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" In Ghana, most of the women I know do not identify as sexy, and the reason may be cultural. With imported beauty standards from the West, it seems that many African women feel they need to be fair and slim to be beautiful. "

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" Plus-sized women have been told for so long to cover up. Whether it's with a one-piece, a tankini, a bikini with a skirt, high-waisted things, we're always told to hide these things that society calls flaws. "

Philomena Kwao

Flaws

Hide

Long

" I want to use my voice to better health care for pregnant women. "

" Women I've met in different countries have told me that seeing my face in magazines gives them the courage to love themselves. "

Philomena Kwao

Women

Love

" You cannot determine someone's health by the BMI alone. There are many factors that contribute to the health on an individual. If we're going to start using BMI to police straight size models, what's next? The plus size industry? To be honest, if it was down to BMI alone, most plus size models - including myself - wouldn't be working. "

" Growing up, I had body confidence issues, not really so much because of size but my skin color. I had trouble recognizing that the depth of my skin tone is really beautiful because whenever people referred to a beautiful black-skinned woman, you'd see Beyonce and Rihanna. "

" For me, less is more. I don't often wear makeup, but when I do, a little concealer and some powder go a long way. "

Philomena Kwao

Makeup

Long

" I try not to assign labels to myself. Sometimes I shop in the plus section, and sometimes I don't. I feel we attach too much significance to labels, and ultimately, it doesn't really matter. "

" It isn't hard to see how the lack of representation affects the self esteem of many women world wide. "

" One misconception I think is wrong is that being a larger size means, somehow, that you're neglecting your body, or you don't look after yourself, or you don't love yourself enough to lose weight. We've been saturated with the idea that to be happy you must be thin, or to be healthy you must be thin. "

" My mother was born in Ghana, but she moved to the U.K. when my sisters and I were born. "

" I think it's just that the fashion industry can only accept one thing at a time. It's like, 'OK, well, if we're going to add plus, then let's keep it hourglass and white.' "

" I try and work out as much as I can because when you exercise, it releases endorphins and makes you feel really good. I also make sure I schedule time with my friends, family, and loved ones because I realize that, as well as your physical well-being, you have to look out for your mental well-being, too. "

" Before I went to boarding school, I had never read a fashion magazine. I grew up on a council estate in London, and fashion magazines were a luxury item that weren't even on my mind. The closest I got to a fashion magazine was my cousin's 'Top of the Pops' magazines, where we would learn the lyrics to every song and put posters on our walls. "

" We have spent so many years looking at images of another beauty ideal and so many years taking in magazine covers and films that represent a beauty standard that we'll never meet. People don't realize that there are makeup artists and hairstylists behind the scenes - even in something as simple as a 'candid' Instagram photo. "

" New York City is one of the best cities in the world for walking: it's virtually impossible to get lost. "

" I have to congratulate L'Oreal on its True Match foundation range. It's my go-to foundation, and I absolutely love it. "

" War and armed conflict disproportionately affect women and can turn what is supposed to be a joyous and beautiful experience - childbirth - into a horrific or even fatal one. "

" Much noise has been about size diversity but not enough about skin tone diversity. It's time for this to change. "

" The curvy community has really given me a voice because people want to see someone who looks like they do. They want to know their beauty is valid. "

Philomena Kwao

Community

Beauty

" It's refreshing to see plus women being treated as part of the fashion community as a whole and not just a separate piece or separate different thing. "

" If I'm feeling really, really crappy, it sounds so cliche, but if I wake up extra early in the morning and do some sort of physical activity, I usually feel a little bit better. Or I do other things that make me happy. "

" There's not many models in the U.S. that have my depth - like, really dark skin - that are also plus size. Skin color has been one of those things we haven't really, really addressed on a large, widespread scale. "

" I'm from Ghana, in West Africa, and all the women in Ghana absolutely love shea butter. We use it for everything, head to toe. I've used it all my life. "

" My hair is extremely dry and fragile, so moisture is key. I love black castor oil, shea butter, and lots of water. "

" There is beauty everywhere. But if I had to narrow it down, I absolutely adore Beyonce. She's the ultimate icon for me. I also love Naomi CampbelI, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Daria Werbowy, and Genevieve Nnaji. "

Philomena Kwao

She

Ultimate

" I am from Ghana, and although Ghana is celebrated as a relatively peaceful country in a historically war-torn region, the issues of development and recovery are still apparent. "

" I've been lucky enough to do a few editorials in the U.K., but I've never even been on a casting for mainstream commercial work. When I try to understand it, I think people are scared to try something new. "

" Women are hit especially hard in regions of ongoing conflict. Before, during, and after conflict, women bear the brunt of the consequences of war. They are left as the providers and guardians, responsible for rebuilding their country one family at a time. "

" Women need to be empowered to shape their own livelihoods and become CEOs of their own lives. They must be allowed to take control of important life decisions that are so often decided by others. "

" It's refreshing when plus-size styling is exciting and pushes boundaries rather than safe and boring. "