Everywhere I turn lately, I hear somebody talking about how the plus-size industry isn't what it used to be. The opportunities aren't there anymore. The events aren't what they used to be. The brands aren't supporting us. The community isn't showing up. The excitement is gone. And depending on who you're talking to, everybody seems to have an opinion about when things started going downhill and who's responsible for it.
And you know what? Some of those concerns are absolutely valid. Things have changed. We've watched brands that once proudly promoted size inclusion quietly scale back their efforts. We've seen businesses struggle, events disappear, and opportunities become harder to come by. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that everything is fine because it isn't. There are some very real challenges facing this industry, and we need to acknowledge them.
But here's my question.
What are we going to do about it?
Because I'm going to be honest. I'm getting tired of hearing people talk about how the industry is dying while doing absolutely nothing to help keep it alive.
We can sit around and reminisce about the good old days all we want. We can talk about the fashion shows that used to happen, the brands that used to work with us, the opportunities that used to exist, and the people who used to bring everybody together. But at some point, we have to stop talking about what used to be and start asking ourselves what we're willing to do to create what comes next.
And I don't mean what somebody else should do. I mean YOU. What are you willing to do?
One thing I've noticed is that everybody seems to have an opinion about what the industry needs, but not nearly as many people are willing to be part of making those things happen. We need more events, but are we attending the ones that still exist? We need more platforms highlighting plus-size talent, but are we supporting the publications and media outlets that are still doing the work? We need more opportunities for models, but are we supporting the designers, photographers, producers, and businesses that create those opportunities? We want independent boutiques to survive, but when was the last time we actually purchased something from one?
And before somebody says it, no, I'm not suggesting that everybody has unlimited money to spend. I know times are hard. I know people have bills, families, and responsibilities. I know that attending every event or purchasing from every business isn't realistic. But support doesn't always require money. Sometimes it requires effort.
Share the event. Recommend the business. Introduce somebody to a person who might be able to help them. Offer your expertise. Mentor someone who's trying to learn. Volunteer your time when you're able. Give someone constructive feedback that might help them improve. There are so many ways to contribute to the growth of this industry that don't involve opening your wallet.
But you have to actually want to contribute.
And that's where I think some of us need to be honest with ourselves. Do we really want to see the industry grow, or do we only want it to grow in ways that benefit us personally? Because those are two different things.
I've watched people complain that there aren't enough opportunities, but when someone creates an opportunity, they don't support it because they weren't included. I've watched people criticize events they never attended, businesses they've never purchased from, and projects they know very little about. I've watched people with years of knowledge and experience sit back and complain about the next generation instead of taking the time to teach them something.
How exactly is any of that helping?
And let me say something else. Supporting the industry doesn't mean you have to like everybody in it. It doesn't mean you have to agree with every producer, designer, model, or business owner. It doesn't mean you have to attend every event or endorse every project. You're allowed to have standards, and you're allowed to decide what deserves your time and resources.
But if your only reason for withholding support is that you don't like who's behind something, even when the work is good and the opportunity benefits the industry, then maybe you need to ask yourself whether you're really concerned about the industry's future or just your personal feelings.
We talk so much about community, but community is more than a word we throw around when we're promoting something. Community requires people to participate. It requires people to show up for something bigger than themselves. And sometimes it requires putting aside personal differences long enough to recognize that somebody is doing something worthwhile.
Now, I also want to challenge the people who have been in this industry for years, myself included. We can't keep talking about how things were better back then without being willing to help develop what comes next. If you've been doing this for ten, fifteen, or twenty years, you have knowledge that somebody coming into this industry today could benefit from. Are you sharing it? Are you mentoring? Are you helping people avoid some of the mistakes you made? Or are you sitting back criticizing them for not knowing things nobody ever took the time to teach them?
We can't complain about the lack of professionalism and then refuse to help people develop professionally. We can't complain about the lack of leadership and then refuse to help develop new leaders. And we certainly can't complain about the lack of opportunities while refusing to collaborate with people who are trying to create them.
That doesn't mean experienced professionals are obligated to give away their expertise for free. Your knowledge has value, and there's nothing wrong with being compensated for it. But there is also value in making sure the next generation has access to the guidance, education, and resources they need to move this industry forward.
