In a Dec 7 article published by the entertainment website Inside Edition, ”plus size” model Ashley Graham expressed interest in modeling for Victoria’s Secret. “When Victoria's Secret calls me and asks me to be on their runway, I’m gonna say yes," the famed plus-size model recently told TMZ. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Whether or not the folks in charge of deciding who models for VS offer Ms. Graham employment remains to be seen. However, the editors at Sports Illustrated have already decided, as proven by (one of) this year’s cover of their famous swimsuit edition that featured Ms. Graham.
Now, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and whether Ms. Graham is “sexy” is a matter of opinion. I shall not express my opinion here, as that is not the point of this story. However, according to IE, there are many online commenters that would like to see VS feature plus size models.
"We need to celebrate all sizes," one fan wrote.
“Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and color and the brand must portray that," said another.
This author believes there are undoubtedly some commenters who disagree with this position, and when I looked at the comments section of the story, my suspicions were confirmed. However, IE did not see fit to feature those opinions in their story. The following opinion was also expressed in the comment section of the story:
”She is not plus size, she is normal size for today's woman, so please stop with the labels.”
And that is the comment that inspired this diary. Please, bear with me…
Ashley Graham is 5'9" tall and weighs 201 lbs. That is a Body Mass Index (BMI) rating of 29.7. For those of you unfamiliar with the BMI system, a little history: the basis of the metric BMI was first proposed by Adolphe Quetelet, a 19th century Belgian sociologist and statistician who attempted to quantify, statistically, the relative health of human beings based on height and weight.
According to the popular website, Wikipedia:
BMI provides a simple numeric measure of a person's thickness or thinness, allowing health professionals to discuss weight problems more objectively with their patients. BMI was designed to be used as a simple means of classifying average sedentary (physically inactive) populations, with an average body composition. The modern term "body mass index" (BMI) for the ratio of human body weight to squared height was coined in a paper published in the July 1972 edition of the Journal of Chronic Diseases by Ancel Keys.
Admittedly, the BMI metric is limited; it is not a comprehensive system by any means. There are many factors that contribute to body weight that the BMI scale does not address. And it in no way should be considered a substitute for consultation with medical and nutritional experts. However, it can and does provide a baseline metric for human health with regard to body weight and height.
Now that shed some light on the BMI system, let us now return our attention to Ashley Graham. As noted above, Ms. Graham has a BMI rating of almost 30. This is considered "obese" by the professional medical community; it puts her at higher risk for health problems. It is recommended that she changes her physical regimen, diet, and lifestyle in order to achieve a more ideal, appropriate, and healthy weight for her height.
Simply stated, the woman is obese. She is not fit; she is not healthy. You can call her "plus size" if you want, but she is not a healthy example of a woman. In order for her to be in the "ideal" BMI range of 19-25, she would need to be between 130-165 lbs. That is not average or typical for most 5’9” American women , but it is healthy and fit.
The average American woman is 5'4", 166 lbs. That is a BMI of 28.5. I suppose one could call that “normal”, but that is well into the overweight classification. That is not healthy. Graham is over a point higher than that, but not so high as to be considered that far above average.
I suppose we must concede that it is “normal” for American women (and men) to be overweight and unhealthy. Whether or not the average woman would be considered “beautiful” or “sexy” is, again, a matter of opinion. But one thing that is not debatable, at least according to medical professionals, is that it is not healthy. In order for a 5'4" woman to be in the healthy BMI range of 19-25, she should be between 110 -145 lbs. Again, that is not "normal", but it is fit and healthy.
So, according to the professional medical community, Ashley is about 36 pounds, at least, above what is healthy, while the average American woman is about 21 pounds, at least, above what is healthy. I guess it is “normal” for American women (and men) to be overweight and unhealthy; that said, I advance the notion that “normal” is not healthy.
But Graham is NOT “normal”; she is obese. Granted, she is at the very bottom of the “obese” classification, but obese nonetheless. The “normal” American woman is merely overweight. And by normalizing obesity, we are encouraging an already overweight populace (the average American man is also overweight and unhealthy) to become obese. Graham is NOT setting a good example.
Now, I am paraphrasing here, but Graham claims that she “eats moderately”, and “works out”. I don’t know the woman; I have never met her. As such, I am not familiar with her lifestyle, exercise regimen, or eating habits. However, based on what I have seen in her widely disseminated photographs, I believe the woman is deluding herself.
I am not a nutritionist. Nor am I familiar with what it means to “eat moderately”. Therefore, I will use an example I am familiar with to justify my assertion (that Graham is deluding herself).
I am a moderate drinker. I do not drink more than four drinks in a day, nor do I drink more than 12 drinks in a week. In my opinion, that make me a moderate drinker. But that is not just my opinion; according to the website moderatedrinking.com:
There is agreement in the scientific community about what defines "moderate drinking." It's no more than 3-4 standard drinks per drinking episode, no more than 9 drinks per week for women and 12-14 for men. Also, moderate drinking means limiting how fast you drink and, as a result, keeping your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) below .055 (.08 is the DWI limit in all states in the U.S.).
