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bikini body

This women's magazine has decided to ban the term 'bikini body' from its covers

Women’s Health will not use the terms “bikini body” or “drop two sizes” on its cover anymore.

WOMEN’S HEALTH IS one of the world’s leading fitness and health magazines.

Its covers usually look a little something like this.

Womens-Health-magazine-July-August-2012-1 ameliaislandplantationblog ameliaislandplantationblog

Like most women’s magazines, it has been known to make lofty promises about getting you “bikini ready in 7 days” and “lean and sexy in 15 minutes”.

No more, though.

Yesterday, the magazine’s editor, Amy Keller Laird, wrote that the magazine is dumping the terms “bikini body” and “drop two sizes” in 2016.

The decision comes following a poll, which found that readers were not too enamoured with the terms.

In a letter, Keller Laird outlined the decision to ban the words from their covers.

To make sure we’re always upping our game, we asked in a recent survey what you like and don’t like seeing on our covers. Three words that topped your favorites list? Toned. Strong. Sexy. This thrills me, because these epitomize all that Women’s Health is, and what we strive to do: help you become the best version of yourself.
You told us you don’t love the words shrink and diet, and we’re happy to say we kicked those to the cover curb ourselves over the past year. But we’re still using two other phrases—“Bikini Body” and “Drop Two Sizes”—that you want retired. Since our goal is always to pump you up, and never to make you feel bad, here’s our pledge: They’re gone. They’ll no longer appear on Women’s Health covers.

She went on to describe the term “bikini body” as an “unintentional insult”.

 You imply that a body must be a certain size in order to wear a two-piece. Any body—every body—is a bikini body.

She also acknowledged that the term “drop two sizes” is not all that helpful or realistic.

Yes, it’s true that many of us are looking to drop a few pounds—surveys and studies prove as much. But two sizes in one month? Not super practical, or even all that healthy.

The magazine’s move has been warmly welcomed on social media.

Your move, other women’s magazines.

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