Many of my close friends and family members have battled with anorexia and bulimia. During Sixth Form, I developed an unhealthy obsession with eating healthily, with these intrusive thoughts still being something I battle with. Although I have type 1 diabetes, which has nothing to do with a person’s weight, I am constantly subject to comments about how it must be self-inflicted and caused by my eating habits and weight. I also had my diabetes weaponised against me.

I went home that evening and refused to eat dinner because of the comments made about me. One particular memory I have of struggling with it early on was in primary school when some of the children in my class kept calling me fat. Personally, I have struggled with body image for as long as I can remember.

When I first saw the article, I was rendered speechless as to how something so visibly damaging to the mental health of so many could be published Unfortunately, this is the sad truth of our society, which constantly feeds into the toxic narrative surrounding beauty standards. I could probably count all the people I know who have not had issues with it on both of my hands. And let’s be honest, so many of us struggle with body image. Not only is this article likely detrimental to the mental health of the celebrities included in the article it is also dangerous for readers who struggle with body image and those who do not have the idealised body promoted by society.

When I first saw the article, I was rendered speechless as to how something so visibly damaging to the mental health of so many could be published. The report is full of derogatory remarks such as: ‘Holmes is a regular Rip Van Wrinkle,’ ‘what an eye-sore’ and ‘ flaunted his ballooning belly.’ These comments are offensive at best and dangerous at worst – you never know how a negative comment can affect someone else. Holliday slated the post on Instagram for its perpetuation of ‘unrealistic body standards’ and ‘toxic diet culture.’ The article consists of paparazzi photos of celebrities in swimwear at the beach, including Katie Holmes, Janice Dickinson and Kurt Russell. The distasteful magazine cover and article gained traction on social media after a post by none other than Tess Holliday. While the piece has received plenty of backlash across social media (as it should), it is worrying that the team at The Enquirer ever saw it as a good article idea and worthy of being on the magazine’s front page. The ‘beach body’ discussion has still been in full swing this summer, with US magazine The National Enquirer releasing an article titled ‘This year’s 50 Best and Worst Beach Bodies: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. You would think that in 2021 we would have moved past the ‘beach body’ conversation, right? Wrong. Content Warning: Discussion of fatphobia, eating disorders and negative comments about body image The National Enquirer

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