Elle India’s Latest Spread Proves That Strong Is Sexy
Photo by Taras Taraporvala for Elle India.
Elle India thinks it’s high time we started thinking differently about what a “feminine” body looks like, and in the latest issue, the magazine proves that women don’t have to be slender and/or soft to be beautiful. This month, for its beauty issue, the glossy is featuring muscular ladies to show that having a chiseled physique is definitely sexy – and feminine to boot.
Elle India gathered seven supremely toned women from different walks of life to talk about their bodies, why they love them, why they feel feminine in their own skin, and what challenges they face as women who go against body norms. Though their careers differ (the list includes women who work as trainers, makeup artists, and actresses), each woman is tremendously focused on keeping her body in tip-top shape.
“My teachers used to tell me to be more delicate, ‘like a woman.’” Natasha Noel, a yoga instructor told the magazine. “Strength has always fascinated me more than flexibility. Being strong is sexy — it’s empowering.”
The best thing about the spread is that although each woman is very fit and muscular, they all have different body types. Seeing the diversity even in a small group of fit bodies sends a powerful message about what we consider acceptable for a woman to look like and how ridiculously narrow that standard is. Each one of these women is strong, sexy, and confident – perfectly feminine and extremely beautiful.
“We’re conditioned to only look at the weighing scale, but building muscle is essential,” nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary said to the magazine. “Plus, nothing beats the feeling of being able to lift twice your weight.”
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