Plus Sized? More Like My Size.

Six years ago, Ashley Graham, a “plus-size” lingerie model, starred in a commercial for a new line of lingerie for plus-sized women and the campaign resulted in a not-so pretty ending. The ad claimed Graham was too big—a then size 16 model—and beautiful for TV by ABC. Now in 2016 Ashley Graham stars on the cover for the very first “plus-size” model to cover Sports Illustrated’s popular swimsuit issue.

According to PLUS model magazine, “In the fashion industry, plus size is identified as sizes 12-24, super size as sizes 4X-6X and extended size as 7X and up.” A related term for men’s plus-size clothing is known as “big and tall.” The larger-size fashion revolution began in the 1970s after the Fashion Group of NYC— a global, nonprofit, professional organization with 5,000 members in the fashion industry—released a study that baby boomers were in the need of clothing proportioned specifically for people whose bodies are larger than the average person.

“I don’t believe plus size actually exists,” junior Madison Herron said. “Plus size is an arbitrary concept, and really can’t be defined by an objective measure. Normal differs for every person, so the idea of ‘plus size’ doesn’t actually make sense.”

Ashley Graham went from her discovery at a mall in her hometown in Nebraska to integrating plus size models into the media. A now size 14, which happens to be the size of an average American woman, Graham has made history to be featured as the issue has introduced stars such as Tyra Banks, Kate Upton, Beyoncé on their cover in past years.

“I’m happy to see Sports Illustrated is diversifying its covers, however, if they continue to feature plus sized models, it’ll ultimately alter for what the magazine is known for,” sophomore Nick Sicuso said.

The 28 year-old model stated in her recent TED talk: “I hope in the next year people will stop saying ‘plus-size,’ and they’ll just say, ‘She’s a model.’ I think that the day is coming.” Throughout Graham’s TED Talk, she expresses her beliefs on body positivity ever since breaking into the growing industry of diverse sized models. Graham was told for most of her modeling career that she could never achieve success as a plus sized model. Yet, here she is on the front cover of one of the most popular swimsuit magazines in America.

“It’s inspiring to see a plus size woman glorified for her beauty instead of being shamed for having curves. Speaking as a girl who is not the thinnest, it is refreshing to see a thicker girl as beautiful,” junior Samantha Joseph said.

Graham is one of three models to appear on three separate covers of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue along with UFC fighter Ronda Rousey and model Hailey Clauson. Without the editors retouching her size, Graham’s cover photo continues to move women, young girls and men, to eliminate the term “plus-size” from America’s vocabulary.

“I was overjoyed by the open minds of the editors at Sports Illustrated for choosing to accept diversity and recognize beauty, regardless of size,” senior Sebastian Salinas said. “Girls are beautiful and they never see it. Big or small, you are just as important and beautiful as the girl next to you.”