Nina Agdal Publishes Open Letter About Body Shaming

Model Nina Agdal took to Instagram today to post about a recent experience with body shaming. The Sports Illustrated cover girl has an amazing body, but said she had recently experienced critical messages about her body after a recent editorial shoot. The Danish model said she had agreed to a cover shoot and story with a creative team, who post-shoot told her agent that she “did not fit our market” and that the story “did not reflect well on her talent”. Agdal sounded off with a lengthy tweet about her struggles with not being runway model thin.

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

Agdal also revealed she had dealt with paralyzing anxiety in the past and that at 16, when she started in the industry, she had unhealthy eating habits. Unfortunately, stories like these continue to plague the fashion industry but in a time when women are finding their voices, Agdal has chosen to speak out.