As women of color, all we want is to see representation. That said, if you haven’t rolled your eyes at a mainstream news outlets’ list of body positive icons, then consider yourself lucky that you missed the frustration of seeing one of these stories come across your feed.
Every few weeks it seems like another one pops up and not only are the majority of these icons barely above a size 8, but these lists usually include just one woman of color or sometimes none at all. I am so in favor of drawing attention to women who are challenging beauty standards, but not if that list doesn’t feature women of color.
It all begs the question: Is a list like that actually challenging beauty standards or is it simply continuing to reinforce them?
While we may have lacked access to funds and to commercialize properly (like any other situation), our voices have become erased and minimized in this game.
This list has been formulated in collaboration with our Editor-in-Chief, Marie, Plus Model Magazine Editor-in-Chief Madeline Figueroa-Jones, and plus model, host, and spokesperson Chenese Lewis.
When asked about the subject of a lack of inclusion, Figueroa-Jones called for a more unified and inclusive message.
“Body positivity is a lifestyle and much more than what you see on social…
