As I was on Facebook earlier today (6/12) I came across this post about Target putting out a bathing suit ad with women of a few different sizes. This is likely geared towards teens, as the majority of Target’s swimsuits are in the juniors section. It was interesting and promising to see this as, as in past years Target has received a fair amount of criticism for using heavy photo editing to make their models appear unrealistically thin as well as lacking in a good selection of clothing for plus-size women.
I think that this ad is very appealing, as it shows women who are happy with their appearances, and are not afraid to show off their bodies, celebrating the beauty of diverse body shapes. This ad is also appealing to a more diverse audience, because it feature racial diversity as well. The message is clear. People of all sizes can wear the types of bathing suits that they want without feeling self-conscious about themselves. Just because a person does not fit a certain body type that the media has deemed necessary to have does not mean that they should have to wear something that hides their bodies when they go to the pool or the beach. If they feel comfortable enough to wear it, then they should. And they should not have to worry about what others will think. This ad and ads like it seem to aim to normalize diversity in shape, and once it is normalized, there will be less of a stigma about these body types that do not conform to the current concept of beauty.
I hope that this is a positive direction change for Target, and hopefully it will lead the charge for more national chains to celebrate body diversity.
This blog post was sponsored by: Sebesta