Sports Illustrated Swim Suit "Plus Size" Model

[Chocolate Cake]

Just because the average woman is overweight does not mean she is healthy or that it is good.
170 pounds is borderline obese.

And just because a woman is thin, it does not mean that she is healthy.

This model looks healthy to me. Big gals can be healthy!

 

[jdb in AZ]

I follow her on IG and she has stated she is a size 16-18. She is plus sized and she's gorgeous. Love her.

Even at her weight and size she is solid and not sloppy or flabby.

Thank you for the clarification. Size 16 looks good on her. I agree with a comment that SI should use models of all sizes, not just one model who's plus size, and the rest are the usual tall and thin. Last time you were at a beach or pool, what percentage of the women didn't have an ounce of fat on their bones?

 

[wenrob]

In the model world yes, she's clearly plus size. In the real world, I'd say normal. We're so used to seeing very thin women in print and on screen that someone with curves stands out. In person, the super thin models and actresses would stand out as looking emaciated, IMHO.

She's plus sized in the real world too. We are used to seeing obese people in the real world and so someone in the overweight category looks normal to us. Even at 5'10, 200lbs is heavy unless she was a seriously ripped, athlete. Not judging as someone who is formally obese and firmly in the overweight category. I think she's beautiful and should be accepted at any size but we're fooling ourselves when we start calling 200lbs normal.

 

[Planogirl]

She's plus sized in the real world too. We are used to seeing obese people in the real world and so someone in the overweight category looks normal to us. Even at 5'10, 200lbs is heavy unless she was a seriously ripped, athlete. Not judging as someone who is formally obese and firmly in the overweight category. I think she's beautiful and should be accepted at any size but we're fooling ourselves when we start calling 200lbs normal.

I agree. She is overweight but she shows that overweight can be attractive too.

 

[dadtoagirl03]

Just because the majority of US women are overweight, why should be lower the standards for a swimsuit edition. If people don't look like the models it's not the models fault. If people want to look more like the models quit complaining about it and get to work. The plus size model was just that plus sized and in my opinion overweight, but that's okay if she's comfortable with how she looks what I think means nothing.

 

[pryncess527]

I'm a little shorter than her, weigh what I consider to be significantly less than her -- yet she still looks better in that bikini than I would! Clearly I need some more tone and better lighting . . .

 

[CPanther95]

Just because the majority of US women are overweight, why should be lower the standards for a swimsuit edition. If people don't look like the models it's not the models fault. If people want to look more like the models quit complaining about it and get to work. The plus size model was just that plus sized and in my opinion overweight, but that's okay if she's comfortable with how she looks what I think means nothing.

I certainly don't think that SI should feel any obligation to widen (pardon the pun) their standards. It's a sports magazine centered around athletes. Athletes generally aren't overweight.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Thank you for the clarification. Size 16 looks good on her. I agree with a comment that SI should use models of all sizes, not just one model who's plus size, and the rest are the usual tall and thin. Last time you were at a beach or pool, what percentage of the women didn't have an ounce of fat on their bones?

I agree. Considering it's called Sports Illustrated it should have different builds of women. Women in sports have different athletic builds. Serena Williams and Kerri Walsh are both very athletic with different builds and are in great shape. But what SI shows in their swimsuit edition is the very tall and thin like Kerri Walsh. Rarely if ever the Serena Williams build.

 

[jrmasm]

I'm a little shorter than her, weigh what I consider to be significantly less than her -- yet she still looks better in that bikini than I would! Clearly I need some more tone and better lighting . . .

That and photoshop.

 

[Turn the Page]

That and photoshop.

And professional hair and make up. Let's not forget the affect THOSE have on how we look.

 

[RitaE]

Just because the majority of US women are overweight, why should be lower the standards for a swimsuit edition. If people don't look like the models it's not the models fault. If people want to look more like the models quit complaining about it and get to work. The plus size model was just that plus sized and in my opinion overweight, but that's okay if she's comfortable with how she looks what I think means nothing.

