Target's New Swimwear Catalog Skips On All Photoshopping

Let’s get real, shall we? Over-saturated Instagrams, with a flurry of filters, and photoshopped faces are a thing of the past and quickly replacing them is well… reality (we hope). So, if you’re one of the world’s largest retailers, why not get in on the trend? Target has debuted their new spring 2017 swim campaign and it features actual women, with a range of body types, and ZERO photoshopping!

Hooray, Target!

The truth is, the company has a bit of a reputation for confronting controversial issues head on. For example, almost exactly a year ago Target announced an “inclusive” policy in response to the Transgender bathroom debate. They also rid themselves of gendered toy aisles and treat customers to porn on the PA system, albeit accidentally.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRHDfMHFo4b/?taken-by=meganbatoon

It should come as no huge surprise that Target has chosen to forego photoshopping in their latest campaign, especially given the backlash other media and public figures face for their missteps. It’s an idea that is sort of floating in the ether — with Lindsay Lohan getting roasted for accidentally warping a wall in the process of warping her butt, this body builder facing the music after fat-shaming a fellow gym-goer, and — on the flip-side — people praising this fit Instagrammer for showing us both sides of the modeling coin.

For spring 2017, Target selected four women, each with a different body type, to spearhead their swim campaign — dancer Megan Batoon, professional skater Lizzie Armanto, model Denise Bidot, and TV host Kamie Crawford. The women proudly shared their participation in the campaign on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRtr5F6D_sZ/?taken-by=therealkamie

In a press release Kamie explained, “Target shows women of all shapes, sizes and colors looking beautiful and confident in themselves and their swimsuits and that resonates with women everywhere.”

The world of social media leaves young girls and women completely saturated in retouched images of models and celebrities, perpetuating entirely unrealistic expectations of a woman’s body. As much as we try to avoid it, the world can often feel like one massive reminder that our lips aren’t fluffy enough, our booties aren’t asteroid-shaped enough, and our waists aren’t almond-sized enough. Needless to say, bikini season can be scary. And for the record, we’re glad there’s at least one company trying to help us ladies feel a little more confident.