Laura Anderson And Skinny Shaming: Why Do We Think It’s OK To Discuss Love Island Contestants’ Bodies?

We're encouraged to embrace #bodypositivity, but when it comes to reality TV stars, it seems the gloves are off.

Updated on23rd July 2020 at 3.29pm

Love Island star Laura Anderson has become the latest former contestant to have to hit out at trolls who criticise her body, saying she worries about being skinny shamed.

Love Islanders are no stranger to being scrutinised. From the moment they enter the villa they're the subject of criticism over the way they dress, the people they date, and eventhe dogs they purchase.

While it's constantly argued that the stars know what they sign up for when they fill in an application to be on the ITV show, it doesn't make the dissection of their lives or the cruel social media taunts they're subject to any easier.

While young women are being encouraged to embrace body positivity, the message seems to be getting skewed when it comes to reality TV stars. As soon as they post pictures to social media, their body shapes are called into question. Whether fans are expressing concern at them having lost weight, or trolls telling them they're too fat, it seems they can't win.

Fans of the show often pick up on Love Island star Laura Anderson's slim frame when she shares pictures of her figure on Instagram. However the star, who appeared on the show in 2018, decided to take the bull by the horns when she shared a sun-soaked photograph from her holiday to Barcelona, Spain this week.

Laura captioned the beautiful photograph, 'I hesitated to post this photo as I look extremely thin and we all know any trolling against your body, whatever shape is never fun.

'Reality is pictures can be deceiving and I really want to highlight this on here today. It’s just a picture, an angle, lighting, maybe a filter.

'We are all now so easily influenced, more ambitious with our lives you could say but in turn sometimes we’ve become more insecure. We are not in competition with eachother especially not on Instagram and especially not with people we don’t even know so when I see something I ‘like’ I try to be happy for that person and think of it as inspiration instead of resentment or jealousy. This is one of the ways I’ve found to survive on social media.

'So let’s try not to be so offended by each other’s content, let’s not take a photo so seriously or pull the negative from it. Like in real life we don’t know the full story. For example I like this photo because it’s a happy memory of Tom's and I’s favourite day of our holiday together but I know my body ‘at this angle’ will be at the forefront of some Susan’s mouths out there, am I right or am I right? (Sorry if you’re name is Susan) [sic].'

Hitting the main point home, she went on, 'I shouldn’t have to mention my weight and neither should you. I just knew it would be discussed negatively below today if I didn’t.

'On the flip side, we all naturally choose the best photos of ourselves, is this a crime? Can pictures be too deceiving? How can you please everyone? This photo is even deceiving to me as I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been but I look like a bean pole above 🤷🏼‍♀️ (nothing wrong with being a bean pole to my fellow long limbed angels out there).'

Laura signed off by vowing to share her flaws from now on and encouraged her followers to do the same, which drew in praise from her fans, as well as messages of empathy from other women whose slim figures have been subjected to questions.

This comes mere days after former Islander Molly-Mae Hague was body shamed in comments under a news article, which featured photographs of her in a bikini on holiday with her boyfriend Tommy Fury. The readers cruelly called her 'lardy' and branded her body 'awful'.

When the vile comments were shared on Twitter, the star replied, 'I would genuinely love to know who writes these comments? Like how can you actually write s**t like that and sleep at night? Beyond me'.

We sincerely agree.