Erin Marley Klay used her social media platform to spread a message about body positivity and empower women after being body-shamed over her bikini photos.
On Tuesday (July 8), the plus-size model took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a series of photos of herself wearing a string bikini on the beach. The post went viral, garnering 75 million views and thousands of replies.
While many responses were positive, others criticized the 24-year-old for her curvy image, telling her she should wear a one-piece swimsuit instead of a bikini.
Erin used her viral moment to speak to plus-size women who feel insecure about wearing a bikini or who were affected by the criticism directed at her.
Plus-size model Erin Marley Klay clapped back at critics who body-shamed her online
Image credits: erinmhk
In a follow-up post, she 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.
Erin Marley went viral after posting bikini photos on X, which were seen by 75 million users
“If I can handle massive hate on this scale (and kindness!!! Of course!!!) then you can wear that bikini to the beach, 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,” she added. “I’m not letting it stop me.”
Erin received many complimentary comments, but also criticism for wearing a bikini
Erin began modeling at the age of 21 after catching the attention of an agency, Zion Models, on Instagram.
Since then, she has worked for major brands such as Nordstrom, SKIMS, Selkie, Wet n Wild, and House of CB.
At 18, she experienced a similar incident when her photos went viral and triggered a wave of body-shaming comments. At the time, she didn’t feel confident enough to clap back.
“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 told People magazine.
“Someone with so much hate in their heart is far more miserable than you could ever be wearing a bikini at the beach,” she shared
Now, she says she’s “glad” to be confident enough that “such a large discourse had little effect over my self-worth.”
Instead of “responding cattily to hate comments made by men who would never have the gall to approach me in real life,” Erin chose to focus on “all the women telling me how much me being confident in my visibly plus-size body meant to them.”
The model explained, “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.”
Additionally, she admitted that the “discourse” surrounding her bikini photos “has been nothing short of insane.”
Erin encouraged other plus-size women to wear whatever they want and “enjoy their bodies to the fullest this summer”
She said the negative comments stay online and that she hasn’t experienced any issues when wearing her bikini at the beach.
“These people would never have the courage to spew such hate in real life.
“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.”
Erin started modeling after catching the attention of an agency on Instagram
However, the modeling industry is far more “daunting,” as Erin put it. When she started, she would let her own insecurities “hold her back,” not wearing outfits she liked or skipping certain events.
Erin shared: “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.”
The LA-based model believes the best way to challenge negative stereotypes about plus-size people is to keep wearing whatever she wants and posting whatever photos she likes on social media.
“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 everybody. I can take it. In fact, I welcome it.”
Social media users praised the model for confidently wearing her bikini on the beach and encouraging others to do the same
