Yo yo, it’s us! The Rioters. In this series, we tell you why we’re all about storming the runways for access for all the misrepresented curvier women who deserve just as many stylish choices as everyone else.
Rioter: Amanda Thomas, Intern
I’m a rioter because: I like that we have a platform to open up a discussion about diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry. I like that we are creating a community for people to read about the strides the fashion and entertainment industry is making to become more inclusive and to take inspiration from the people who are working hard to change that.
What I want from fashion: It’s already heading in the right direction, but I would love to see more inclusion. I would love to see fashion truly seen for what it is, an expression of how we see ourselves. I think that this is affected by the way we exclude certain groups from the industry. We should applaud the curvy woman who wears tank tops and mini skirts, as much as we applaud the women who wears a hijab and expresses herself through modesty. Fashion is about identity and creativity, and the fashion industry should work towards celebrating creativity and identity no matter shape, color, gender and culture.
What I’m excited about: I am super excited about the social shift of body acceptance. It seems like more and more each day people are asking for, accepting and encouraging self-love, body acceptance and confidence. I’m excited that we have public platforms like Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter where other like-minded individuals can inspire one another. There’s still so much we need to do, but, I think we are moving in the right direction.
What I love about my body: I have a love affair with my curves. I love wearing bodycon dresses and tight jeans. I love that my body has weathered so much physically, and emotionally and yet still holds strong and supports me.
What I want to change about myself: I’d like to be taller, but I have stilettos to fix that.
What I need to work on: I need to work on taking no for an answer sometimes. I have a tendency of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses, and this is a trait at most times I admire immensely, especially in a world of negativity. However, when something negative happens to me, it takes me longer to accept the “no” or the negativity. The wonderful thing about life is that we are always learning, growing and evolving, and whatever we want to work on will one day improve.
