Iskra Lawrence Scandal

Iskra Lawrence Scandal
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When it comes to truly body positive role models, it would seem that we are somewhat lacking. One of the people often hailed as a bopo role model is Iskra Lawrence and well… let’s talk about the problems with that, because there are A LOT. For those that don’t recognise her name, Iskra Lawrence is an English model known for her blonde hair and curves, her website states that she is a UK size 14, and that she is a ‘champion of body diversity’.
TW – This article talks about diet, exercise and eating disorders.
So, where to begin? Iskra Lawrence isn’t a fan of being called plus size, ‘what upsets me is the fact that if you’ve categorised me, you’ve categorised all women my size and above in the real world. The term has a really negative connotation thanks to the fashion industry’ ( shape.com ) like many other models who work in the plus size industry. If someone doesn’t want to be called plus size (and whether or not a size 14 model should be called plus size is a whole other debate), why are they happy to take work from companies for plus size women and profit off of our part of the fashion industry? If you don’t want to be called plus size, stop taking work that proud plus size models could be doing instead . Rather than embrace the term that so many of us need to know where we can shop, she buys into its negative connotations. Like a petite section, or a maternity section, we need the label so that we can shop, at a size 14 however, Iskra doesn’t and her privilege blinds her to the need for the term.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDqnLOLrkz0/
Iskra Lawrence regularly hits back at trolls who call her fat, famously she was photographed in a pile of crisps once, but when she responds unfortunately her focus tends to be on health, and that she is healthy, ‘Health comes in many shapes and sizes’ ( Daily Mail ). The problem with this is that it implies that only those who are healthy deserve self-love, and it is a very ableist statement . Not everyone can be healthy, and implying that her healthiness is a reason why she shouldn’t be called fat suggests that being fat is wrong, and that your lack of health is wrong too. I’m not here for her repeated ableism.
One of the brands Iskra is most vocal about working with is Aerie. Aerie pride themselves on not using Photoshop in their adverts which is awesome, however they’ve been caught up in their own bopo scandals. In 2016 they created what they called a ‘hoax’ advert for April Fool’s Day with the hashtag #AerieMan starring plus size blogger Notoriously Dapper. There was a lot of confusion around whether or not he even knew the campaign was a hoax when he agreed to take part. It featured male models in their underwear in bubble baths, yoga poses, dancing, and more, and Aerie later admitted the whole campaign was a joke after it had been heralded as bopo awesome. The campaign featured more diverse men than usually seen in underwear modelling and it had been great to see chest hair, bellies and unretouched male bodies, so to be told it was all a joke wasn’t cool. Iskra continues to work with them and promotes them as body positive, but their attitudes towards body positivity for men being used in an April Fool’s Day joke leave something to be desired.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD62wsErMw0/
Iskra is also a brand ambassador for NEDA, the National Eating Disorder Association, and created the NEDA Inspire Awards through her work with them. Sadly however, on several occasions Iskra has been seen promoting diets and even diet replacement drinks . She’s very careful never to use the word diet, and instead substitutes it with ‘health’. Switch out the world health for diet and see how problematic her language really is.
‘My biggest health tip for travellers:
Prepare, and don’t use traveling as an excuse. Research healthy restaurants or food stores, and buy snacks—nuts, fruit, protein bars—so you don’t reach for junk. Even if you only do squats while you’re brushing your teeth or some ab exercises before bed, just do it! You will thank yourself for it.’
