Y'all remember back in the beginning of the year when Sports Illustrated released its 50th anniversary swimsuit edition?
If you need a refresher, feel free to peruse the hotness here.
It was certainly a memorable issue, and sold lots and lots of copies, many of which are now probably hiding under various teenage boys' beds (and in my closet, somewhere). The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue always triggers what I have now coined my "lesbian/feminist paradox reaction" (not to be confused with redox reactions from inorganic chemistry) in which I am simultaneously turned on and pissed off due to extremely-sexy-women-and-blatant-objectification-of-said-women by the male viewership (see also: Robin Thicke videos; Shakira videos; Victoria's Secret commercials, hot girls making out in dude movies—the list goes on).
It's a confusing reaction, and I still don't fully know how to process it. However, I'm never going to be one of those women who trashes the so-called "mainstream"-looking women and body types in an effort to expose the patriarchy, because I find these women beautiful. We can't throw Brooklyn Decker under the bus to try to stick it to the men with their male gazes—ultimately the only people who hurt from that attack are the women themselves. Us ladies have got to stick together. Instead of ripping apart American beauty standards, let's expand what they include.
And someone has done just that! Apparently unbeknownst to SI and Maxim, there are all sorts of beautiful female body types out in this vast world of ours—far beyond the skinny white girl paradigm—and now there is a whole new take on the swimwear catalog brought to you by plus sized model Robyn Lawley and fashion blogger Gabi Gregg. It's called Swimsuits for All. And it's fucking great.
It's about time that plus-sized women get a reminder that they, too, have "bikini bodies." I was just in the ocean yesterday, body surfing my heart out and thinking, "I am so happy right now. This is the best thing ever. I love swimming. I love the beach. I love my friends. I LOVE EVERYTHING—oh shit, where did my bottoms just go?!"
What I'm saying is, all of us deserve to feel happy and comfortable in our skin, and none of us should ever go to the beach or pool feeling ashamed or putting on a one-piece or keeping the clothes on because we think we are too big for a bikini. Fuck that shit! The only problem with bikinis is that large waves have a penchant for ripping them off your body, so maybe pair it with a rash guard or a wetsuit if you're going to get serious out there.
Now excuse me while I go drool over all the ladies in these catalogs. I got love for you, ladies of SI, but Swimsuits For All is giving you a run for your money.
