For decades society has portrayed a certain body type and look as beautiful, and those who do not fit into that mold are often considered unhealthy, plain, or even ugly. Which is ridiculous, because we all come in different shapes and sizes, we all have different hair textures, skin colors, and facial features, and it is these things that make us all truly unique — can you imagine how boring life would be if we were all identical?

The good news is that in recent years the world has become a (slightly) more accepting place, and this is in part thanks to the inspiring women who are redefining the ideals of beauty and health. These women are proving to the world that you do not have to look a certain way or fit into a particular clothing size to celebrate your body. And below are some of these women.

Denise Bidot: She was the first plus size Latina model to strut her stuff on the runways at New York Fashion Week, back in 2014, but since then she has become the spokeswoman (and posed nude) for Curves — an inspiring campaign started by photographer Victoria Janashvili to encourage body positivity. She has also posed for unretouched swimwear campaigns.

Winnie Harlow: Winnie Harlow, whose real name is Chantelle Brown-Young, is a model with vitiligo (a chronic skin condition that causes depigmentation of portions of the skin) but she's embraced her differences and addressed the condition. Harlow previously revealed she was bullied because of her unique skin pigmentation, and in 2011 she decided to make a powerful YouTube video titled "Vitiligo: A Skin Condition, not a Life Changer" in which she discussed vitiligo and what it was like living with it.

She has since gone on to become a model, competed on America's Next Top Model (where she placed 6th), and starred in multiple campaigns and music videos, including pieces of Beyonce's Lemonade visual album.

Jamie Brewer: Actress Jamie Brewer has Down Syndrome. She is most well-known for her roles in American Horror Story, but she was also the first Down Syndrome model to walk in New York Fashion Week as part of the Role Models Not Runway Models campaign. And she continues to be an active member in the Down Syndrome community.

Robyn Lawley: Robyn Lawley does not have the dimensions of a conventional model, and at 6'2 and a size 12, she is considered plus size. Lawley has called on designers to alter their sample sizes and make them bigger, and she has also been outspoken about accepting her body, just the way it is.

In an interview with New York Magazine's The Cut she said, "Weight is so mind-numbingly dumb to worry about, unless it's to a point where it's affecting your health."

Yazemeenah Rossi: At age 61, Yazemeenah Rossi was the star of a swimwear campaign. The campaign, a collaboration between online store, The Dreslyn, and a lingerie house called Land of Women, had Rossi as their leading lady, proving that in an industry so obsessed with youth, aging is still beautiful.

_{[Lead image via Shutterstock]}