Charli Howard Speaks Out Against Body-Shaming
Charli Howard, a 34-year-old model, has recently shared her frustration after being subjected to body-shaming by a man she has been dating. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by individuals in the fashion industry and beyond when it comes to body image and self-worth.
A History of Fighting for Body Positivity
Charli has spent over a decade fighting against the fashion industry’s obsession with thinness. She was once told by her agency that she was “too big,” which led to a long battle with eating disorders. Despite these challenges, she has built a successful career as a model, fronting campaigns for brands like Agent Provocateur, Good American, and GHD.
Her journey has not been easy. After six years as a professional model and a decade of struggling with eating disorders, she now finds herself facing body-shaming from someone she has gone on seven dates with. This experience has left her feeling upset and frustrated.
The Incident on Instagram
On Tuesday, Charli took to Instagram to share a series of stories about the man, whose identity she has not disclosed. She wrote about how he had messaged her, calling her the “biggest woman” he had ever dated and asking if she would ever get bigger than this. He also suggested that she should go for a jog with him.
She shared a screenshot of the WhatsApp message, captioning it: “This is the text he sent before I called him to ask what he meant by this… and before he said that he was worried I’d give my future kids diabetes. Oh, and that I’m overly sensitive too.”
The text included comments such as, “With the whole body thing I will be frank and I think it’s really important that we don’t even think about moving forward without discussing this.” He also referred to himself as a “short, big-nosed, IT dweeb.”
Charli’s Response
Charli responded to the situation with strength and clarity. She stated that a UK size 10/US size 6 is not big, nor is a size 12. She also mentioned that she is almost 35 and will never look like a 20-year-old again. She rejected the idea of going on a jog with him to lose weight.
She added that the timing of the man’s actions was ironic, given that her new book, Flesh, a feminist essay collection exploring how society has sexualised and objectified the female body throughout history, was set to land in bookshops this Thursday.
Reactions from Friends
Charli’s posts were met with outrage from friends. Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour called the man an “incel c***,” while fellow model Kelsey Lear Lafferty wrote, “he can get to know my fist very closely.” Charli replied with a laugh, saying, “hahahaha love you.”
Photographer Emily Delphine declared it “the absolute audacity,” while model Jena Goldsack wrote, “good god.”
A Legacy of Advocacy
Charli shot to fame in 2015 when she was dropped by her modelling agency for being “too big” despite being medically underweight at the time. She wrote a blistering open letter that went viral, leading to a slot on Channel 4 News.
She has since built a successful career, co-founded the All Womxn Project to champion diverse body types in fashion, and launched her own vegan skincare line, Squish, which counts Dua Lipa among its fans.
Struggles with Eating Disorders
Charli has spoken candidly about her struggles with anorexia and bulimia, which began when she was around ten years old. She has written, “I tried to change to fit someone else’s idea of beauty, which is 20 years of my life that I will never get back.” She emphasizes that losing weight does not equal happiness.
Despite frequently being labelled a “plus-size” model, Charli has always pushed back against the term. “I’m curvy, but I know that I’m not a plus-size model and I’ve not given myself that term,” she told Hello! magazine. “That’s what other people label me.”
