Meet the invisible majority. Most American women are plus-size, but they make up less than 2% of the images we see. We want to change that.
Beginning today, we are breaking the plus-size woman out of the niche and making her the new normal. During this launch week, 67% of the bodies you see on our site, in our newsletter, and on our social platforms will be plus-size. To do so, we’ve made significant changes within Refinery29 to fully represent the 67% going forward. For the last six months, we've been shooting stock photography and redesigning illustrations to more accurately reflect the women who make up the majority of our audience. And, we’re partnering with Getty Images to make this collection available to other outlets who wish to join us in closing the representation gap.
Making this change, even on one website, wasn’t easy. Not only have we faced practical challenges, but we’ve had to reckon with deeper issues of bias and prejudice along the way. But effecting real and lasting change on a grand scale will require collaboration with more websites, media outlets, and, of course, you. We can’t do it without you. As an audience, your power is significant and undeniable, and we can’t go anywhere if you’re not along for the ride. So, if this is the kind of change you'd like to see, start by looking at the images before you. The first step is simple: See the 67%. The next steps, we take together. Who's with us?