Curvy Collective Hosts A "Full Figured Fashion Week" Panel Discussion: "The State Of The Curvy Community" The Plus Size Advocate

Curvy Collective Hosts A “Full Figured Fashion Week” Panel Discussion: “The State Of The Curvy Community”

May 19, 2010 No Comments

We live in a subjective society that places self-esteem on size, shape and color; a society that defines the skinny woman as a true representation of beauty. So much has been spent on expensive commercials and glossy magazines glorifying the skinny and sexy woman. In fact, the fashion world was conceived to meet the needs of this particular group of women.

Likewise, we live in an age where women frequently receive endless demeaning for being a plus size. Not only has everyday society been unkind towards larger people, but also in the past decade, the medical health industry has joined the cause. Many health care professionals are enforcing the “skinny ideology” by influencing overweight women and men to submit to costly invasive surgeries. This skinny ideology has created a mindset on young girls that only the skinny is beautiful. This mindset creates poor self-esteem on many young girls and women. It is sad to note that the ever-increasing number of medical illnesses such as anorexia and bulimia are no longer a hush hushed, but an acceptable fashion craze.

With so many young girls and women suffering from poor self esteem, why does society deem it necessary to place self worth so much on size?

I have run across on the site of Curvy Revolution¹(www.curvyrevolution.com.au), an Australian-based modeling outfit for women representing size 16 and above and models of Australia. Curvy Revolution has these ideals or standard at what a curvy revolution model should be:

She projects positive body image and has a REAL body acceptance
She leads a healthy lifestyle
She is beautiful inside and out
She is not robotic, but understands the importance of technical accuracy and training
She is passionate about breaking the mould of model representation
She believes in REAL representation of plus-size clothing
She believes she is deserving of making the MOST of what she is TODAY regardless of her size.

If I may add, a curvy revolution model is a woman of integrity. I am amazed at the ideals of Curvy Revolution for a curvy revolution model. If the society defines beauty similar to the way Curvy Revolution defines the curvy revolution model, then this world could be a fairer place to live in.

Size does not really matter at all. It does not matter if we have the most beautiful body and the most beautiful face in the world if we do not project a positive body image and REAL BODY ACCEPTANCE. There are health risks involved in being a plus size, but it does not guarantee that when we are skinny, we are healthy. Size is not an indicator of our health status. What matters is we lead a healthy lifestyle, and live a life worthy of emulation.

Mainstream society looks at beauty at one, the same and permanent angle. To capture a beautiful image, a professional photographer views his or her subject at different angles. And remember, beautiful gifts may come in plain and simple packaging and in different sizes.

Thanks to the movement for curvy revolution, it has brought acceptance around the full figured women in the United States to a higher level. Thanks because in the past decade, fashion industry has transformed its standards to meet the needs of the plus size community. Thanks to the fashion leaders and enthusiasts who continue to be innovative to meet the needs of every day plus size women, dressing them up in a way that radiates the real beauty in them.

Thanks to the efforts of many individuals and support groups advocating the cause of plus size community. Events like Miss Plus America, Full Figured Fashion Week, and a lot more have been held, and are still to be held to continue to celebrate, empower and uplift the plus size women.

Nevertheless, we can still hear some news, articles, and commentaries circulating through the internet and other media facilities discriminating the plus size woman, making them feel that they are a burden to society. That they have no fashionable option, a second class citizen, and one who should be ashamed to exist. If we are not critical minded enough to buy these negative news, the progress that have been done by our plus size advocates and plus size leaders for the plus size community in the last ten years may prove futile.

For us to better understand the place of the curvy community in the society and in the eyes of the media, Curvy Collective (an elite group of plus size fashion bloggers) hosts a panel discussion, “The State of the Curvy Community” on the occasion of Full Figured Fashion Week in New York City this June 2010. Perfectly timed, in the midst of current news in the media, this panel discussion addresses the current state of the plus-size community and the significance of Full Figured Fashion Week, through the eyes of the industry’s leaders, bringing different perspectives from various experiences and points of view.

Sponsored by the Fuller Woman Expo and Life Size Radio, the “State of the Curvy Community” panel discussion will take place at Hotel Penn on June 18^th, 2010 from 4-6:00PM. Moderator is Sharon Quinn, “The Original Runway Diva”, and the panelists include:

Erica Watson – Plus Size comedienne
Marianne Kirby – Blogger from The Rotund and co-author of Notes from the Fatosphere
Yuliya Raquel – Founder/Designer, Igigi
Golda Poretsky – Founder of Body Love Wellness
Mad Fashionista – Plus size fashion blogger and personality from Diary of a Mad Fashionista

NOTE:

¹This does not refer to “The Curvy Revolution” , which is an inaugural convention for plus size women to be held on February 18-20, 2011 in Las Vegas).