Body-positive advocate and model Kate Wasley had to overcome a personal struggle with an eating disorder to become a certified personal trainer and successful model. Wasley is relatively new to the fashion industry, but she’s already masking waves, earning a coveted spot in Sports Illustrated’s iconic Swimsuit Issue and becoming the first curve model for straight-size active-wear brand Lorna Jane. Wasley appeared in Sports Illustrated alongside fellow Aussie model and personal friend Georgia Gibbs.

The two joined forces to launch Any BODY, a platform designed to promote the acceptance of all body types. Wasley and Gibbs felt inspired to join the body-positivity movement after an Instagram photo of the two unexpectedly went viral when a number of people re-posted the photo and falsely accused Gibbs of photo-shopping the image to make herself appear thinner and her friend appear larger.

Gibbs and Wasley took the controversy in stride and transformed the negative personal experience into an opportunity to promote positive social change. The friends share heartwarming photos on a shared Instagram account in the hope that other women will follow their example and accept one another for who they are rather than comparing and shaming women of different body types.

Source: Instagram

Plus-size model Tara Lynn is helping redefine the fashion industry’s standards of beauty and encouraging all women to embrace their natural figures. Lynn is open about the challenges she faced growing up as a size 14/16 and admits she struggled to feel confident about her body until college. As a young adult, Lynn learned to embrace her voluptuous figure and began her career as a model, a courageous, bold decision that changed her own life and the entire fashion industry.

Lynn has appeared in multiple controversial editorials and has worked with numerous renowned fashion photographers including Stephen Meisel and Patrick Demarchelier. She has graced the cover of ELLE France, which gave her the title “The Body,” and fronted H&M’s groundbreaking “Big is Beautiful” campaign. The accomplished model also earned a degree in Linguistics and is a classically trained singer.

Growing up, Lynn never imagined she’d one day become a famous model; she always assumed that becoming a model was unrealistic for someone her size. As a young adult, Lynn gained confidence in herself and pursued modeling as a way to pay for her college tuition.

Unlike some curvy models, Lynn isn’t offended by the “plus size” label, because she believes the distinction makes it easier for all women to find the right size clothes. Lynn does hope that, in the future, more high-end brands will offer their designs in larger sizes. She also looks forward to the day when full-figured models can adorn the covers of mainstream American fashion magazines.

Source: Instagram

Iskra Lawrence is a model for Aerie, a brand that has made headlines with its bold decision to showcase models with a variety of different body types in unretouched photos, which are not edited to remove so-called flaws and imperfections like cellulite, stretch marks, and freckles.

Aerie launched its Role Model campaign featuring “role model” models alongside their own personal role models: their moms. Iskra and her mom appear together in the heartwarming photos for Aerie’s summer ’18 collection. Iskra credits her mom’s unconditional love as the source for the confidence she needed to defy traditional expectations and become a model.

As part of Aerie’s mission to promote inclusivity and body positivity, Lawrence designed a pair of cute and comfy Aerie leggings with “self-made” written on the upper thigh. All profits from the sale of these leggings benefit the National Eating Disorder Association, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by eating disorders. Lawrence uses her status as a social-media icon to promote body positivity and self-love, to criticize unrealistic beauty standards for women, and to support and inspire others struggling with body-image issues by sharing her own personal experiences overcoming an eating disorder.

Lawrence started a lifestyle website called everybody with Iskra to provide a welcoming, safe space for girls and women struggling with eating disorders. The website features healthy, nutritious recipes that don’t mention calories and exercise tips for workouts that emphasize gaining strength and feeling healthy rather than trying to slim down.

Source: Instagram

Model and activist Denise Bidot is a leading figure in the fashion industry and a dedicated advocate of body acceptance and diversity. In 2014, Bidot made history as the first plus-size model to walk multiple runways during New York Fashion Week. Although she was a plus-size model, she broke barriers by modeling for straight-size brands, as well. The versatile, accomplished model has worked for a variety of well-known, plus-size and straight-size brands including Forever 21, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Lane Bryant, Target, Lilly Pulitzer, and Levi’s Jeans.

As a child, Denise watched her mother continually struggle to achieve unrealistic body expectations. Denise was struck by the fact that her mother, a beautiful woman whom she admired, couldn’t see her own beauty. Now that Denise is a mother with a daughter of her own, she is even more dedicated to promoting body positivity and acceptance.

She encourages women to be kind to one another, and to themselves, by recognizing there’s more than one way to be beautiful. Denise launched her own lifestyle movement, called "There Is No Wrong Way to Be a Woman," to encourage women to embrace their unique beauty and individuality.

Source: Instagram