Model Charli Howard Fat-Shhamed by Date Who Demanded Weight Loss
British model Charli Howard has publicly expressed her fury after being fat-shamed and told to lose weight by a man she had been dating. The 34-year-old, who has spent a decade challenging the fashion industry's toxic fixation on thinness, faced body-shaming from someone she had gone on seven dates with.
Instagram Outburst Over WhatsApp Messages
The Agent Provocateur campaign star took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a series of stories about the unidentified man. She posted a screenshot of a WhatsApp message where he stated she was the "biggest woman" he had ever dated and asked if she would "ever get bigger than this," adding that ideally she would be smaller.
Charli wrote: 'Been on 7 dates with this guy. He just messaged me this evening saying that I'm the 'biggest woman' he's ever dated and asked 'will I ever get bigger than this' as 'ideally' I'd be smaller.'
The man declared that if she put on any more weight it would be a deal-breaker and suggested they go jogging together. He also requested she keep the conversation private, prompting Charli to defiantly share it publicly.
Shocking Details of the Conversation
Charli captioned the screenshot: '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 lengthy text message attempted to justify his comments, stating: '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 acknowledged her modelling career while describing himself as a "short, big-nosed, IT dweeb" and emphasized his "preferences" and need for physical compatibility.
Charli's Fiery Response
The model delivered a powerful rebuttal, declaring: 'A UK size 10/US size 6 is not big, nor is a size 12, and in answer to his questions: - yes, this is more or less the size I will be from now on - I am almost 35 years old, I will never look like a 20 year old again - no, I don't want to go on a 'jog with you' to lose some weight.'
She added with exasperation: 'Oh and one final thing (sorry but I'm fuming) he said he wants to still see me and get to know me to see if he can get to like and understand my body. I am not Shrek ffs?!!!! nor a f***ing toy!!!!'
Ironic Timing With Book Release
The incident occurred with ironic timing as Charli's new book Flesh - a feminist essay collection examining how society has sexualized and objectified female bodies throughout history - is set to hit bookshops this Thursday.
She wrote: 'I've worked two years on it and I'm not gonna let some WASTEMAN ruin this achievement for me.'
Support From Friends and Industry Peers
Her candid posts sparked outrage among friends and colleagues. Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour called the man an "incel c***," while model Kelsey Lear Lafferty wrote "he can get to know my fist very closely." Photographer Emily Delphine described it as "the absolute audacity," and model Jena Goldsack simply responded "good god."
Background of Industry Activism
Charli first gained prominence in 2015 when she was dropped by her modelling agency for being "too big" despite being medically underweight at the time. Her viral open letter in response catapulted her to public attention and landed her on Channel 4 News.
Since then, she has built a successful modelling career with campaigns for Agent Provocateur, Good American and GHD. In 2021, she was named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. She co-founded the All Womxn Project to promote diverse body types in fashion and launched her vegan skincare line Squish, which counts Dua Lipa among its fans.
Personal Struggles With Eating Disorders
Charli has spoken openly about her decade-long battle 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. Losing weight does not equal happiness.'
Despite frequently being labelled "plus-size," Charli has consistently rejected the term, telling Hello! magazine: 'I'm curvy, but I know that I'm not a plus-size model and I've not given myself that term. That's what other people label me.'
This latest incident highlights the ongoing challenges models face regarding body image expectations, both within the fashion industry and in personal relationships.
