our lives. Hate on me if you want, but I think it’s true. And I probably could find logical data and facts to back this up to be politically correct because I have read a plethora of content backing up my claim. But honestly I don’t feel like going through the trouble. Google it, please. But here’s a an article about it anyways.

Anyways. I’m not here to talk about fat vs skinny today. I’m here to talk about pretty fat vs ugly fat.

So plus size models. I don’t appreciate them as much as I really could and should. Please keep in mind that I’m not trying to hate on them. I love representation and it matters. And plus size models are a great endeavour in an originally unbreakable line of work which is the modelling industry. But I don’t think plus size models are really representing women too well.

I learned from plus size models that in order to be beautiful you don’t need a skinny body anymore, you need to be voluminous with a pretty face.

I’m not talking about curvy women, I’m not talking about thick women, I’m talking about just everyday women with jelly rolls. And these women are barely represented in the mainstream modelling industry, let alone succeed. (Well, maybe except Buzzfeed but Buzzfeed is a whole other genre.)

So the perception of beauty changes. The standard of beauty has always been a malleable entity and it has changed along with the paradigm. But the concept of beauty vs non-beauty has always existed and permeated our society, creating a caste system based on whatever the society’s expectations are. And I think the fashion industry was trying to be inclusive by bringing in plus size models — which I am completely for — but that doesn’t change the fact that appearance, which for the most part is a genetic lottery, provides those in the upper class with an unfair advantage.

And I think appearance is such an underrated notion in our society. A lot of people are racist simply because they look different from their own kind. Yes, being attractive gives you advantages. And yes, being unattractive has its disadvantages. I’m not the one to deny that being pretty has advantages.

So if you don’t look like a Victoria’s Secret model, what are you supposed to do?

Well, I’ll narrow it down to a couple of choices.

1. You could do Beyoncé’s lemonade diet and lose a whole bunch of weight, go to Korea (not California, Korea is where the plastic surgery is at, believe me) and get your face fixed up to their classic standards.
2. You could try to accept yourself for who you are fail in the process. But if you can just wholeheartedly love yourself, that’s great, good for you. So far it hasn’t worked for me since I’m not exactly the most perfect being in the world. But I’m confident enough.
3. You could just chill. It doesn’t matter. Just let go.

I think being chill is such an important quality to have in this fast world of constant competition, where the competition market has expanded to a global degree since the technological revolution. You can’t have everything. Sure, it sucks sometimes but there are other options. You’re probably rather privileged if you’re reading this on whatever electronic device you have. Focus on the things you have and let go. If you want it, you’re going to work, b**ch (Trust me to make a Britney Spears reference).

For now, I’m trying to be the least pessimistic as I can be about life since I can be quite the Machiavellian thinker if I let myself be. I’m just, you know, trying to chill.