Thousands Sign Petition for Removal of London “Body Shaming” Ad Asking if Your Beach Body is Ready

Big surprise: It turns out people don’t like being shamed into feeling that skinny and toned is the only way to be.

We’re seeing a mass embrace of fuller figure models (and a growing demand to remove the term “plus-sized), and no shortage of social media campaigns like #ImNoAngel and #NoThighGap that aim to promote all body types.

Most recently, close to 45,000 people have signed a petition that calls for the removal of a London, UK advertisement that’s been called out for body shaming.

People aren’t happy about the Protein World ad, which features a tanned, bikini-clad woman (with a definite thigh gap) and products from the brand’s weight loss collection, that boldly asks: Are you beach body ready?

In response, the posters – which are featured on the London Underground – have been defaced many times and complaints keep pouring into the Advertising Standards Authority.

It also didn’t take long for a “Every Body’s Ready” Facebook page to be created either. It’s accompanied by the hashtag #everybodysready.

The petition accuses Protein World of “directly targeting individuals, aiming to make them feel physically inferior to the unrealistic body image of the bronzed model, in order to sell their product.”

As for Protein World, they’re not making any apologies.

The company insists that there’s nothing wrong with the ads and have no intention of removing them. The company is also actively trolling social media, adding fuel to the growing fire by retweeting sexist comments, and accusing “fatties” of “fit shaming.”

What do you think of the ads?

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