I am FAT.

In a world where plus size is getting more place in the public eye - I would think that plus size issues would diminish. But when girls like this - are the "model" for what a plus size women looks like - the issues only seem to get bigger. But not in the plus size bigger - just bigger.

For the most part when talking about how appropriate it is to have plus size in the fashion world - people often use the justification of the need to show more body types when in fact - the plus size  models of today,

Lura wells - look's pretty thin and fit to me! 

Couldn't be less representative of this desire, or actual need.



As a plus size girl my self - I've been looking at the media for a long time. Going thorough endless images - and
Thought about what I should look like, or how everything will be OK - if only I'll lose some weight. Like most girls in today's western culture.
And then, slowly but surly we started to see the "Plus-Size-Girl". The anti Representation the skinny, supposedly anorexic model which ruled the cat walk and our minds.

Now, in 2014 - we can even name some famous  models that happen to be plus size. And incredibly beautiful. Not shame in that. In fact - More power to them.

But the problem is, that in the plus size world - the higher the number on the scale is - the more diverse body types you tend to get. But while in the "skinny" modeling world you have some diversity (1), the plus size model is very typical . She's has that famous curvy body - that presently I would love to have. She tends to be closer to that famous golden ratio - and even more then "regular" women - because the plus size model is always under a microscope. Not only is she Representing her self and perhaps a brand - but she's supposed to also be the spokes person for the entire plus size community. And they really our not. 

And then you got to 9gag. Great laughs and memes to make any kitty lover like myself have a good break for the soul. Until you see what some people think as been "curvy" or "plus-size". You see - nobody wants to see the "F" word. Got forbid. So you have the plus size girls - with near perfect complexion, stunning figure and long lasting legs - and then you have everybody ells - that does not fit into the little box.
FAT.

Say it with me. It's freeing!
I AM FAT.

I'm plus size, and curvy and big, and beautiful - and I have a brain and self esteem.
And I'm proud to have the body that I have. Even if I don't have perfect double d's.

I spent at least 2 years leaning about how words and the use of certain ones - can change the meaning. How the same word can mean different things in different culture - and when I say cultures, I don't just mean the ones in Africa. Sometimes a block way - you have a completely different culture.

We need to understand that the plus size image that we tend to see (2) - are really just a slightly larger version of the same model that we saw in till know. I'm not saying that this was not necessary, or that they don't give some what of a contesting represents for the skinny model. But, Most women will never look like those models.
If you are skinny you tend to look a certain way. So, up till know - you could starve (or try to), Because the goal was to loose weight in order to fit into the box. So supposedly this was the ??? Of the classic American dream  that anyone could make it.
But the plus size girls - are either "it" or not. You either have that amazing figure, or not. And for most of us - we don't have that "it".

And that's OK. That's what we need to understand. We need to start calling the plus size models fat. And we need to hit all those idiot Neanderthals with a meme app with a large stick.

We need to start neutralize the negative context from the word "fat". Is just my body. My body is fat. (imagine my smiling as I say it). That's it. That's all it is. It's not a derogatory word. It's not an insult.

So in the end - what's the big deal? The problem is - that we, as women are still some what controlled to believe that we should only look a certain way. (or 3 ways out of hundreds of possibilities). Also - when asos.com uses a model that is clearly "smaller" than I am (and I'm a UK18 and I don't have curves!) - that's insulting. Because when you shop for a UK26  - you don't need to see someone that is suppose to be like you - the proud fat chic that we are - and she's really not. That's the problem. Plus size models are no more then "regular women in reality. And bigger women in reality - don't really have too much representation in the media - as if to say - that they don't deserve it.

More then anything - we need to understand that absence of a particular group within the media - or "Re-Labeling" a certain group has a direct effect on us as media consumers. At that's the problem. Because just because real large women are barely in the media - does not mean that we don't exist.  

(1) But not too much - the models still tend to be tall Amazonian gorgeous, long legged women. 

(2) And yes - I Know that there are some exceptions. not all plus size girls in the media our the same little box.