It's not exactly news that the modeling industry is due for a change. There have been plenty of debates over weight requirements and diversity, and the women we see walking the runway rarely, if ever, look like average, everyday females. But lately the media and the public have taken a liking to models who don't fit that mold: Madeline Stuart, who has Down syndrome, and Tess Holliday, the first size 22 model to sign with a major agency, have both been well-received, giving us some hope for what's to come. Could the wait for seeing "real women" cover magazines and star in ads soon be over?
The truth is, we've still got a long way to go, but we'll applaud each and ever baby step along the way. Progress is progress, and to quote that old idiom, "Rome wasn't built in the day." Read on to see all the women who are setting out to change the game as we patiently wait for this to be the new norm.