This week the new Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover was unveiled, and to the surprise of no one it features a skinny young white model with unearthly glowing skin and flowing locks of hair. Oh look, she's staring correct at YOU—yes, you, in the man cave—as she pulls those skimpy bikini bottoms off of her highly (and unnecessarily) airbrushed trunk.

This comprehend is no different than any of their past swimsuit issue covers, but what is different is that inside the magazine at that place are two "plus-size" models too wearing bikinis, a first for the magazine, and a fact that may accept ane thinking Sports Illustrated is breaking out of its Unrealistic Standards pitcher. But not so fast...

We first read about the inclusion of "plus-size" models when we saw this headline on Jezebel: "Sports Illustrated Will Feature Plus-Sized Bikini Model for First Time." This was published before SI released their roster of models for this twelvemonth's outcome, and the model in question in the Jezebel piece is non actually featured in their editorial content, but in a paid advertisement. Your grandpa could probably besides be in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit consequence by this standard.

The model is the beautiful Brooklynite Ashley Graham, a 27-twelvemonth-old who wears a size 14/16, and the photo and accompanying video are for a "plus-size" bathing-suit visitor chosen Swimsuits For All. Graham has appeared in "plus-size" ads before—similar in 2010, when she was featured in a Lane Bryant commercial that the visitor claims networks, specifically ABC, stopped airing because they were "turned off past big gals." That's merely one example of what any model (or woman for that matter) experiences when they are a few sizes above what many consider "normal" or "hot" or "attractive" or whatever-the-fuck.

Graham addressed her ad in Sports Illustrated in a statement, proverb: "I know my curves are sexy and I want anybody else to know that theirs are too. At that place is no reason to hide and every reason to flaunt." Just does SI recollect curves are sexy? Volition they always put someone similar Ashley on their swimsuit cover? Or even under the covers in a proper editorial spread? Not yet, information technology would seem. Here's how far they'll go...

SIplussizewhat.jpg

Tardily yesterday it was appear that "plus-size" model Robyn Lawley (pictured in a higher place) would be included in the editorial pages. You may non consider Lawley to exist "plus-size," but the modeling manufacture does. The remainder of us may just concord that she has a slammin' body, and one that any woman would aspire to.

MJ Day, assistant managing editor of Sports Illustrated was all nosotros don't even meet size, telling Fourth dimension: "She sort of embodies the classic SI girl—she's interesting, she'due south beautiful, she has an incredible trunk, and I felt that she would make a cracking improver to the outcome. It was simple as that."

Lawley is 6'2" and wears a size 12, which in the modeling manufacture is "plus-size," merely booking her as the starting time "plus-size" adult female in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue history is playing it condom, to put it mildly. And it'due south certainly not going to deal with the bigger issue at hand, which is that magazines and much of the entertainment manufacture create impossible standards and an unrealistic paradigm of what women expect like.

Back to Graham, who touched on this in a previous slice on Internet-A-Porter:

"I was told to look up to Marilyn Monroe and J.Lo, because those were the only two curvy women considered beautiful. We need role models for young girls who say, 'Embrace your curves. Who cares that your body isn't perfect?' There's too much anorexia, obesity and suicide in this generation and nobody is addressing the issue. Young girls don't have much to look at, curvy women are not on covers of magazines, they're not talked about on social media as much as other celebrities. Jennifer Lawrence is the media'south poster girl for curves — [but] she'south tiny."

Exercise we expect a sports magazine that releases an annual Victoria's Secret-esque softcore ad grab to modify? No, but SI shouldn't be patting themselves on the dorsum for this either. Sure, this issue took a tiny token step closer to a realistic and healthy presentation of women—a bigger step than other glossies, only that's not saying much. Possibly for a new goalpost we can look to Canada, where Graham was put on the embrace of Elle last year, in a bikini.

And possibly we can get rid of the term "plus-size"? And maybe we tin merely become rid of the Swimsuit Issue all-together?