“Our Larger Bodies Are Clearly Lacking Representation In Media”: Plus-Size Models Pose As Disney Princesses (16 Pics) Interview
Disney princesses have been an inspiration to many children for their beauty and charm. But according to critics, the iconic characters like Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, or Ariel have not been representing every woman out there.
The lack of plus-size bodies and skin colors was precisely what inspired social media influencer Natasha Polis and her friends to launch the #PlusSizePrincessProject. “We take up more space than most, yet our larger bodies are clearly lacking representation in media. So here’s our response this Halloween: 21 influencers dressing up in our own style as beloved female Disney characters,” Natasha wrote to her 77.4k followers on Instagram and shared the photos of the plus-size princesses.
Both inclusive and diverse, the pictures prove that queens and princesses come in all styles, backgrounds, shapes, forms, colors, and sizes and that whoever had a dream to become one as a child has no reason to think they shouldn’t.
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To find out more about the Plus-Size Princess Project, Bored Panda reached out to one of the participants, Michaela McGrady, who’s a plus-size model, social media influencer, and body neutrality advocate from LA.
Michaela dressed up as her favorite character Princess Anna, while her sister Hunter transformed into Princess Elsa. “Anna and Elsa represent a strong sisterly bond that she and I share. We would really do anything for each other, so to be able to bring that to life was so exciting for us!”
Michaela also said that being able to put the plus-size spin on the transformations was very important to women. “I know that seeing someone who had a body type like me when I was a young girl would have been life-changing.”
Esmeralda
Jasmine
Michaela believes that there’s an inherent bias within the beauty and fashion industries, which are “saturated with antiquated ideals. The truth is 68% of shoppers are considered plus-size. Designers and fashion houses have to start at the beginning by diversifying the people they hire and the bodies they seek to dress.”
In reality, the one-size-fits-all concept is ancient history, according to the plus-size model. “At this point, it’s either get on board with the rest of the world or get left in the dust,” she added.
But no journey towards body positivity and accepting yourself is easy. “It truly is a journey with many ups and downs, good days and bad days, and it’s all about getting to a place where the incredible significance of physical attractiveness is dialed down and how you feel about yourself isn’t affected by your appearance.”
Mulan
literally 2 of the other men in the movie Mulan were plus size. it doesn't matter what race, what age, and what size you are to dress up and feel good about yourself. for example I am mixed (black and white) for Halloween I wanted to go as froggy from my hero academia so I started making my costume i showed some of my friends and they said I couldn't be froggy because of how dark my skin was, I still went and I felt great in my costume and I actually won a costume contest. it doesn't matter who you are or what you want to be do what makes you happy
Michaela said that it’s important to remember that “You are worthy no matter what your body happens to look like at any given moment.”
She also gave a shout out to all of the incredible women who were a part of the project. “Seeing so many beautiful faces, diverse body types, and backgrounds was humbling and something I know we all intend to see a lot more of in the future,” Michaela concluded.
Belle
She looks great, but damn, could they not have ironed her skirt before the shoot?
Kida
Rapunzel
Tinkerbell
She's a famous TikTok personality that goes by name Glitter and Lazers in YouTube. She's super positive, has given the middle finger to the problematic part of the plus size community and is on her own health journey.
We neither need posts about Disney reimaginations nor about influencers. Mathematically this might make this post valid (-1 * -1), but I think it isn't.
By the way: as often when the euphemism "plus-sized" is used, obese is shown (at least for some of these women). This does not tell anything about beauty...it tells a lot about health, though.
I agree but I think it's okay to be not healthy and still dress up as a princess :)
@Daria: absolutely. Being obese might also just be the consequence of not being healthy; feeling beautiful is what everyone deserves. Yet influencers thrive on telling everyone that what they do is ideal, or probably even normal. Obesity shouldn't be normalized. Being positive about one's own experience and not promoting obesity is healthy are no contradicitions in my opinion.
About 5 years ago I started gaining weight. I went to the doc and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which slows your metabolism, makes you sweat, screws your hormones up, and causes weight gain. They put me on medicine. A side effect if the medicine is weight gain. So I'm kind of in a damned if you do damned if you don't situation.
I agree
This comment has been deleted.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel this is bullshit, I would imagine you are on thyroxine, like me, and it does not make you gain weight. Quite the opposite. Stop looking for excuses. I've got the same thing as you and I lost 15kg over 2 years without diet, without exercise, just by reducing processed and junk food.
Elo Casey good
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Becca Gizmo the Squirrel screws with your metabolism? that shows a complete and fundamental lack of understanding of metabolism. Maybe you should actually learn what affects metabolism - it's your lean muscles. An average human will need anything from 1800 - 2,200 kcals a day. anything from 60%-80% of that is your base metabolic rate. BMR is the absolute minimum your body needs to maintain its current mass. That means if the subject goes into a coma it would still need anything from 1,400kcal - 1,800kcal for their bodies to not lose or gain wieght. What screws with your weight is excessive eating. Put the fork down.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Size does not equate to health. There are tons of nutritional and health studies as well as Nutritionists and Dietitians dedicated to the principle of Health At Every Size. Look it up.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You can be thin and unhealthy. You can be heavy and healthy. The idea that you can judge any of these women's health by these pictures is wrong.
Stop advertising that being too big is not a problem. We don't choose our body's, however we do choose if we take good care of it or not.
NO ONE THINKS IT'S HEALTHY TO BE OVER WEIGHT. No one thinks that. But the idea is that just because someone is over weight doesn't mean they are ugly and worthless.
