For our fourth fieldwork, we scheduled an interview with Jennie Runk, who is a plus sized model, who is also a member of the LGBTQ community. At the time she started modeling, she was a size ten or twelve. When she was discovered, she was given the option to lose or gain weight to become a model. Jennie chose to gain around ten to twenty pounds.

The interview was via FaceTime and lasted about forty-five minutes. Each of the members of our group prepared a few questions to ask Jennie. It was a typical interview where we asked questions and Jennie answered as best as she could. Jennie answered each of our questions extremely well with detail and we found the interview very helpful.

During the Interview, Jennie was sure to elaborate on important body positivity is and I think it was really comforting to hear. Jennie described her experience as a plus sized model and how her opinions of her body have shifted through the years. I think that one thing Jennie said that was really interesting was how when she first started modeling, she was the only plus sized model at a show. All of the other girls were size 0s and 2s, and she was about a size 14. I think that my whole group was moved a lot by her ability to answer our question with ease and how dedicated we knew she was to her work. I think that Jennie is such an admiral person and everything she said was very inspiring. She gave great advice about body positivity and acceptance and I think that it was nice to hear coming from a model. I also think that the interview felt very personal and as if we had a look into a very inspiring woman in the media.

I think that for our project, we should definitely incorporate some quotes from Jennie’s interview so that the kids in our workshop can also hear them because they are definitely encouraging and inspiring. It will give a more personal feel and I think it would help get our message across about how beauty can be found in everyone, in all shapes and sizes, and also beyond appearance.

Screenshot from the FaceTime call with Jennie Runk