CT Woman Responds to Playboy Model’s Body-Shaming Snapchat

A Connecticut woman has posted a response to a Playboy model’s recent social media body shaming.

Nicole Henry of Hebron posted a lengthy Facebook “rant” Thursday night in response to model Dani Mathers’ recent body-shaming social media post.

Mathers made headlines for posting a Snapchat of a woman changing at the gym, complete with caption reading, “if I can’t unsee this, neither can you.” Mathers claimed she accidentally posted it but has nonetheless received backlash that included being banned from her gym.

“It really got to me,” Henry said in the post. “I started thinking about how fat people, like me, get judged by some solely by our outward appearance, and that really bothered me.”

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Henry said in the post that she considers herself “fat” in a matter-of-fact way but decided to post a photo of herself in a two-piece bathing suit after reading about the incident. She said she debated the decision to post but was further inspired to do so after hearing a little girl in the store where she purchased the swimsuit tell her mom that she wanted to lose weight badly.

“I want people to know that it's ok to be fat and happy,” Henry wrote. “My body is strong, it's powerful, and it's mine. I'm not asking you to think I'm beautiful...I am asking you to realize that there is more to a person than what their body looks like.”

Henry also posted a number of things that “her body” has accomplished, including running two 5ks and volunteering at the Special Olympics and the local children’s hospital, among many other things. She lists these accomplishment not as a means of bragging but as a way to illustrate her point that a person is more than just what he or she looks like.

The end of her post used the hashtag #thisbodymaybefatbut. It has been shared 279 times, garnered 298 likes and received 105 comments as of Wednesday afternoon.

“You are awesome,” commented Christine Elizabeth. “I contemplate wearing a two piece (other than a tankini) and never have enough courage to leave my bedroom mirror! I want to not care what others will think! I love your confidence; keep doing what you’re doing! You rock!”

Mathers has since posted an apology for her post. A petition for her arrest on the ground of privacy violation has garnered 29,354 supporters, only 5,646 signatures away from its goal of 35,000.

"While Ms. Mathers has since apologized for her offense she needs to be brought to court with criminal charges as she has committed a criminal act,” Jessica Perez of the Bronx, New York, wrote in the petition she started. “Her act affects the community in that people do not feel safe changing or showering in what should be a safe and private environment.”

The Los Angeles County Police Department has been contacted, according to the petition page. A hard copy has also been sent to the department.

Read Nicole Henry’s Facebook post here.

Image via Facebook.