In the millennial craze for 'woke'-ness – no matter how genuinely awesome the craze is, companies and brands often take it to extreme levels. From photoshopping stretch marks on to model, to major media houses turning flaws and disabilities into means of income – we have seen it all.
But among all that shallow display of faux body positivity, arose certain pioneers of the art of self acceptance who took over New York Times Square last week to walk the talk of body positivity in all its glory.
Also read: Paris Jackson goes topless in support of body positivity
Activist and model Khyrstyana put on #theREALcatwalk at the venue, featuring multiple women from all walks of life – in all shapes, sizes and colour – taking the streets for a runway to strut in their self confidence.
But the idea was inspired by the Anti-Victoria's Secret Fashion Show from last month, of course, which showcased itself soon after this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Sisters Alyse and Lexi Scaffidi, who had hosted the show, believe that 'any woman can be an angel'.
"We actually came up with the idea during last year's VS Fashion Show, as we were sitting there mesmerized by the spectacular fashion designs. We wanted to be angels ourselves, but we knew that wouldn't be possible," they told the Huffington Post.
And in this latest edition of the 'real' catwalk, the show saw women 'flying in from other cities' to represent every inch of diversity in terms of skin, colour and body – upholding the entire world's model forum altogether.
"Some girls are curvy and some are petite, some are fit and some have never worked out," Khyrstyana told Yahoo. "Women of different cultures, skin tones - there will be transgender women, women of different ages and sexual orientation, [...] waxed or unwaxed legs, vegans and carnivores..."
So basically everybody! Sounds unbelievable? You just have to see for yourself then.
