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#ThisIsPlus Calls For Diversity In Plus-Size Advertising

"Let's show the industry that plus size is more than their hourglass tall and flat-bellied size 16s."

This year has seen numerous social media campaigns demanding for more diversity in fashion, and it doesn't look like they're stopping any time soon.

The latest hashtag that's calling for even more body types to be represented in media? #ThisIsPlus.

Created by A Curvy Cupcake -- the blogger who launched #curvee after Instagram's now-reversed #curvy ban -- #ThisIsPlus is a response to campaigns like Lane Bryant's #PlusIsEqual and Evans' #StyleHasNoSize, both of which have received criticism for their lack of diversity.

A photo posted by Katherine (@acurvycupcake) on

"These campaigns have left a sour taste in the mouths (and fingers) of social media users the world over," Cupcake's Katt writes in a blog post. "People are quite rightly asking, if style has no size, why are all of the models on the lowest end of plus size? Where is the size 24 model? The size 32? Where are the women of colour? Who is representing the petite among us? Why can't we see a shorter model amongst the 5'8+ leggy ladies?"

She continues, "It seems that unless you are tall, white and have and flat tummy to complement your size 16 hourglass figure, then plus is NOT equal. But it should be. It has to be."

Katt then took to Instagram to encourage "anyone who feels their size, shape, race, height, ability, etc. was excluded from the high street campaigns of the past month" to send in a full-length photo holding up the hashtag #thisisplus.

"Let's show the industry that plus size is more than their hourglass tall and flat-bellied size 16s," she wrote in her caption.

Since then, #ThisIsPlus-tagged pics have been popping up on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, showcasing beautifully diverse photos of men and women of varying sizes, shapes, colours, genders and physical abilities.

A photo posted by Daisy (@daisyhollands) on

A photo posted by Katherine (@acurvycupcake) on

A photo posted by Kat Henry (@kat_v_henry) on

A photo posted by Katherine (@acurvycupcake) on

Meanwhile, Lane Bryant is standing by their #PlusIsEqual campaign.

"Our #PlusIsEqual campaign is meant to empower women of all shapes and sizes," a spokesperson for the company tells BuzzFeed Life. "At Lane Bryant, we embrace every type of woman. With our campaign we want to let her know that the idealized body type, by which she is constantly reminded of in the media, may not be realistic for vast majority of female consumers.

"Lane Bryant cast six beautiful women of various sizes, body types, and backgrounds to star in this campaign. They are in every way real women, with real bodies and we think they are beautiful and couldn’t be happier with the image results."

Regardless, Katt hopes #ThisIsPlus will successfully "show off every kind of plus-size you can imagine."

"I’m sure there are some ladies on the smaller end of plus-size who have felt empowered by the models used in these campaigns," she tells BuzzFeed Life. "But for every woman who has been inspired, there are a dozen who have felt rejected."

Preach!

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Jennie Runk

Body Image Heroes

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