Kaitlyn Davis- Plus Size Modeling (Represent!) (July 2021)
Issue Fifteen- July 2021:
By Mercedes Barreto
There is beauty to be found in everything on the Earth, it is up to the beholders of such beauty to capture it, and find it. We cannot lose the remnants of the Earth’s natural beauty. One of the Earth’s most natural beauties is also one of its most controversial. Plus size modeling is now making a stand, and plus-size model Kaitlyn Davis tells us and guides us on this new beauty movement, and why we should praise the plus.
What does plus-size mean to you? Does it have a meaningful connotation, and what do these words mean,
what do they represent? How should they be represented?
“The meaning of plus size to me is being confident in your body no matter what size you are, especially being in a bigger body. Plus size should be represented by anyone who feels they fit into the description of plus size.”
What defined your start in modeling? Did you struggle and overcome, or rise from the ashes, or a bit of both? How was your beginning in the modeling industry, and was it difficult in some way? Is there another perspective that applies here?
“I was bullied throughout school for always being the kid that was overweight. I was always the bigger friend in my friend group. My friend Breanna and Bella started taking photos of me, and I started really liking what I was seeing in the mirror, and in those photos, I just learned to love the body that I was in. It hasn’t always been easy. You just have to see it as you only have one body, you have to nourish it and take care of it whether it be by what you eat, any other underlying health conditions, getting your mind right, whatever it may be, TAKE CARE OF YOU FIRST!”
Has Covid had an effect on your work, either via daily routine, or via work routine, or in a more personal way? How so?
“Yes. COVID has affected my work because for a year and a half I couldn’t get together with people in person to do photoshoots.”
Why should more people read about and accept more of the concept of plus-size modeling? Is this a concept tied to troubling topics of worry? Does this apply?
“People should read about and accept more of the concept of plus-size modeling because it’s a positive movement for people who struggle/have struggled with their body image, people who are bigger, and people who are learning to love their bodies. It’s not about glorifying obesity as some might think, it’s about learning to love the body that you are in now.”
Where can someone find your work if they wish to learn all about it?
“Instagram: Instagram.com/kaitsamanthadavis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaitlyndavismodel/
Twitter: Twitter.com/KaitlynSDavis
Allcasting.com/KaitlynDavis“
Please describe in a number of words your message to the girls who feel unimportant in some way, especially when they see the models in magazines and harbor a feeling of self-loathing and the wish to look just like one of the models they see. What would be your message to those girls, as a model yourself?
“Never forget that who you are now, what you look like now, is worth more than anything. You are so worthy, loved, and beautiful the way you are now. Reach for the stars and never stop working towards your dreams whatever they may be. You can do anything you put your mind to.”
Anything you would like to add here?
“Keep moving forward, you are beautiful, you are strong, you are worthy, and you are important.”
Photos by Bella Rose Photography
ManualMagazines.com
This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience.
2 Comments
Abigail Brumett
Growing up, I felt as if I never belonged. Not because I had a hard time making friends… I just felt this weird sense of displacement. I never felt “good enough” or “worthy enough”. I have struggled with self confidence for as long as I can remember. I didn’t have a “loving” mother… at least not one who cared enough to see my pain. After all, she was hardly even involved… she only cared when my success could become a “proud mom” Facebook post. She never really cared about my well being… still to this day, she doesn’t care. I was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and was put on medication. I hated taking my medicine… I felt this sort of euphoria, I was disconnected from reality. I wouldn’t eat on my medication and I would feel numb… I was unable to feel any type of emotion. When I expressed my concerns, she told me that it kept me skinny. She ignored my feelings and focused on her set image. Not long after that, I wanted to stop dance classes and stop playing sports. I didn’t feel good enough, I felt like I wasn’t developing and growing as an individual. I wasn’t good compared to the other kids. But yet, once again, she told me “without it, you’ll get fat… it’s the only thing keeping you from becoming fat”. I was just a kid… but, those words still haunt me. My body dysmorphia was unbearable!! In 6th and 7th grade, I thought I was the size of an elephant. However, I only weighed 110 pounds. I stoped taking my ADHD medication by the end of 7th grade. I rapidly began to gain weight… I hit a breaking point. I soon moved in with my dad and lost all motivation in fighting for a relationship with my mother. I am now 20… when looking back, I realize that I was not fat in high school… or as a child. My weight fluctuated between 160-130 during high school. By my senior year, I had starved myself down to 126. My goal was to reach 110… I now weigh 150. I am currently dieting and trying to better myself, mentally and physically. I am still with my high school sweetheart of 3 years now. He taught me that numbers on the scale are exactly that… numbers on a scale. I fought with myself for years… hating myself all while trying to keep up with my mother’s ideal “image”. The truth is, all I wanted was a mother… who treated me like her daughter. I crave that mother/daughter relationship, but… that relationship takes a mother. I was never fat… nor was I out of place. I was simply lost and confused… blinded by what and who I thought I had to be. I am exploring and trying to rediscover myself as I am a newly adult. I want others to understand… life is not about image, the way you look in particular clothing, the numbers next to your toes, nor about trying to reach what others find acceptable. Number are just that… they are numbers, your body is just your body, and happiness is something that we all deserve. YOU DESERVE HAPPINESS!
DO MORE THAN JUST EXIST…
Mek
I completely resonate with your message. IF you don’t have any friends already who understand the bullying, the sadness of life, etc. well I Am your friend. I also hope you will find some completeness knowing that my articles are written with the intention of giving people something relevant to also maybe inform them, and bring about powerful resolutions such as these. I wish you the best and you are my friend. Saludos!