For Danielle Braverman excessive exercising and limiting her food intake was once
part of her life. Today she’s a healthy size mom, plus-size model and advocate. I hope
you are just as inspired with her story as I am.
How did you get started as a model?
I started modeling while in college living in LA at 19. I had been interning at a music
label in Beverly Hills and the CEO thought that I would make a great model: he
directed me to one of his friends modeling agency’s and I was immediately signed
with them. I was very lucky! I actually started off as a straight size model. I didn’t
transition into plus size modeling until years later.
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As a straight size model, what challenges did you face?
The biggest challenges I faced as a straight size model had to do with my being
required to conform to a body and an identity that, ultimately, wasn’t attainable
or healthy for me. Emotionally or physically. I was under constant pressure to be
thinner than I was; the scrutiny was palpable. It really made me question who I was
and continually effected how I felt about who I was and my value. Frankly I was pretty
miserable most of the time… and hungry!
How long did you work as a straight size model before realizing it was
taking a toll on your health?
Immediately. Right from the beginning I would go to castings and be told I was too
curvy or that I needed to be smaller. I was being measured non stop. Sometimes I’d
book a job but then be told I needed to drop a significant amount of weight before;