A standard drink is equal to
- a 12 oz (355 ml.) beer with 5% alcohol (average for most U.S. beers).
- A 5 oz. (150 ml.) glass of wine (12.5% alcohol).
- 1.5 oz. (45 ml.) of 80 proof liquor (40% alcohol).
I derive my opinion from the “agreement of the scientific community”. I have friends who claim to be “moderate” drinkers, yet, they routinely drink 6-12 beers in a day, multiple times a week. This is not moderate drinking, but they claim (correctly) that there are people out there that drink much more heavily than them. As such, they are “moderate” drinkers. This is delusional.
Similarly, it is my assertion that Graham delusionally believes that because she does not abuse food to the extent that some people do, that somehow makes her a “moderate” eater. And as a “moderate” eater that “works out” she incorrectly believes that she is not living an unhealthy lifestyle. As such, this somehow excuses her for advancing a dangerous ideology that obesity, in “moderation”, is not unhealthy.
The reason I bring this all up, and the reason I am writing this rather lengthy diary, is that through her words and action, she is, as a role model, presenting a clear and present danger to society. Her nonsensical assertions are setting an example that obesity is normal, and that obesity should be accepted. I propose that obesity, like alcoholism, and any form of abuse, is unhealthy and dangerous. Obesity should not be accepted or normalized.
While it is undoubtedly true that American society has an unhealthy obsession with youth, beauty, and body image, and it is equally true that this unhealthy obsession leads to problems like bulimia, anorexia, body shaming, depression, and even physical abuse, that in no way justifies normalizing obesity. As such, I shall now bring to your attention an example of a fit, healthy woman that is not dangerously thin. She is no “Barbie” doll. Rather, she is a fine example of all- American womanhood. I now proudly present (pictured above), the former UFC bantamweight champion of the wooooooooooooooooooooooorld, Holly, the preacher’s daughter, Holm.
For those of you that are not fight fans, last November (2015) Holly Holm knocked out long reigning, and previously undefeated, bantamweight (135 lbs) champion Ronda Rousey in spectacular fashion. She has since lost the title, but, being the classy and phenomenal human being that she is, Holm has fought her way back. She will be fighting for the inaugural UFC featherweight (145lbs) title next February.
Holly stands 5'8" tall, and at a fight weight of 135, she comes in at a BMI of 20.5. While this is a tad on the low side, that is still well within what the medical community considers normal and healthy. From what I understand, as a fighter, she cuts weight, like all professional fighters, and actually walks around somewhere between 150-160 lbs, for a BMI range of 22.8 to 24.3. Again, healthy. On the larger side of true normal, but certainly not obese or overweight. However, it is fair to note that she is an elite athlete, so she needs that extra muscle in order to kick ass and take names. (editor’s note: Holly is a “small” featherweight, and by stepping up in weight class, will most likely be facing significantly larger opponents than herself. She’s a warrior.)
Once again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is undoubtedly many who think Holly is not attractive. “She’s too muscular.” “She’s to angular.” “Her shoulders are too broad, and she’s manly.” “She has no neck.” Personally, I think she is phenomenally beautiful. Furthermore, by all accounts, she is a fantastic human being full of inner beauty as well. She is active in charity; humble in victory, as well as defeat; confident without arrogance, and well loved by all in her hometown of Albuquerque, NM. While she is clearly not a “Playboy” beauty, and some may even consider her ugly, there is no doubt that she is strong and fit. For that, we should all admire her. Furthermore, that is something we should all, not just women, aspire to achieve.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that obesity is part of an unhealthy lifestyle. And that while it is true that it is unkind, uncouth, and unnecessary to cruelly mock and body shame people like Ashley Graham, it is a disservice to society at large to celebrate, normalize, and embrace obesity. I will concede that Ms. Graham seems like a nice person with a good heart, and that her achievement of fame and fortune in the world of modelling is not entirely without merit. Nonetheless, the fact remains that she is advancing a dangerous ideology that obesity should be celebrated, normalized, and accepted, and that is to the detriment of society.
However, she is in a unique position now. If she chooses, she could decide to work hard, change her lifestyle, lose 35 pounds, attain a weight of 165 lbs and a BMI of 25. She could then present herself as model that, while still significantly larger than the average Victoria’s Secret model, is still healthy and fit. If she does that, I will have nothing but praise and admiration for her, and will consider her a role model to be aspired to.
Until she does that, however, I shall continue to call her out for what she is: an obese woman who is advancing a dangerous ideology that obesity should be celebrated, normalized, and accepted.
Wednesday, Dec 21, 2016 · 6:08:46 AM +00:00 · Donovan469
For the record: Donald Trump (not pictured) stands 6’3” tall and weighs 236 lbs for a BMI of 29.5. That is the exact upper limit of “overweight”, and bordering on “obese”. Fit to be president? According to President Barack Obama, that remains to be seen. But according to the American Medical Association, he could stand to lose some weight.