An advert for Gillette Venus caused a stir on Jeremy Vine when a debate over the use of a plus-size model turned into fat-shaming.
The razor brand shared the ad, which features model Anna O’Brien on the beach in a bikini, on social media and the majority of the comments were positive.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvz0aXqgy6o/
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When the ad was shared on Instagram, one user responded, “Love this!!!” while another wrote, “Joy and beauty!! Thanks for sharing” and a third commented, “Incredible ad, brilliant, real and full of love and joy! Haters just hate!”
But when it came up on Jeremy Vine today (April 9th), a caller named Rebecca branded the photo “disgusting” and said it’s “not a positive image”.
Presenter Anne Diamond, who took the call, asked her: “So you know what it’s like to have gone through overweight and presumably lots of judgement and people being unkind about it?”
"I think she looks disgusting."
Our caller Rebecca, who used to weigh 34 stone, says she doesn't agree with the new Gillette advert, telling us: "That is not a positive image to be putting out there." Thoughts?
@TheAnneDiamond | @NerdAboutTown | #jeremyvine pic.twitter.com/JRNCBTTZ3r
— Jeremy Vine & Storm Huntley on 5 (@JeremyVineOn5) April 9, 2019
She was told: “I’ll be honest, I don’t agree with this advert at all. That’s not plus, that’s super super super super plus and I think she looks disgusting.
“I used to be bigger than that and again I think it’s unhealthy and I think a lot of people that are super-sized, they won’t admit it but I think there’s a lot of mental health issues behind there.”
The caller continued: “I used to comfort eat, I still comfort eat, I still struggle with my weight. I’m a size 20 at the moment, and it’s not easy but that is not a positive image to be putting out there.”
Stephanie Yeboah, a plus-size lifestyle blogger, weighed into the debate and said she feels it’s “very damaging” when we “shame people into losing weight”.
In a statement on Twitter, Gillette Venus praised the model on its ad for “living out loud” and said it was committed to representing women “of all shapes, sizes, and skin types”.
Anna, 34, is from Cleveland in Ohio, US. On Instagram, she’s known as GlitterAndLazers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvesZ4vg8Ka/
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She also has a YouTube channel of the same name with more than 194,000 subscribers.
What’s your opinion on the use of plus-size models in advertising? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.