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i like that
May 22, 2016

by FactsAreUseless


https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/jul/28/plus-size-male-model-ben-whit-larger-men?CMP=fb_gu

quote:

Plus-size model Ben Whit: 'The world is ready for larger men'

Tattooed, bearded and well-built, the former builder and gardener explains how he became the first XXL male model to be signed to a major UK agency

When you think of glamorous fashion shoots and the models who star in them, an extra extra large (XXL) heavily tattooed and bearded landscape gardener and personal trainer may not be the first person who springs to mind.

But this March, Ben Whit, a self-described “normal working-class man” who lives with his mother in Surrey, became the first plus-size male model, which generally means size XL or someone tall and well built, to sign to a major agency in the UK.

The 24-year-old former builder, who is 6ft 1in, says it’s about time the world took larger men like him seriously. “A lot of people have this misconception that plus size means overweight – that’s wrong,” he says. “For a man, it’s broad shoulders and a big chest.

For a woman, it just means they’ve got curves. People need to realise this.”

With average clothes sizes creeping steadily upwards in the UK, there’s growing demand for larger models and plus-size women have made strides for body positivity in recent years – there are at least seven plus-size agencies for women in the UK, while popular models such as Tess Holliday, a size 26, are challenging narrow definitions of beauty.

However, the first plus-size male models in the UK and America were only signed this spring.

This lack of opportunity meant Whit didn’t pursue modelling seriously until his girlfriend accidentally launched his career. After enduring his repeated brags that he had the looks of a model, she bought him a photoshoot as a present – ostensibly to support him, but perhaps just to shut him up, he admits.

It backfired. When he saw modelling agency Bridge Models was looking for an XXL male model, Whit used the photos to apply. Today he is signed to modelling agencies in both the UK and Germany, has appeared on BBC and ITV news programmes, and is more ambitious than ever. “In the next year people will see a lot more of me,” he says.

So what’s working life like for one of the UK’s only plus-size male models? In between catching fish and Pokémon, a typical week for Whit involves attending castings and photoshoots that are unexpectedly physically tiring for a man already used to heavy manual labour. At castings, Whit takes his portfolio to designers and agents, mainly in London, where he “does a few poses” in front of the camera and tries to impress them. He then plays “the waiting game” to see if they like him.

When you get a call-back, photoshoots can be long and tiring, with more than 100 outfit changes. “You’ve got to get changed really quickly and it’s fast-paced,” Whit says.

His first photoshoot was for Bad Rhino, a company specialising in clothes for big and tall men. “I was nervous because I hadn’t been in front of a camera for that long before, although I have always liked a selfie. I had to do 150 outfits and got some of the camera angles a bit wrong, but you improve on that.”

Was it a shock transitioning from traditionally masculine working environments, such as building and gardening, to the fashion industry? “It is very different, but I adapted easily because I’ve always loved fashion,” Whit says.

As a school boy he refused to wear boring black school shoes, instead opting for loud flashy trainers. “For a couple of years I wore tie-dye T-shirts all the time,” he says. “I loved lairy clothes.”

But his love of fashion also led to frustration with attitudes towards male body shape. “A lot of high street companies don’t sell big enough sizes,” Whit says. “I’d have to buy clothes online and hope they would fit, and at the start of summer I’d buy large shorts quickly before the few pairs available had sold out. It was frustrating.”

[b\Whit says he wants to show young boys that larger men can be models and have an interest in fashion too. He also wants to encourage greater body confidence – surveys have suggested that many young men are insecure about their bodies.

“There is pressure to look a certain way,” he says. “You see slim men on television and in fitness magazines. People want to get that look, but they’re just not built that way. I’ve seen young men in the gym putting their body through a lot of stress and it’s just not worth it.”[/b]

Men are also less likely to talk about their insecurities, the model says. “Guys are a lot more reserved when it comes to talking about their size. Blokes I know aren’t going to sit down the pub with their mates and say: ‘I think I’m getting a bit chubby’.”

But Whit is no stranger to body shaming. “Obviously you’ve got a few haters out there,” he says. “Men comment on my size and say that I’m not plus size, or that I don’t go to the gym, or that I’m obese. But many more say they are pleased to see a male model like me.”

Whit expects the upcoming year to be busy for him and for demand for plus-size male models to grow. Budding plus-size male models need to be photogenic, must be themselves and should keep an eye out for opportunities at modelling agencies, he says.

“The world is ready for larger men. Women are doing really well in the plus-size industry. Now it’s time for us blokes to follow them.”

Are you ready for the Progressive Future, gbs?

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Chinatown
Sep 11, 2001

by Fluffdaddy
Fun Shoe
he seems like a nice guy and most likely could beat you up easily OP.

Kirk Vikernes
Apr 26, 2004

Count Goatnackh

You can tell he's British because he won't show his teeth.

Frosted Flake
Sep 13, 2011

Semper Shitpost Ubique

VendaGoat
Nov 1, 2005
So, I'm a fat turd then? Thanks mainstream America.

Kirk Vikernes
Apr 26, 2004

Count Goatnackh




"As a former gardener and as someone who lives with their mother, my stupid 1905 weightlifter hair and I would totally vote for Bernie this fall if I were American." - Fatty McLargeHuge

BIG-DICK-BUTT-FUCK
Jan 26, 2016

by Fluffdaddy
Humanity is doomed

lonesomedwarf
Mar 22, 2010

thank god

phasmid
Jan 16, 2015

Booty Shaker
SILENT MAJORITY
Shave your beard, you look fuckin dumb.

