Victoria’s Secret model calls magazine out for body shaming and causing ‘paralysing social anxiety’

Victoria’s Secret angels are generally considered to be as close to female perfection as humanly possible.

But even they’re not immune to the fashion industry’s fat-shaming tendencies.

Nina Agdal is a model and angel who’s modelled for various magazines, including Sports Illustrated.

She’s smokin’, obviously – many of us would kill for her body. But she says that relatively recently, she’s been rejected from jobs for nothing being small enough.

Taking to Instagram, she says that she’s ‘disappointed and appalled at the still very harsh reality’ of the fashion industry.

‘A few months ago, I agreed to shoot with a creative team I believed in and was excited to collaborate with,’ she writes.

‘When my agent received an unapologetic email concluding they would not run my cover/story because it “did not reflect well on my talent” and “did not fit their market,” the publisher claimed my look deviated from my portfolio and that I did not fit into the (sample size) samples, which is completely false. If anyone has any interest in me, they know I am not an average model body – I have an athletic build and healthy curves.’

Today, I’m disappointed and appalled at the still very harsh reality of this industry. A few months ago, I agreed to shoot with a creative team I believed in and was excited to collaborate with. When my agent received an unapologetic email concluding they would not run my cover/story because it “did not reflect well on my talent” and “did not fit their market,” the publisher claimed my look deviated from my portfolio and that I did not fit into the (sample size) samples, which is completely false. If anyone has any interest in me, they know I am not an average model body – I have an athletic build and healthy curves. After a tough year of taking a step back from the insensitive and unrealistic pressures of this industry and dealing with paralyzing social anxiety, I walked into that shoot as a 25 year old WOMAN feeling more comfortable in my own skin and healthier than ever before. Some days I’m a sample size, some days I’m a size 4, some a 6. I am not built as a runway model and have never been stick thin. Now more than ever, I embrace my curves and work diligently in the gym to stay strong and most of all, sane. I am proud to say that my body has evolved from when I started this crazy ride as a 16 year old GIRL with unhealthy and insufficient eating habits. So, shame on you and thank you to the publisher for reaffirming how important it is to live your truth and say it out loud, no matter who you are or what size. I decided to release an image to draw awareness and support of an issue that's bigger than just myself and affects so many people not just in the fashion industry, but in general, with the goal of bringing women from all over together in a celebration of our bodies. Let's find ways to build each other up instead of constantly finding ways to tear each other down. #bodyshaming #bodyimage #selfimage #dietculture #mybodymybusiness

A post shared by Nina Agdal (@ninaagdal) on Jan 12, 2018 at 9:30am PST

Nina has spent a year stepping back from the ‘insensitive and unrealistic’ pressures of the fashion industry which, she says, has left her with ‘paralysing social anxiety’.

But she’s back now and the image she’s shared is from her latest shoot – and it’s all about body confidence.

‘I walked into that shoot as a 25-year-old WOMAN feeling more comfortable in my own skin and healthier than ever before. Some days I’m a sample size, some days I’m a size 4, some a 6. I am not built as a runway model and have never been stick thin. Now more than ever, I embrace my curves and work diligently in the gym to stay strong and most of all, sane.

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‘I am proud to say that my body has evolved from when I started this crazy ride as a16-year-old GIRL with unhealthy and insufficient eating habits.’

She says that she’s releasing the image to draw awareness of how damaging that kind of feedback can be, and as a celebration of women’s bodies.

And, like us, many of Nina’s followers are baffled at how anyone could fat-shame her in the first place.

‘People who stay strong in their beliefs are the ones to create a change! How could anyone possibly body shame you is beyond me!! You look great and more importantly you feel great about yourself…surely self-confident and happy models do better job in front of the camera…,’ writes one.

Another says: ‘Your post makes me incredibly sad, and surprised that in the current world we live in today, these shallow issues are still important and relevant.

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‘I want my children to grow up aspiring to be natural beauties, whatever form that may come in, happy in their own skin. Who look to beautiful, healthy, girls like you in the public eye as role models and move away from the unrealistic (and in my opinion unattractive) stick thin models expected in today’s world. Don’t let anyone get you down and I commend you for coming out about this issue. Never change who you are. From one curvy athletic girl to another over and out.’

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