Plus-Size Model Claps Back After Her Bikini Photos Sparked 'Discourse.' Why She's Not Letting It Get to Her (Exclusive)

Yahoo

10-07-2025

Plus-size model Erin Marley Klay sparked "discourse" on X after posting a series of bikini photos on the platform, where she also clapped back at the criticism with a thread of empowering posts
In response to the crude and body-shaming comments on her viral post, the 24-year-old wrote: "Pls don't let society's preconceived notions of what is beautiful and what's not stop you from living your life"
She opens up to PEOPLE about her reaction and navigating the fashion industry as a curvy womanOne plus-size model is opening about her experience with body-shaming following a string of hate comments on her latest bikini photos that went viral on social media.
On July 8, Erin Marley Klay, 24, posted a series of snapshots to X of herself posing on the beach in a string bikini. Although the content isn't out of left field for the influencer, who often shares swimsuit-centered content on her feeds, the post took off on the platform, garnering 75 million views followed by post after post of degrading comments.
"Oh gosh, the discourse has been nothing short of insane," Klay tells PEOPLE, explaining that she's had such a "divisive" experience reading some of the crude — and outright offensive — criticism on her curvy image.
The Los Angeles-based content creator admits that this isn't the first time she's "sparked such a large debate" over her body, detailing another incident that happened when she was 18, the age she started posting regularly on social media. "When it happened, I laid low for a while and let it blow over. I was somewhat unequipped to deal with so much perception over the way I looked," she says. This time, Klay wasn't about to take the heat. Instead, she chose "to lead with light and positivity" when she made the decision to clap back at the negative commentary. "I feel like I've come full circle with how I handle things and I'm glad I'm in a place where such a large discourse had little effect over my self-worth."
In a thread of follow-up posts on X, Klay wrote: "Pls don't let society's preconceived notions of what is beautiful and what's not stop you from living your life. What someone says about your appearance reflects on them alone, not you."
"You have to realize someone with so much hate in their heart is far more miserable than you could ever be wearing a bikini at the beach. Get out there," she wrote in another post on X, while encouraging her followers to "go to the pool, try out a new hobby, wear the jeans you're insecure about, and enjoy your body to the fullest this summer."
Klay emphasizes to PEOPLE, "What I chose to focus on were all the women telling me how much me being confident in my visibly plus-size body meant to them," adding that she took the opportunity to empower women, "rather than spending my time only responding cattily to hate comments made by men who would never have the gall to approach me in real life."
Fortunately, she's received an outpouring of love and support, with people's responses being "overwhelmingly positive."
"It's easy to be jaded when you've been online for so long, but the response reminded me why I do this. Seeing other people with my body or people with insecurities feel even a little bit better by me putting myself out there is what keeps me going."
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Ironically, Klay says the negativity happens online — and online only. "The thing a lot of people forget about online hate is that it exists almost in a vacuum; these people would never have the courage to spew such hate in real life." In fact, when she does proudly wear a two-piece to the beach, she says, "No one is looking at me wondering why I'm wearing a bikini and not a one-piece, or picking apart my body. Have people probably insulted me in their head but kept it to themselves? Sure. That just means they're normal about it."
Klay began professionally modeling when she was scouted on Instagram by agency, Zion Models, at the age of 21. She's worked with fashion and beauty brands including Selkie, Wet n Wild, Nordstrom, SKIMS and House of CB.
"I'd say the biggest challenges I faced at first were due to my own fears," she reveals. "This industry is daunting, especially as a plus-size woman. I let my own insecurities — most of which were tied to not feeling good or worthy enough of taking up space in any room I walked into — hold me back for a bit. I would talk myself out of wearing outfits or going to certain events."
She continues: "While my confidence and feelings of self-worth have grown exponentially since then, there are things you can't control in this industry. From top agencies deciding to no longer represent curve models to brands discontinuing their plus sizes, and even agencies telling you to your face 'big girls aren't booking well right now,' you can have all the confidence in the world yet the fatphobia and diet culture is so ingrained in our society that it's hard to break through sometimes."
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However, she reminds herself that "it isn't a crime to look the way you do, whatever that may be. No matter how badly people have made you feel for it. You're allowed to take up the space you do in whatever way."
"Plus-size bodies are here to stay, they've always been here. You can throw whatever diet fad or hateful remarks you want into the world, but we'll continue to exist. We need to show society, production companies, brands, directors and top agencies that our bodies deserve to be represented in the media we consume," declares Kay.
"I plan on being in your face whether you like it or not. I'll take as many jabs at my appearance that are necessary if it means I can shift the scales even slightly in the favor of representation for every body. I can take it. In fact, I welcome it."
Read the original article on People