Mr. Meagles
Apr 30, 2004

Out here, everything hurts


give me a fuckin break

extra stout
Feb 24, 2005

ISILDUR's ERR

Dirk Squarejaw posted:




"As a former gardener and as someone who lives with their mother, my stupid 1905 weightlifter hair and I would totally vote for Bernie this fall if I were American." - Fatty McLargeHuge

how do we know he actually said this

maddison
Nov 25, 2007

What the hell am I doing here?
His unbalanced beard bothers me.

snakeandbake
Aug 21, 2012

by exmarx
Nobody gives a hot gay gently caress, OP

ClamdestineBoyster
Aug 15, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!
The fashion world is ready for big ugly dudes wearing regular clothes.

sassassin
Apr 3, 2010

by Azathoth
I'm glad guys working for jacamo can now have agents skimming off their earnings too.

Al Cowens
Aug 11, 2004

by WE B Bourgeois

I. M. Gei
Jun 26, 2005

CHIEFS

BITCH



phasmid posted:

Shave your beard, you look fuckin dumb.

:agreed: beards are for dorks

Simian_Prime
Nov 6, 2011

When they passed out body parts in the comics today, I got Cathy's nose and Dick Tracy's private parts.
Cool, I can be a male model now!

Chinatown
Sep 11, 2001

by Fluffdaddy
Fun Shoe

he looks familiar....

VendaGoat
Nov 1, 2005

Simian_Prime posted:

Cool, I can be a male model now!

Is someone gonna pay me a shitload per hour?

tenspott
Aug 1, 2002

by FactsAreUseless
Big deal, I've got the physique of a professional athlete.


Albert Haynesworth

ANIME IS BLOOD
Sep 4, 2008

by zen death robot

Simian_Prime posted:

Cool, I can be a male model now!

Thots and Prayers
Jul 13, 2006

A is the for the atrocious abominated acts that YOu committed. A is also for ass-i-nine, eight, seven, and six.

B, b, b - b is for your belligerent, bitchy, bottomless state of affairs, but why?

C is for the cantankerous condition of our character, you have no cut-out.
Grimey Drawer

This dude is plus-size in the same sense that those 'size 12' models are plus-size in the women's world. Every fat dude I know is way heavier than this.

Carmant
Nov 23, 2015


Treadmill? What's that? Is that some kind of cake?


That guys not really even fat at all but his face is way too ugly to be a male model

SurfaceDetail
Feb 17, 2016

by Cowcaster

phasmid posted:

Shave your beard, you look fuckin dumb.

turn your monitor on

SurfaceDetail
Feb 17, 2016

by Cowcaster

Carmant posted:

That guys not really even fat at all but his face is way too ugly to be a male model

turn your monitor on

Thots and Prayers
Jul 13, 2006

A is the for the atrocious abominated acts that YOu committed. A is also for ass-i-nine, eight, seven, and six.

B, b, b - b is for your belligerent, bitchy, bottomless state of affairs, but why?

C is for the cantankerous condition of our character, you have no cut-out.
Grimey Drawer

tenspott posted:

Big deal, I've got the physique of a professional athlete.

I did some baseball radio for a few years and the phrase "baseball player with a softball player's body" was my favorite when describing overweight guys.

Rasta_Al
Jul 14, 2001

she had tiny Italian boobs.
Well that's my story.
Fun Shoe
Good news for all the unemployed goons out there.

scuba school sucks
Aug 30, 2012

The brilliance of my posting illuminates the forums like a jar of shining gold when all around is dark

tenspott posted:

Big deal, I've got the physique of a professional athlete.

Sumo wrestlers are technically athletes

VendaGoat
Nov 1, 2005
What is the pay per hour for this model?

phasmid
Jan 16, 2015

Booty Shaker
SILENT MAJORITY

SurfaceDetail posted:

turn your monitor on
If you insist on having a beard, at least groom it you chinless monkey.

Thots and Prayers
Jul 13, 2006

A is the for the atrocious abominated acts that YOu committed. A is also for ass-i-nine, eight, seven, and six.

B, b, b - b is for your belligerent, bitchy, bottomless state of affairs, but why?

C is for the cantankerous condition of our character, you have no cut-out.
Grimey Drawer

Zahgaegun posted:

This dude is plus-size in the same sense that those 'size 12' models are plus-size in the women's world. Every fat dude I know is way heavier than this.

For instance, I know this dude:

Nathilus
Apr 4, 2002

I alone can see through the media bias.

I'm also stupid on a scale that can only be measured in Reddits.
I don't think he's fat though just huge? I see zero gut or real flab. He is practically cheating. Although it is of course good for him that he is not fat and therefore human.

VendaGoat
Nov 1, 2005

Nathilus posted:

I don't think he's fat though just huge? I see zero gut or real flab. He is practically cheating. Although it is of course good for him that he is not fat and therefore human.

Shirts hide dad bods.

VendaGoat
Nov 1, 2005
It the equivalent of a "water bra"

Lies and deceit.

i like that
May 22, 2016

by FactsAreUseless

Chinatown posted:

he seems like a nice guy and most likely could beat you up easily OP.
I'm a hospitalized woman in a wheelchair, do you honestly have better odds though

sub supau
Aug 28, 2007

grrr these damned millennial fatties i'm obviously better than them why doesn't anyone appreciate me!

SurfaceDetail
Feb 17, 2016

by Cowcaster

i like that posted:

I'm a hospitalized woman in a wheelchair, do you honestly have better odds though

I could probably beat you up to be honest.

lonesomedwarf
Mar 22, 2010

Zahgaegun posted:

For instance, I know this dude:



when i saw this i thought "so what is this a guy is blowing a thing on his tan coloured shir... oh"

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Nathilus
Apr 4, 2002

I alone can see through the media bias.

I'm also stupid on a scale that can only be measured in Reddits.

VendaGoat posted:

Shirts hide dad bods.

If you can fake it that well you are good enough to be unfat in america. A real fat has a ponch that sticks out four feet.

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