( StyleCaster )
There are so many instances of her talking about what to eat and what to not eat, and yet she is an ambassador for an eating disorder charity . For me, they don’t go hand in hand and her constant food and exercise talk could be extremely damaging for someone suffering with an ED or disordered eating who might look to her as a body positive role model. More recently,Iskra Lawrence has been working with Self magazine and controversially published a ‘New Year’ diet plan with them. Several people worked out the calorie counts for whole days of this diet plan and found some to be as little as 1500 calories , and some suggested it hinted at orthorexia (orthorexia is a condition that often includes obsessive behaviour in the pursuit of a healthy diet). Advocating any kind of set diet plan should be totally against her work with NEDA. Ultimately this article was pulled from the internet and she later apologised for potentially triggering her followers, but this isn’t the first time she has been seen promoting diets. It’s also worth noting that she hasn’t removed her promotions of this diet and workout routine with Self, they are still all on her Instagram. Speaking of Instagram, Iskra’s is a constant stream of gym selfies and talk of working out, and she’s done many interviews talking about her gruelling workout regimen to achieve her figure. Her YouTube channel also features workout and exercise videos, and over on Twitter at the time of writing in her last 12 tweets, 4 contained information about her workout regime.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ4hdVYhQPh/
Previously Iskra worked with Almased, a meal drink replacement, appearing as a bride who didn’t fit into her wedding dress. This is an older advert, but Almased uploaded it to their YouTube channel in January and continue to use it to promote their products. While she has since apologised for these adverts on her YouTube channel, the more recent diet plans she published with Self show that her version of body positivity is still incredibly problematic , and isn’t for all bodies. Her focus is on health and being healthy, in a relentless way. Encouraging diet plans can be incredibly triggering and as someone who considers themselves a bopo role model, it’s clear she needs to think more before she participates in diet culture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrl_7NNUCpU&feature=youtu.be
More recently, Iskra is one of the stars of Simply Be’s newest campaign, ‘We Are Curves’. A quick peek at Simply Be’s Facebook page shows that this campaign has created a lot of outrage , because all of the models, including Iskra, are hourglass shaped, and seem to be right at the bottom of Simply Be’s size range, which starts at a UK 12. A quick google tells me that actually, all 3 women featured in the campaign are a size 14 . For a plus size company to use only size 14 models, and to claim that this is a bopo campaign to celebrate curves is letting down the plus size community once again. We are consistently presented with Iskra as an example of a plus size woman who loves herself, but she has a lot of privilege as a white, toned, flat bellied, hourglass figured woman who is a size 14. She doesn’t represent those of us who are fat but don’t have curves, or anyone who is above a size 18, never mind a size 24+. As a plus size community we want to see clothes on bodies that looks like ours , and a lot of us feel that Iskra isn’t that model.
With Iskra’s constant focus on health and exercise, it feels like she believes in body positivity… but only on her terms . There are body positive role models out there who use their voice and privilege to raise up the voices of bigger fats, those who are disabled, the LGBTQIA* community, and people of colour who are so underrepresented in the media. Instead, Iskra seems more focused on her own voice, and her own body type, and her own brand of self-love that comes with terms and conditions. I’m not here for those terms and conditions. Loving yourself is a hard journey, and it doesn’t come with stipulations and rules. If you position yourself as a body positive role model you must be here for all bodies, not just those that fit your own ideals of health and acceptability.
We deserve better bopo icons than Iskra Lawrence, so please do comment and let me know who you feel really deserves that title! Be sure to read my other post on Ashley Graham whilst you’re here.

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Iskra Lawrence reflects on when she was called 'too small'
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Published: 11:43 BST, 1 August 2016 | Updated: 11:44 BST, 1 August 2016
Iskra Lawrence has a huge Instagram following and has secured valuable campaigns thanks to her stunning face and figure.
But there was a time when her physique elicited disdain and even abuse on fashion sets where she was once described as 'a fat model'.
The Worcester-born beauty, 25, told Woman's Health : 'Despite being 5ft 9in with a size 10 waist and a size 14 bottom, I’m a ‘plus size’ model.'
For the September issue of Women's Health curve model Iskra Lawrence shows off her bodacious figure
Before becoming the body-confident campaigner she is today, Iskra started her career as a 'conventional' model.
She said of her frame: 'Before accepting mine when I was 18, I spent four miserable years desperately trying to make my body into what I thought was ‘perfect’.
'I’d begun modelling at 13, but my tall, skinny size 8 frame started developing curves. I cut my daily calories to just 800 and was exercising until I passed out.'
She's previously revealed that she once looked for an operation to reduce the size of her calf muscles as a teen model because she desperately wanted to look like the slender women she idolised in fashion magazines.
Instagram-famous, Lawrence has over 2.4 million followers who like her unfiltered body positivity activism
Though her 2.4 million Instagram followers obsess over her enviable looks, it was difficult for her to break into modelling.
In the past she struggled getting and staying signed to an agency with her her 'hip structure' being cited as a reason to drop her from their books, or plus size agencies complaining she was too small for their clients.
On one shoot, a tactless stylist asked: 'Why is this fat model here?" She recalls.
Luckily, Iskra isn't offended easily, 'Being in the public eye. I’ve had to develop a thick skin – I do get trolled – but I don’t respond'.
