One self-described "fat model" staged her own Abercrombie & Fitch protes, with an "Attractive & Fat" photo campaign of her posing with a hot male model to challenge the company's "sizeist" policies.
On the heels of the LA guy who handed out A&F shirts to the homeless, comes this protest from Tusconian Jes, who describes herself as "a mental health professional, pastry chef, ex-art major, crazy cat lady, fat model, fiery advocate, and total pain in the ass" on her Militant Baker blog.
"Hey Mike," she writes on her post, which is addressed to A&F CEO Mike Jeffries, "Never in our culture do we see sexy photo shoots that pair short, fat, unconventional models with not short, not fat, professional models. To put it in your words: 'unpopular kids' with 'cool kids' ... This is largely attributed to companies like yours that perpetuate the thought that fat women are not beautiful."
The photos by Liora K Photography show Jes and the similarly tattooed male model John C. Shay tastefully topless and Jes rocking an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt, which, surprisingly, fits her. "P.P.S. You should know your Large t-shirt comfortably fits a size 22. You might want to work on that," she said.
She embraced the opportunity to "show I am secure in my skin and to flaunt this by using the controversial platform that you created... My hope is that the combination of these contrasting bodies will someday be as ubiquitous as the socially accepted ideal."
Jes writes that his apology doesn't change the fact that his store's policy "reinforce[s] the unoriginal concept that fat women are social failures, valueless, and undesirable." She says that, inadvertently, "You have also created an incredible opportunity for social change."
She also jokes, "If you would like to offer me a 'substantial amount' to stop wearing your brand so my association won't 'cause significant damage to your image,' don't hesitate to email me." She also challenged Jeffries to do a similar photo shoot: "Not only do I know that I'm sexy, but I also have the confidence to pose nude in ways you don’t dare. You are more than welcome to prove me wrong by posing shirtless with a hot fat chick."
Game on, Jeffries.
