Why Lane Bryants #ImNoAngel Campaign Is So Important

Why Lane Bryant's #ImNoAngel Campaign Is So Important Photo Credit: Lane Bryant The ad features fuller sized models posing in Cacique lingerie, and the motivation behind the campaign is to urge society to redefine sexy and to question accepted beauty standards. The #ImNoAngel hashtag refers to Victorias Secrets super skinny models who are called angels. Lane Bryant sells womens clothing ranging in sizes from 14 to 28, also known as plus-sized clothing, though that term is not used in the brands marketing efforts, perhaps because its not exactly encouraging to women and girls who wear those sizes of clothing. The #ImNoAngel advertisements featured well-known models like Ashley Graham, Marquita Pring, and Candice Huffine, appearing in poses much like Victorias Secrets thin models did in a 2014 campaign which had them under a banner reading The Perfect Body and caused controversy last year. Our #ImNoAngel campaign is designed to empower ALL women to love every part of herself. Lane Bryant  firmly believes that she is sexy and we want to encourage her to confidently show it, in her own way, said Linda Heasley, Lane Bryants  Chief Executive Officer,  in a statement. “There has been too narrow of a definition of what beauty is and we are challenging that by inviting everyone to join in and say what is beauty, what is sexy.” After the first advertisement was released, many supporters of the campaign posted on Twitter using the #ImNoAngel hashtag and sharing their own stories. Former Glee actress and Dancing With the Stars winner Amber Riley even posted a video on Instagram showing her love for the campaign, saying,  Its how I feel and its who I am. I am all woman. A symbol of confidence who writes her own rules, unique and complete. I break the mold. Im no angel. Im all kinds of sexy! Last week, personal care brand Dove also launched a campaign called #ChooseBeautiful in which the brand hung signs above side-by-side doors in five cities around the world: Shanghai, San Francisco, London, Sao Paulo and Delhi. A camera crew then documented how women reacted to the doors and which they chose to walk through. Women make thousands of choices each day related to their careers, their families, and, let’s not forget, themselves, wrote Dove in a press release. Feeling beautiful is one of those choices that women should feel empowered to make for themselves. What was observed by the cameras gave some important insight into how women look at themselves and view their own beauty. Most of the women walked through the Average doors, some quickly, some laughing, and others stopping to think about which door they wanted to walk through. Women around the world have the power to embrace their beauty, and yet many of us do not, said Victoria Sjardin, Doves Senior Global Director. Dove wanted to inspire women to seize the opportunity to choose what makes us feel beautiful everyday because when we do, it unlocks confidence and happiness. Photo Credit: Dove With these new Dove and Lane Bryant ad campaigns, both brands are challenging conventional beauty standards and  fighting back against fat- and body-shaming which unfortunately is prevalent in our society, especially on social media and in the regular media. Recently, singers Kelly Clarkson and Pink were fat-shamed after various appearances, and other celebrities suffer from this phenomenon as well. Last month, Clarkson came under fire about her fluctuating weight after appearing on the British TV talk show The Graham Norton Show. Following her stint as a guest on the show, British journalist Katie Hopkins tweeted a number of body-shaming posts about the singer including:  Jesus, what happened to Kelly Clarkson? Did she eat all of her backing singers? Happily I have wide-screen. #grahamnorton. Clarkson brushed off Hopkins comments gracefully but Hopkins had soon earned the title The Most Hated Woman in Britain for her unflattering and mean barbs. Other stars are also fighting back against body image critics, including Demi Lovato, who has openly discussed her struggles with bulimia and become an advocate from those suffering from eating disorders. If you dont have a thigh gap naturally it doesnt mean that youre not beautiful, Lovato said. You dont have to starve yourself. Youre beautifully, wonderfully made. It doesnt matter what other people think of you. Be the best version of yourself and feel confident, because you deserve to. Both Dove and Lane Bryant are making strides in showing women its okay to say #ImNoAngel and to challenge societys impossible and unrealistic beauty standards, and instead accept themselves and understand that no matter their size, they are beautiful.