NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC: https://we.tl/4Y4CSJtvAIMelissa McCarthy has been declared the most influential body positivity celebrity in a new survey.
A poll of 2,000 women across the country by plus-size clothing rental subscription service, Gwynnie Bee, examined the influential celebrities who are changing the face of modeling and beauty stereotypes in the media spotlight.
McCarthy, who has her own inclusive fashion line on top of her acting career, is joined by singer Adele and TV legend Oprah Winfrey in the top three for women who are doing the most to influence women's body positivity.
Adele, who is one of the best-selling recording artists in the world, was voted by women to be the top celebrity defying body and beauty stereotypes, joined again by McCarthy as well as Kelly Clarkson in the top three.
Other women singled out by Americans for being an influence on body positivity include comedian Amy Schumer, Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and tennis legend Serena Williams - all of whom have proven themselves to be vocal advocates of the cause.
In the realm of fashion, Ashley Graham and Tess Holliday are considered the most significant personalities on the scene, while Mindy Kaling tops the list of the most influential body positive celebrities in TV.
The poll also discovered just how important it is for the people to see women of all different shapes and sizes in the public eye, as half of American women believe that seeing a successful celebrity with a body similar to their own makes them more confident about their own body.
Gwynnie Bee founder and CEO, Christine Hunsicker said: "Feeling confident about yourself and recognizing that you have a huge world of possibility through fashion is empowering and the study shows we are blessed with more sources of inspiration than ever before."
"These famous women who are using their platforms to embrace body positivity and bring acceptance and awareness to the industry are impacting women's lives in a meaningful way. Many of them have had to break down the barriers or negative stereotypes put in their path and are bringing confidence to women who might have previously struggled to be happy with their own shape."
Luckily it seems that thanks to these women, many of those barriers are being done away with.
While only one in ten believe that the media portrays women's bodies in a realistic way, 42 percent think that things have improved in body diversity in the media in the last ten years.
A third think that the rise in coverage of more body-positive women such as barrier-breaking plus-size models like Ashley Graham had an effect on their own personal body confidence.
A whopping 85 percent say that they believe it is important to have women of all shapes and sizes in the media, with 65 percent saying it is 'very' important.
But unfortunately, it seems that there is still a long way to go before those needs are met, as 46 percent of women admit to feeling pressure by society to be a certain weight or shape - and the same number think that they feel more pressured now than they did five years ago.
Less than half (41 percent) would describe themselves as body positive.
TOP TEN CELEBRITIES DOING THE MOST TO INFLUENCE BODY POSITIVITY IN WOMEN- Melissa McCarthy
- Adele
- Oprah Winfrey
- Kelly Clarkson
- Amy Schumer
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Jennifer Lopez
- Serena Williams
- Beyoncé
- Kate Winslet
