If you really want to keep up with a movement, you must know the forces leading the charge. The term ‘body positivity‘ wouldn’t have been coined had it not been for the relentless work and activism of women from around the world.
There are hundreds of influencers who are working overtime to put an end to shaming and the toxic exclusivity of mainstream fashion. From designers to entrepreneurs to bloggers, the movement has been led from the start by ordinary people, many of whom found their voice on Instagram. Are they on your radar?
Here, five influencers making waves in the fashion industry.
5 plus-size influencers you must follow on Instagram
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Marie Denee
Her lifestyle site, The Curvy Fashionista, is one of the most incredible plus-size fashion inspirations you will find. Marie Denee has never equated being plus-size with her self-worth. "When I was 13, I remember this boy saying, 'Oh my god! You’re 150 pounds!' And I’m like, 'And?' He tried to say it as this dig, and I was like, 'You’re stating an objective fact. Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?'" Marie told P.S.
Image: @mariedenee
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Gabi Gregg
A few years ago, fashion blogger Gabi Gregg posted a picture of herself in a bikini. The reaction was so extreme, she appeared on the TODAY Show, where she had to explain her decision. This year, she launched a swimsuit line with Swimsuits For All. "People told me that I'd made them feel it was OK to go to the beach again. Who knew something so simple could be so life-changing?" Gabi told Telegraph.
Image: @gabifresh
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Bethany Rutter
Blogger, activist and podcaster Bethany Rutter has more than 20,000 Instagram followers — and our fantasy wardrobe. She also has her own plus-size fashion brand, Navabi, a stellar collection aimed at curvy women. "The inability to use real plus-size models undoubtedly comes down to the fact that high-end designers want to exclude real plus-size women from their clothes: our bodies are not aspirational, and this is an industry that deals in aspirations," she wrote for The Guardian.
Image: @bethany_rutter
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Natalie Hage
The Dallas-based model and blogger once called out a man for fat shaming her on a flight. The post went viral and garnered over 11,000 likes. When she is not slamming petty body shamers, she is keeping it super real with her 146,000 followers on Instagram. "This is a fat person's daily reality and not just on a plane. This is on a bus, standing in line at the grocery store, at a concert, on the internet. You can be completely in your own space, not bothering anyone, and people will still fuck with you and try to hurt you," she wrote in one of her posts.
Image: @nataliemeansnice
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Brianne Huntsman
The fashion blogger and LGBTQ activist has her own travel and lifestyle website called The Huntswoman. Brianne Huntsman is also a creative entrepreneur and working on a fashion line. Oh, and she also offers group coaching to those aspiring to be an influencer, in which she teaches everything from content curation to making money on Instagram.
Image: @the_huntswoman
