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Along with her Miley Cyrus obsession, we have learned that MTV News intern Jackie is also a devotee of the Tyra Banks-athon, “America’s Next Top Model.” Here she shares her thoughts on contestant Whitney, the plus-sized model currently dominating this season:
Being a self-proclaimed religious viewer of La Tyra’s “Next Top Model,” I find this season to be the most exciting for one reason: Whitney. The stunning 20-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, has gotten farther in this competition than any of the previous “plus-sized” girls, and I’m sure a lot of women would agree that it’s been a long time coming. Last night, although in the bottom two, she was pushed through to the final four, sending the once-favored Katarzyna packing.
I, for one, was getting a little tired of the same sort of girl winning every season, and when Whitney stepped in the room the first episode, I wondered if finally we would see a “plus-sized” girl win. Modeling shows have become so popular, it’s great to see a normal body type – one you’d see in your mom or best friend (or in the mirror?) -- getting closer to winning.
Marilyn Monroe was a size 10-12 by our standards, and we idolized her as being a sex symbol. What happened over the years that being malnourished has become sexy? Alessandra Ambrosia is my favorite model, but I don’t always want to see women that I have to kill myself to look like.
I believe the most important reason Whitney has gotten so far is her confidence and personality, a quality Tyra said was missing in many of the other plus-sized girls in the past. That confidence is what truly makes a woman beautiful -- as clichéd as it sounds. It’s a modeling competition, so what you look like should matter most. But it’s also a TV show, and personality is a big part of the equation.
Along with that personality, Whitney does have an amazing body, one that a lot of women would love to have: tall, toned, and curvy. She is what a real woman looks like. And by the way, real women buy clothes (hint hint, retailers!), and real women probably want to see what a dress would look like on them when they flip through the magazines.
Has “ANTM” finally seen that there needs to be a lot more variety in the fashion industry? I hope so. And I hope Whitney takes this all the way.
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