Online retailer provokes outrage with controversial advertising of plus sized clothes
With the rise of the body positivity movement, an increasingly inclusive atmosphere teaching us to love the skin we're in has also developed.
Plus sized clothing ranges along with plus sized models have taken the fashion industry by storm, changing the game wholly and totally for the better.
Ashley Graham modelling her lingerie during New York Fashion Week
However, there still remains a great deal of negative attitudes towards plus sized people, and particularly women, as online retailer Wish.com has demonstrated.
Whilst most retailers employ plus sized women to model their plus sized ranges, Wish.com thought it would somehow be better to show their plus sized tights stretched over thin models.
The images all seem to be attempting to show the size of the tights by how much bigger they are than the thin women wearing them.
The images have come under fire, with many wondering who on earth thought this was a good idea:
This HAD to be a man’s idea. No woman would do this.
— KarenLMcHalePhoto (@KarenLMcHale) December 10, 2017
it would have been so much easier to hire plus size models for this. it’s an unrealistic advertisement as well because there is no indicator of how it looks on a plus size body. it’s inefficient as well as distasteful.
— emily angelica (@existentiaIly) December 9, 2017
Who tf is responsible, I just wanna talk pic.twitter.com/4k98rg2peW
— v a l k r y i e (@cheerfulgambino) December 9, 2017
Am plus size. am pissed too. This is just insulting.
— ReRe Silva92 (@ReRe_Silva92) December 9, 2017
It so is. This world is filled with people of all shapes and sizes. It would be nice if there could be a little social acceptance and not so much backhanded shade.
— ReRe Silva92 (@ReRe_Silva92) December 10, 2017
I hope they realize after pulling that bullshit they've only managed to piss off their target audience and perpetuate negative stereotypes. Congratulations.
— 🎄Shelly Mac🎄 (@shellyBH4lyfe) December 10, 2017
The inappropriate advertising has left many of the products target audience feeling alienated and disappointed.
The use of thin models for plus sized clothing clearly demonstrates that whilst much has been done to counter negative attitudes to the plus sized community, more needs to be done to break down persisting stigmas.