Inspiring Plus Size Women Who Will Help You Ditch Diets

As the old adage goes, "You can never be too rich or too thin." It's not surprising that this notion is a truth for many women in a society that equates thinness with beauty, wellness, goodness, and self-control. 

But ideas are changing as more and more women choose to throw diet culture out the window and embrace themselves as they are. Fewer women want to lose weight than they did a decade ago in America, which is a positive sign for those of us fed up with fatphobia and bigotry. And at the forefront of this revolution of self-acceptance are visibly plus-sized women who are showing us how fierce, beautiful, and brilliant they are. These inspiring, plus size babes will make you want to ditch your diet for good.

You just can't miss the gorgeousness that is Precious Lee. She's one of the first plus size, black woman to appear in the famous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She was also the first plus size, black woman to appear in Vogue. She's also a model for Lane Bryant, and has starred in their #ImNoAngel, #PlusIsEqual, and #ThisBody ad campaigns. 

Lee's beauty goes far beyond skin-deep, as is evidenced by her defiance in an industry that demanded she conform. When she first pursued modeling, her agent suggested that she change her name to something more conventional (Victoria). And while she did, initially, after a short time she went back to her given name. She also cut her hair, which made her agents unhappy, but also allowed her to be herself and live her authentic truth. And it paid off, big time. Now she's a successful model who's showing the world that plus size and black is beautiful, and helping us see our own beauty in ourselves. Need a little inspo? Check out her Instagram.

Rye Silverman first graced my screen when I learned that she was selected as the first ever transgender model for Modcloth's #fashiontruth campaign — where she absolutely slays with her curls, her coy smile, her killer legs, and her perfect skin — all Photoshop-free. Silverman was featured by Modcloth in 2015, the year they ditched "plus size" as a label, and integrated all of their clothing into one sizing system. And while while Silverman may not be conventionally plus-sized, she shows us how good you can look in non-standard sized clothing.

Silverman has understandably gotten a lot of attention for her modeling, but her primary work is in comedy, where she's performed a poignant and personal bit about flying while transgender.

Her wit is biting but gentle, and her comedy is refreshingly self-aware. With a candor that invites people in to laugh and be entertained — even when she's doing sensitive material — it's no surprise that she continues to find success as a comedian. All that, and she's doing it while living her truth as a transgender woman, something it took her many years to realize.

Let's get this out of the way first: did you see her stunning and beyond-sexy photo in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, for the #swimsexy campaign? 

Philomena Kwao is one of those women who is as smart as she is sexy. She has become an icon in an exceedingly thin-centric industry that's only recently diversified to include a variety of body types and skin tones. Plus she's legit brilliant: she holds a bachelor's degree in economics, as well as a master's degree in global health management. On top of that, she speaks openly and candidly about her journey to self-acceptance as a black woman navigating a society that prioritizes "thin" and "light-skinned" as beautiful. She's also worked with Women for Women International, a non-profit that helps marginalized women around the world affected by war. 

Kwao also models for Torrid, and features her look du jour on Instagram.

Shay Neary made history in 2016 when she was selected to model for the well-known plus size brand, Coverstory. She was the first ever plus size, openly transgender woman to land such a campaign. More recently, she booked a UK campaign for Yours Clothing, a plus size clothing company that sells up to a size 36. She also gives style advice on their site, so if you're a walking fashion faux pas like me, she can help.

The importance of her visibility in the modeling world is definitely not lost on Neary, who often speaks out about the importance of diversity in the modeling world. Additionally, her collaboration with these designers validates and gives voice to the existence of plus sized, trans women everywhere. And this is only the beginning of her career, and of the movement!

Of course her Instagram is absolutely adorable, full of selfies, professional and staged photos, motivational grams for plus-sized and trans women, and of course, cute pictures of her dog.

Last, but certainly not least, is the brilliant Marianne Kirby, one of the leaders of the contemporary fat acceptance movement. She was at the forefront of the blogosphere in the mid-2000s, writing about fat acceptance and ditching diet culture for something better. This led to the genesis and publication of her book Lessons from the Fat-o-Sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body, co-authored with Kate Harding. 

Kirby has been featured in a host of publishing outlets, from The Guardian to xoJane, and on television shows such as Dr. Phil. And more recently, she has written her debut novel, Dust Bath Revival, a YA reader about, well, zombies, set in her native Florida. She completed the novel on an Amtrak train as one of their inaugural writers-in-residence, who were selected to spend two weeks riding the rails and, of course, writing.

On top of publishing a YA novel featuring a fat, queer protagonist, Kirby also slays with her fashion sense (among other things) on her Instagram.