As Queen Size Magazine celebrates 15 years, I've been doing a lot of reflecting. Fifteen years is a long time to keep anything going, especially in an industry that has experienced so many changes. I've seen businesses come and go. I've seen people enter this industry full of excitement and leave feeling defeated. I've seen trends change, relationships change, and opportunities disappear. And believe me, there have been plenty of moments when I questioned whether all the work was worth it.
But I also know that if everybody who cares about this industry decides to walk away because things have gotten difficult, then what are we leaving behind?
Who's going to create the opportunities we're complaining about losing? Who's going to give the next generation of models a platform? Who's going to showcase the designers? Who's going to tell our stories? Who's going to produce the events, support the businesses, and continue pushing for representation when the bigger brands decide we're no longer a priority?
Somebody has to do the work.
And no, it shouldn't always fall on the same people.
That's another conversation we need to have. We have people in this industry who have been creating opportunities, producing events, building platforms, and investing their own resources for years. And while people are quick to talk about what those individuals or organizations should be doing differently, how many are stepping forward to help?
It's easy to tell somebody what they should do when you're not the one responsible for making it happen.
It's easy to criticize an event when you've never had to produce one. It's easy to complain about the lack of media coverage when you've never had to keep a publication running. It's easy to say somebody should create more opportunities when you're not the one taking the financial risk.
And I'm not saying that because people who do the work are above criticism. We're not. If something needs improvement, say so. If an organization isn't meeting the needs of the community, have that conversation. Accountability is important, and I've talked about that plenty in this series.
But criticism without any willingness to contribute to a solution can only take us so far.
At some point, somebody has to roll up their sleeves.
And I think we need to stop waiting for corporate America to come back and save us. Yes, we should continue demanding inclusion from major brands. Yes, we should continue holding companies accountable for abandoning the consumers they once claimed to champion. But we also need to recognize the power we have within our own industry.
We have talented designers. We have experienced producers. We have photographers, models, stylists, makeup artists, writers, business owners, educators, and creatives with skills and resources that could make a difference if we were more intentional about how we used them.
Imagine what we could accomplish if more of us focused on building something together instead of constantly talking about what's falling apart.
And I'm not suggesting that collaboration is always easy. It isn't. Personalities clash. Visions don't always align. People have different ways of doing business. But we can't allow those challenges to become an excuse for never trying.
We also have to accept that rebuilding an industry doesn't happen overnight. One event isn't going to fix everything. One successful business isn't going to change the entire landscape. One publication, one designer, or one organization cannot carry the responsibility for an entire community.
It's going to take collective effort.
And collective effort doesn't mean everybody has to do the same thing. Maybe your contribution is creating opportunities. Maybe it's mentoring. Maybe it's supporting independent businesses. Maybe it's sharing resources, making connections, teaching a class, or simply becoming better at your own craft so that the work you put into the industry reflects the standards you want to see.
Whatever it is, do something.
Because if we genuinely believe this industry is declining, then continuing to sit around talking about it isn't going to change anything.
And I think that's the part we need to understand. We don't get to keep complaining about the disappearance of spaces we weren't willing to support when they were here. We don't get to keep asking where all the opportunities went if we're unwilling to help create new ones. And we can't keep expecting a handful of people to carry an entire industry while everybody else stands on the sidelines offering opinions.
Dear Industry, I don't know exactly what the future of the plus-size industry looks like. None of us do. But I do know that the future isn't going to be determined solely by what corporate America decides to do. We have a responsibility to ourselves, to the people who helped build this industry, and to the people who are coming behind us.
So the next time you're having a conversation about how the industry isn't what it used to be, I want you to ask yourself something.
What am I personally doing to make it better?
Not what should the producers do. Not what should the designers do. Not what should the brands do. Not what should the people who have been here for years do.
What are YOU doing?
Because we can spend the next five years talking about everything we've lost, or we can spend that time working together to build something worth celebrating five years from now.
Dear Industry, if we're all so concerned about watching this industry decline, then maybe it's time we stop being spectators and start being part of the solution.
Because at the end of the day, it's not enough to say you love this industry. What matters is what you're willing to do to help it survive, grow, and become better for those coming behind us.
Don't forget to make your dash count!