Body positivity activist and coach Michelle Elman noticed that the fashion industry and plus-size community in the U.K. has routinely excluded Asian women, and decided to do something about it.
“The U.K. plus size community exclude Asian women. It’s largely due to the fact that Asian women are always stereotyped as petite but plus Asian women exist, and we deserve to be represented,” Elman said on her Instagram.
Elman who is half-Chinese, noted that images of Asian women are non-existent on plus-size brand websites, campaigns, or even sponsored posts. Asian women who have been confined to an image of being petite, are often excluded from the conversation.
She teamed up with photographer Linda Blacker and created a truly inclusive photo shoot featuring plus-size Asian women of all sizes and skin tones.
“PLUS SIZE ASIANS EXIST,” Elman declared in her caption. “Despite the absence in the media, asian is actually the largest ethnic minority in the U.K. Asians deserve to be represented. Asians deserve to be seen. And all Asians aren’t the stereotype of being small and petite.”
She reminds us that being Asian is not a monolith, and is not simply one culture, image, or size.
Elman and Blacker featured an amazing group of women:
Bishamber Das
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Kat Henry
Mina Kumari
Simsimma Sandhu
Vanessa Sison
Saalene Sivaprasad
And last but not least:
Michelle Elman
Elman expressed her excitement about how successful the photo shoot has been.
“I thought this was the perfect way to show the fashion industry what they are missing and demonstrate that Asian women are just as beautiful and fashionable as any other race and we deserve to be included,” Elman told HuffPost.
Featured images via Instagram /scarrednotscared
