Sports Illustrated Reveals Their First Plus-Size Swimsuit Model

Published on February 5, 2015.

Photo by Erik Pendzich/Rex

This ad hits the nail on the head. A bunch of dudes ogling a beautiful woman in a bikini. Ashley Graham certainly knows how to strut.

Sure, the ad is agenda based, and its purpose is also pushing a product, but the point is well made, and taken. Yeah, we’re starting to beat the dead horse with a stick, hoping for more traction, but the message is loud and clear. Beauty knows no waistline.

It was certainly never “the dudes” who said only certain women should wear certain swimsuits, or that certain body types were the only ones to be deemed attractive. Sure, some guys would feel that way, while others are sexually repulsed by the thought of a “skinny” girl. Some dudes don’t even like women, and prefer chubby, hairy, other dudes.

You vibe?

Still, this ad isn’t really about anything other than shining a spotlight on something that was already there in the first place. It does beg the question: When did the skinnies become so popular? Even for dude models it became popular in print. Athletic looks even lost their place in the madness. Honestly, for a teenage boy who’s curious about the opposite sex, he’s gonna take what he can get, and that’s going to shape his ideology of “sexy” for a long time.

Sadly, for teenage (and younger girls), it works in a counter-intuitive nature, suggesting “I gotta be like…” Nah, young girls, you don’t. Healthy is attractive. Confidence is attractive. Modesty, with the perfectly timed “oh, and btw” hints of flirtation will drive a dude wild.

Ultimately, I’ll sound the “old-fart alarm” in stating that everything is too hyper-sexualized these days. Nah, it doesn’t need to be vilified, it’s a wonderful thing, and ads like this are great… but why add dudes to the mix, ogling the “plus-sized” beauty to suggest, “Oh, we think she’s hot too!”

Yes. We have eyes. We can see.

Also Check Out: 9 Popular Celebs Who Refuse To Lose Weight For A Role!