by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Tanya

Age: 21

Occupation: Student/Dove model

Bio: This delightfully vivacious Laval chick was wandering the streets of downtown Montreal one day last November when she was approached by strangers to appear as a “real woman” in Dove soap’s latest print campaign promoting their line of “skin firming” products. Having never modelled before, young Tanya soon found herself standing in front of a room full of advertising types clad in just her skivvies while the powers-that-be ooh-ed and ahh-ed over her “real curves” and how naturally beautiful she was. “At first I was a little shy, but after awhile I started feeling very comfortable.” Securing the gig after wowing the Dove folk with a rousing underwear-clad rendition of Abba’s “One of Us” and half-naked display of first-rate stand-up comedy, Tanya, an aspiring actress/singer who recently strutted her stuff in a Université de Montréal production of that time-honoured classic Mamma Mia, intends to return to school this fall to pursue a career as a make-up artist.

Does she actually use the product she’s shilling for? “Oh yes, always.”

Does she feel Dove’s current marketing strategy is truly a celebration of “natural curvy women” or just one more cynical ad campaign trying to lure the great unwashed into identifying with a particular beauty product? “Oh, no, it’s a great idea, it’s not just some marketing strategy thing. Dove is all about the real beauty and I think they honestly have the best interests of women at heart.”

Has she developed a strong urge to puke up her meals since becoming a model? “Oh no, not at all.”

Did she know she was naturally beautiful before Dove informed her of it? “Well, I certainly never considered that I might model someday. After all, the women you see modelling are usually of a certain body type—which is different than my own. I was less confident about my shape before all this than I am now. When I was at the casting with all these other [full-figured] women, I saw that so many of them felt really good about their bodies, and that society’s standards of beauty were unrealistic.”

What the fuck is skin firming cream and how the hell is that supposed to work anyway? “Use the products twice a day for two weeks and you’ll really see a difference. Your skin won’t feel the same then, you’ll see that it’s more firm. I noticed a difference after using it for only one day. It’s kind of difficult to explain, you really need to try it.”

If you suddenly stop using the product will your “natural curves” return to their “natural” state of flab, rendering you no longer “a naturally curvy woman” but just one more fat chick in a cruel world stock full of long-legged slender beauties? “Oh no, no!”

Childhood ambition: To become a performer. “You know, singer, actor, acrobat.”

Last book read: Le Souffle des Dieux by Bernard Werber.

Musical preferences: Broadway musicals.

Words of wisdom: “Accept yourself.”

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