Arcadio Ady del Valle is a plus sized male model who’s helping to introduce body positivity and diversity in the male fashion world…
Whilst the body positivity revolution wages on for women, guys aren’t always kept in the loop. After all – how many plus-sized male models can you think of?! Arcadio Ady Del Valle is working to introduce more male diversity in the fashion industry, all the while teaching fellow guys the power of self-love and body positivity along the way!
Ever since being spotted by a big-and-tall men’s brand, Arcadio has gone from covering up his body and having very little confidence, to strutting his stuff on a runway at New York Fashion Week. Since then, he’s been featured in various fashion shows and photo shoots for big-and-tall styles and brands.
Here’s what Arcadio said when we caught up with him:
“In my teens I was very quiet and kept to myself. I was pretty much a loner at times, because I felt my size was a disturbance. I was also hiding my sexuality pretty much my whole life and pretending to be someone I was not until I was 28 years old which was not too long ago.”
“What I want to say to teens is don’t be afraid to be yourself now, don’t be afraid to talk to someone you trust about what’s is going on, stay true to yourself regardless of your orientation. Whether you’re straight/gay/bi whatever it is. My biggest advice to everyone is to be kind. it goes a long way in today’s society. Teen years are super tough and we should make those positive things best practice in our lives.”
Guys like Arcadio are helping to change the common perceptions of what guys’ bodies ‘should and shouldn’t look like’ and whilst body positivity makes slow progress, more and more guys are getting in on the movement. Check out the #WeAreBigAndTall project which aims to normalise the big, the tall and everything in between by showcasing guys of bigger body types who aren’t hiding away!
You can follow Arcadio on Instagram: @Adydelval
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