It's a story that's far too common: A model is told she is "too big" by her agency and asked to lose weight. She's expected to take the criticism; lose an inch or so off her hips if she wants to keep her job. But Charli Howard, a 23-year-old British model who's a size 2 (opens in new tab), fought back when her agency dumped her with this reasoning. She wrote a powerful open letter on her Facebook, decrying their body shaming. It went viral.
"The more you force us to lose weight and be small, the more designers have to make clothes to fit our sizes, and the more young girls are being made ill," she wrote. "It's no longer an image I choose to represent. In case you hadn't realized, I am a woman. I am human. I cannot miraculously shave my hip bones down, just to fit into a sample size piece of clothing or to meet 'agency standards.'"
Howard tells Dazed (opens in new tab) she posted the letter out of frustration, a day after she was dismissed. "[I] didn't expect it to have the response it did," she wrote on the site. "For a while, I'd noticed my anxiety was getting worse when I had to go into the agency. I dreaded being measured or having to take bikini Polaroids. If I was a bit bigger one day, or had spots (like the fun times I was measured on my period), they'd turn down jobs until I'd lost it again–which is hard for a woman, when your body changes naturally throughout the month. I'm not a child."
She says other models who have spoken out—particularly Cara Delevingne—inspired her. "It was an amazing step for someone of her status to come forward and speak openly about the problems she's faced, when she's quite clearly beyond beautiful–psoriasis, supposed 'weight gain,' or not. The pressures to look perfect are just too much to handle. People wonder why teenage girls are fucked up scrolling through Instagram all day and won't take any responsibility for the images they're selling."
Howard believes the industry needs to be more inclusive and accepting: "[It] needs to stop using the same tall, skinny white girls as a way of selling fashion. That's not exciting. It certainly doesn't reflect the general public, or account for the vast amount of beauty in the world."
Read her full post here (opens in new tab).
Follow Marie Claire on Instagram for the latest celeb news, pretty pics, funny stuff, and an insider POV.
Alyssa Bailey is the news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
-
‘Harry & Meghan’ Director Liz Garbus Says Buckingham Palace Tried to “Discredit” the Docuseries
Despite the Palace’s claims otherwise, Garbus says the show did reach out to them for comment.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Would Have Been the “First to Hear” of Princess Eugenie’s Pregnancy, Expert Says
Eugenie is arguably the member of the royal family the Sussexes remain closest to.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Where Has Meghan Markle Been Lately?
Largely unseen during the ‘Spare’ mayhem, she is apparently “happy to let Harry take center stage.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
The 56 Best Musical Movies of All Time: Iconic Movie Musicals
All the dance numbers! All the show tunes!
By Amanda Mitchell
-
'Ginny & Georgia' Season 2: Everything We Know
Netflix owes us answers after that ending.
By Zoe Guy
-
29 Nude Movies With Porn-Level Nudity
All the nudity of porn, but with the plot and storylines of mainstream film.
By Kayleigh Roberts
-
The Cast of 'The Crown' Season 5: Your Guide
The Mountbatten-Windsors have been recast—again.
By Andrea Park
-
Who Is Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana’s Boyfriend on Season 5 of ‘The Crown’?
Di’s friends have said she referred to the doctor as “the love of her life.”
By Andrea Park
-
Who Is Penelope "Penny" Knatchbull?
She and Prince Philip strike up an unlikely friendship throughout the fifth season of 'The Crown.'
By Andrea Park
-
'The Crown' Season 5: Everything We Know
The bombshell fifth season just dropped on Netflix.
By Andrea Park
-
90 Halloween Costume Ideas Inspired By Movies and TV Shows
Most of these Halloween costumes double as stylish additions to your closet.
By Brooke Knappenberger