Editorial

Ashley Graham Named Model Of The Year – Which Is Insane

OPINION
Ashley Graham Getty Images/Fernando Leon

Ashley Graham Getty Images/Fernando Leon

Jena Greene Reporter
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Ashley Graham was honored last night at the annual Harper’s Bazaar Women Of The Year Awards.

She took home the ‘Model Of The Year’ award, wearing a transparent dress that revealed exactly why she won the award.

Because she’s plus size.

In case you hadn’t heard, Ashley Graham has taken pop culture by storm because she’s a plus size model and apparently serves as the voice for overweight women everywhere.

Let me preface this by saying I have nothing against anyone who’s overweight. This is a free country and if you want to eat nothing but burgers for the rest of your life, that’s your prerogative.

But I cannot for the life of me understand why Ashley Graham and her counterparts are now being rammed down our throats like an oversized portion of lima beans on Thanksgiving dinner. We didn’t ask for it, we don’t like it, and nobody’s asking for more.

Plenty of people are gonna come at me saying it’s wrong to ask women to cover up and that’s what terrorists do. But I’m not asking Ashley Graham to cover up. I’m just saying it’s not the best image to foist on young girls. Promoting an unhealthy weight goes against professional recommendation and supersedes politics. Michelle Obama defined her time in the White House by promoting healthy eating. Turning around and demanding more obesity in beauty magazines would then send a pretty hypocritical message.

Besides, there’s a difference between celebrating curves and celebrating Ashley Graham. Ever heard of Demi Mawby?

By @dannydesantos

A post shared by Demi Rose (@demirosemawby) on

Or Kate Upton?

Or JLo?

I’m sick and tired of being lectured about 30 minutes of daily exercise while being simultaneously lectured about embracing overweight models by beauty magazines.

It’s not fair to anyone. Stop the madness. Stop rewarding unhealthy lifestyles. Stop the awards. Let’s get back to celebrating what looks good and not take it any deeper than that.