I'd have to ask exactly what the standard is for the SI Swimsuit edition? In my opinion it's to sell magazines, mostly to men that like to look at really sexy women.

I'm not a man so I really don't get a vote on that, but I'd venture a guess that there are millions of men who wouldn't mind having a wife or girlfriend who looked like her and there are likely millions of men who think she's hot. If I had to throw out an opinion on what Sports Illustrated should do, I'd say they should incorporate a wide variety of models to target to a wide variety of tastes in their target market rather than one extremely strict standard that only appeals to a certain segment.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just because the majority of US women are overweight, why should be lower the standards for a swimsuit edition. If people don't look like the models it's not the models fault. If people want to look more like the models quit complaining about it and get to work. The plus size model was just that plus sized and in my opinion overweight, but that's okay if she's comfortable with how she looks what I think means nothing.

Who's saying women want to look like [SI] models? Even models don't look like the photographs we see. How is including a model who more personifies the typical American woman "lower[ing] the standards for a swimsuit edition?". You realize that women and men - including female athletes (and isn't athletes and athletics what SI is all about) - come in ALL sizes and body types, right?

With Playboy classing up, and SI apparently not using models you find appealing, maybe you should subscribe to the Victoria's Secret catalog...

eta: curious now how you plan to deal with any future body image issues your daughter may develop...

 

[kaytieeldr]

I certainly don't think that SI should feel any obligation to widen (pardon the pun) their standards. It's a sports magazine centered around athletes. Athletes generally aren't overweight.

Really http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MensHealth/baseball-players-overweight-study-suggests/story?id=10001820
http://breakingmuscle.com/sports/football-s-big-men-fit-or-fat
http://listafterlist.com/fattest-golfers-on-the-pga-tour/
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...athletes-who-are-still-more-athletic-than-you

 

[CPanther95]

Really

Yes, really. "Generally" athletes are not overweight.

You may have a point with your links when they start putting offensive linemen in bikinis for the swimsuit edition.

 

[minniecarousel]

Yeah, that bikini top simply doesn't fit her! There are other pix of her in purple that she looks better. She's got a defined waist and she isn't flabby. She's tall and the 200 lbs look good in her. She represents the body type of a lot of women.

 

[pryncess527]

I'm pretty sure that the "certain segment" that this:

appeals to is extremely large. If you had a pie chart that showed what percentage of their readers didn't find her appealing, it would probably look like the pie after that model has taken her normal size slice.

i have no doubt that she appeals to a large segment. But a lot of survey data about men's preferences in women's body shape indicates a very large segment also loves the thicker, curvy look of the "plus sized" model they picked. She's a pretty tone and fit 200 pounds. When shown female bodies of different sizes, men rarely pick the thinnest option as their preferred body type. Women do, but men don't.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This thread is moot. She's not one of SI's swimsuit models. She in a swimsuitsforall.com ad.

Boo on SI for not using even one single model that better represents the typical American woman, or even many female athletes.

 

[jrmasm]

This thread is moot. She's not one of SI's swimsuit models. She in a swimsuitsforall.com ad.

Boo on SI for not using even one single model that better represents the typical American woman, or even many female athletes.

Huh?

http://www.si.com/swim-daily/2016/01/20/ashley-graham-si-swimsuit-2016-rookie-reveal

 

[kaytieeldr]

Huh?

http://www.si.com/swim-daily/2016/01/20/ashley-graham-si-swimsuit-2016-rookie-reveal

Yeah, I was surprised, given all the hoopla. Read carefully: http://www.etonline.com/news/159150_ashley_graham_rocks_tiny_bikini_sports_illustrated_swimsuit_ad/

 

[TippeeCanoe]

Huh?

http://www.si.com/swim-daily/2016/01/20/ashley-graham-si-swimsuit-2016-rookie-reveal

She is in a swimsuit ad, in the SI Swimsuit Issue. So if you want to split hairs, she isn't posing for SI.