body type. I
am a mixed
woman of
plus size
proportions.
I work as
an actress,
plus mod-
el, brand
ambassador,
writer, and
filmmaker.
I have seen
and heard
more than
my fair share
of body
discrimina-
tion. I was
told once by
a casting di-
rec-
tor
I
n the film and modeling
industries there has long
been a standard set for what is
beautiful, what is acceptable,
and what is an appropriate role
for you to play based on your
other adjectives. Don’t get me
wrong I’ve had the pleasure of
working with many wonder-
ful industry professionals and
my network of knowledge has
grown considerably over the
years and made one thing very
evident. Negative body image is
a huge issue among women in
the film and fashion industries.
There are so many other wom-
en of all ages and backgrounds
just like me struggling to chase
their dreams and working
through their own body issues.
I began to wonder where this
negative self- image stemmed
from. Thoughts of junior high
school flashed through my
mind and a 15 year old football
player telling me I was fat. I
that my niche was as
a “best friend”. I’ve
been too old, too big,
too diverse, too short,
too tall, and countless
page 31