I don't think it's likely that representation will cause non-obese people to try to become obese.
The problem isn't people thinking it's healthy to be overweight. The issue is people thinking it's NOT unhealthy to be overweight.
you must be joking? If a massively obese person is on the cover of cosmopolitan I think there is a massive movement that think being obese isn't a problem. There are also a lot of fat people denying they have a problem. Also advertising people like this, young people will think it's normal and follow that. Children imitate what they see. Making it socially acceptable to be obese is in fact very damaging. Nobody is saying they are worthless, I also never said they. Nobody wants to see these people in these outfits though.
Rene Berendsen easy
no one? suurreeee...
True!
Slinkman -
Slinkman yes
Slinkman -
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
"Some people that might be referred to as “skinny” are actually very unhealthy, and some people that might be referred to as “plus-size” actually live incredibly healthy lifestyles. However, none of that, including other peoples’ opinions or society’s body labels, can determine how healthy you are." https://www.womensrunning.com/health/heres-proof-plus-size-bodies-can-be-healthy/
Absolutely false. Post all the magazine links you want but “healthy obese” people are the exception, not the rule. During a global pandemic where one of the biggest contributors to death is obesity we need be very careful about the messages we spread.
and yet heart deases are the most common cause of death. diabetes is also top ten. being thin isnt
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Size does not equate to health. There are tons of nutritional and health studies as well as Nutritionists and Dietitians dedicated to the principle of Health At Every Size. Look it up.
The word influencer makes me cringe. Big or small. They're not influencing anything more than obsession with validation.
Z Kalnina lol
We neither need posts about Disney reimaginations nor about influencers. Mathematically this might make this post valid (-1 * -1), but I think it isn't.
By the way: as often when the euphemism "plus-sized" is used, obese is shown (at least for some of these women). This does not tell anything about beauty...it tells a lot about health, though.
I agree but I think it's okay to be not healthy and still dress up as a princess :)
@Daria: absolutely. Being obese might also just be the consequence of not being healthy; feeling beautiful is what everyone deserves. Yet influencers thrive on telling everyone that what they do is ideal, or probably even normal. Obesity shouldn't be normalized. Being positive about one's own experience and not promoting obesity is healthy are no contradicitions in my opinion.
About 5 years ago I started gaining weight. I went to the doc and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which slows your metabolism, makes you sweat, screws your hormones up, and causes weight gain. They put me on medicine. A side effect if the medicine is weight gain. So I'm kind of in a damned if you do damned if you don't situation.
I agree
This comment has been deleted.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel this is bullshit, I would imagine you are on thyroxine, like me, and it does not make you gain weight. Quite the opposite. Stop looking for excuses. I've got the same thing as you and I lost 15kg over 2 years without diet, without exercise, just by reducing processed and junk food.
Elo Casey good
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Becca Gizmo the Squirrel screws with your metabolism? that shows a complete and fundamental lack of understanding of metabolism. Maybe you should actually learn what affects metabolism - it's your lean muscles. An average human will need anything from 1800 - 2,200 kcals a day. anything from 60%-80% of that is your base metabolic rate. BMR is the absolute minimum your body needs to maintain its current mass. That means if the subject goes into a coma it would still need anything from 1,400kcal - 1,800kcal for their bodies to not lose or gain wieght. What screws with your weight is excessive eating. Put the fork down.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Size does not equate to health. There are tons of nutritional and health studies as well as Nutritionists and Dietitians dedicated to the principle of Health At Every Size. Look it up.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You can be thin and unhealthy. You can be heavy and healthy. The idea that you can judge any of these women's health by these pictures is wrong.
Stop advertising that being too big is not a problem. We don't choose our body's, however we do choose if we take good care of it or not.
NO ONE THINKS IT'S HEALTHY TO BE OVER WEIGHT. No one thinks that. But the idea is that just because someone is over weight doesn't mean they are ugly and worthless.
I don't think it's likely that representation will cause non-obese people to try to become obese.
The problem isn't people thinking it's healthy to be overweight. The issue is people thinking it's NOT unhealthy to be overweight.
you must be joking? If a massively obese person is on the cover of cosmopolitan I think there is a massive movement that think being obese isn't a problem. There are also a lot of fat people denying they have a problem. Also advertising people like this, young people will think it's normal and follow that. Children imitate what they see. Making it socially acceptable to be obese is in fact very damaging. Nobody is saying they are worthless, I also never said they. Nobody wants to see these people in these outfits though.
Rene Berendsen easy
no one? suurreeee...
True!
Slinkman -
Slinkman yes
Slinkman -
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
"Some people that might be referred to as “skinny” are actually very unhealthy, and some people that might be referred to as “plus-size” actually live incredibly healthy lifestyles. However, none of that, including other peoples’ opinions or society’s body labels, can determine how healthy you are." https://www.womensrunning.com/health/heres-proof-plus-size-bodies-can-be-healthy/
Absolutely false. Post all the magazine links you want but “healthy obese” people are the exception, not the rule. During a global pandemic where one of the biggest contributors to death is obesity we need be very careful about the messages we spread.
and yet heart deases are the most common cause of death. diabetes is also top ten. being thin isnt
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Size does not equate to health. There are tons of nutritional and health studies as well as Nutritionists and Dietitians dedicated to the principle of Health At Every Size. Look it up.
The word influencer makes me cringe. Big or small. They're not influencing anything more than obsession with validation.
Z Kalnina lol