A British model is going viral for firing back at her now former agency for reportedly calling her "too big" and asking her to lose weight.
Charli Howard, who is 5'8" and a size 2 in U.S. standards, shared a blunt note on Facebook offering a glimpse of the pressures models in the industry struggle with.
While the issues aren't anything new – supermodel Gigi Hadid recently opened up about having a different body type than what's considered the norm in modeling — Howard's words are causing a stir.
"I refuse to feel ashamed and upset on a daily basis for not meeting your ridiculous, unobtainable beauty standards, whilst you sit at a desk all day, shovelling [sic] cakes and biscuits down your throats and slagging me and my friends off about our appearance," were some of the words she wrote.
Many are commending the 23-year-old, who has been modeling for six years and has appeared in several famous magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Cosmo.
"It's about being healthy and being fit. You're beautiful! We wouldn't want you any other way!" one Facebook user commented.
Another said, "Well done. More girls needs to speak up. Industry is getting outta hand."
See what she had to say below…
“I refuse to feel ashamed and upset on a daily basis for not meeting your ridiculous, unobtainable beauty standards, whilst you sit at a desk all day, shovelling cakes and biscuits down your throats and slagging me and my friends off about our appearance,” model Charli Howard wrote.
“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. It’s no longer an image I choose to represent.”
"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'. I have fought nature for a long time, because you've deemed my body shape too 'curvaceous,' but I have recently began to love my shape. I don't have big boobs, but my bum is ok… plus, a large majority of my clients are ok with this."
“Ironically, I do love modelling [sic] — the people I’ve met, the places I’ve visited and I am proud of the jobs I’ve done. I will continue to do it, but only on my terms.”
"My mental and physical health is of more importance than a number on a scale, however much you wish to emphasise this."
Howard added that she will only continue modeling if an agency accepts her body and doesn't force her to lose weight.
Below, watch an interview she gave after posting the Facebook message:
Charli Howard's message delves into the issues women face in the modeling industry, but also speaks to the pressure women everywhere feel to look a certain way.
Please SHARE if her strong message made you cheer!
