Bigger is Better (For Some)

In her memoir Hungry, plus-size model Crystal Renn addresses how being a healthy weight is more beautiful than the extreme thinness often perpetuated by models.

In today’s society, models are rarely considered appropriate role models for young girls; they are criticized (arguably, with good reason) for creating false images of what women ought to be, leading only to disappointment and insecurity.

However, recently published memoir Hungry by plus-size model Crystal Renn is an intelligent slap in the face to all the stick-thin models and modeling agencies that pro­mote a wrong image. Not only does Renn successfully tackle the issue of body image and its detrimental effect on herself and other professional models, but she also supplies statistics pertaining to obesity and eating disorders.

Renn, one of the most successful plus-size models, grabs your attention immedi­ately, with a half-nude, gor­geous, and curvy image of herself gracing the cover of her book. It is obvious that she is not a size zero, but her confidence, beauty, and model­ing ability make it clear that her pant size does not mat­ter. Written with the help of Marjorie Ingall, Hungry justifies the message one receives from the cover—that your natural healthy weight is the best weight for you, regardless of social expectations.

Renn didn’t start out as a plus-size model. When she was scouted at the age of fourteen, she was told she couldn’t join the “Agency” until she lost about 70 pounds. Already having an obsessive personality as well as ADHD, Renn soon became obsessed with losing weight and keeping the weight off in order to become a model. Two years later, once her body started to reject the anorexia, she realized that she couldn’t handle the disorder anymore; she decided to model as “plus-size” (Renn is size 12, the average size of women in the United States), signed with Ford Models, and her career began to finally take off.

A highlight of the book was that Renn makes self-body image not just about the body—she emphasizes the need for self-confidence first and foremost. Renn is a won­derful role model in this aspect because she is well-round­ed, motivated, and down to earth. Outside the realm of weight and body image, Renn is able to present herself not just as someone who should be admired physically, but also because of her personality. She describes her intellectual curiosity (which had taken a temporary hiatus when her anorexic mindset had taken over), ability to resist sexual pressure (she saved herself for marriage, just because that felt right to her), and overall confidence in herself. Hungry does not give its audiences simply someone to look to when hoping to deter negative vibes from unhealthy models—it gives its readers a role model for all aspects of life.

Hungry frequently switched back and forth from narrative to statistics. Although facts about weight in America are interesting, they seem to take away from Renn’s personal story. Usually, the objective comments were well integrated and the change was not noticeable, but it became somewhat boring after a few pages. Also, since this book was written as a response to the negative aspects of modeling and the problem of eating disorders, the facts (understandably) seem a little slanted—the book came off as somewhat pro-overweight, although I know its goal is to be pro-health (which does come across as well).

The facts are unbelievable in some of these sec­tions—but as Renn points out, our society is very much fighting a “war against obesity” and a lot of the informa­tion we receive favors thinness. Perhaps this skeptical attitude is because of the biased message received through other forms of media. Either way, it is necessary to be well-informed and to get more than one perspective—and even if Renn’s novel is somewhat biased, it does help to balance the much greater abundance of media presenting us with the idea that thinness is essential to be beautiful.

Hungry is a must-read for everyone—men, women, models, the curious, the skeptical, those with good self-es­teem, but especially for those with poor body image—for it is about time we were given a role model like Crystal Renn.