JCPenney’s, one of America’s biggest retailers, is taking one step further to include plus-sized women into their brand. They recently launched a new line catering specifically to larger woman. To mark the launch, the company released this ad with the title “Here I Am” which features five stunning and successful woman including Gabi Fresh, Valerie Sagun, Jes Baker, Mary Lambert and Ashley Nell Tipton (who is the Project Runway winner and one of the designers behind this new line). Each of them speaks about their struggles with accepting their body shape and the freedom they found after learning to love themselves.
This an incredibly positive move for JCPenney’s and we support any company that is inclusive to all people, no matter the race, wealth or size. The brand is pushing a body positive message and wants to communicate that everyone can look and feel beautiful no matter what the size.
This comes as a time when young women, but also men, are negatively impacted by unrealistic and unattainable images of celebrities and models, who are constantly pushing on magazine covers, the internet and television. No wonder so many are left feeling worthless and struggle with self esteem issues and eating disorders.
JCPenney posted this message on their YouTube page: “There is true beauty in individuality, So, when we start letting go of preconceived notions of who someone is based on what they look like on the outside, we all take one step closer to body positivity.”
It seems that audiences approve. One women wrote in the comments on YouTube “brilliant. wish i had had this movement when I was younger..but it is never too late. age 55 and size 22 and I adore clothes and make up. and i couldn’t care less now what anyone thinks of me now.” You go girl!