I spent four miserable years desperately trying to make my body into what I thought was ‘perfect’. I’d begun modelling at 13, but my tall, skinny size 8 frame started developing curves. I cut my daily calories to just 800 and was exercising until I passed out.' The model has said of her body
But, the Aerie and American Eagle Outfitters face is more at ease with her form now.
Though she still admits: 'We should love our bodies whatever their size, but it’s hard.'
The body positivism activist finds the term 'plus size' grating and is hoping the fashion industry finds a better way of communicating with curvy girls like herself.
She adds that the term 'plus size' model is 'so backwards. It has negative connotations but applies to 60% of women.'
While her social media fame may have brought her an audience looking to celebrate her curves, she still watches what she eats and how active she is.
Actress Gemma Atkinson, who also stars in a bold nude photoshoot for the issue, admits she hasn't always been happy with her body image either, but she has used exercise and a healthy diet to gain confidence
The Emmerdale star posts pictures of her regular workouts for her 151,000 followers on Instagram
Gemma, posting a before and after photo, says that in her early modelling days she never gave nutrition a second thought but now she's careful to regulate her diet and hit the gym for regular workouts
Glee star Lea Michelle strips off for the cover of Women's Health magazine's 'naked issue'
Now living in New York she's embraced elements of the clean eating creed.
She says: 'I developed a healthy lifestyle, having a green juice in the morning (but never calorie counting) and working out three times a week, mainly resistance training, which I still do now.'
And she still insists on presenting her real self on social media: 'I prefer pictures of myself un-retouched; even on Instagram, I rarely use a filter.'
Meanwhile, Emmerdale's Gemma Atkinson, who also stripped for a nude shoot in the magazine, has seen her fit, lean physique become the subject of debate.
The fitness fanatic explains: 'I’ve never been naturally slim, I have to work at it. Luckily when I started Hollyoaks at 15, I never worried about the way I looked.
'In the 2000s, I did a lot of modelling and we were all voluptuous and curvy, rather than stick thin, so my bigger boobs and bigger waist worked in my favour.
'I was clueless about nutrition – on shoots, there would be pasta and fizzy drinks, I would often eat McDonald’s and didn’t think twice about skipping the gym.'
Now a keen gym-goer she does does lots of cardio and initially cut out carbs to slim down. But this had an unexpected side effect.
Former Glee star Lea Michelle also stripped off to star in Women's Health magazine's 'Naked issue'
Thinking back, Gemma said: 'I lost weight very quickly, but it was mostly from my breasts and bum, so I had a breast enlargement to return to a 32DD.
'But in the last three years, I’ve become really interested in nutrition and, since joining Emmerdale 18 months ago, I changed my diet to give me energy for the long hours on set – I get up at 5am and go to bed by 10pm. The key is eating little and often and keeping fuelled.'
The full interviews with Iskra Lawrence and Gemma Atkinson appear in the September 2016 issue of Women’s Health, on sale August 3, 2016
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Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

08:54, Sun, Jun 10, 2018 | UPDATED: 11:31, Sun, Jun 10, 2018

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The British beauty, who is no stranger to scantily clad Instagram snaps, ignited a frenzy amongst her four million followers with a naked clip.
The 27-year-old appeared to be at a fitting when she opted to ditch everything except heels and a trench coat for a saucy upload.
Wearing her blonde tresses down, Iskra Lawrence was seen walking towards the camera in a sultry manner in just a pink look.
But it soon became evident the model was wearing nothing else underneath and she certainly wasn’t afraid to reveal that to those watching.
She looked dangerously close to a nip slip as she went braless in just a pair of towering orange heels.
Iskra at one point simply covered her crotch with her hands proving she was knickerless before turning around and sashaying back.
It was impossible to miss her peachy rear thanks to her outfit’s split at the back, however she seemed far from concerned by her racy offering.
She polished off her attire with minimal make-up and dark nails, while an oblivious assistant could be seen sorting a clothing rail in the background.
Iskra struggled to stay straight faced and burst into laughter at the end of the video.
“Catching feelings Friday,” she simply captioned the post, which was quickly watched more than one million times.
The star was soon inundated with comments, with one user replying: “Oh… Ur soooooooo hot.”(sic)
A second gushed: “Thanks for your consistent enthusiasm and love for the woman who isn't a size 2. Or 6. Or 7.
“Seriously, I love your posts and your self image. I'm working on mine one day at a time. Love you!”
Others went on: “So beautiful,” and: “Thank you for being unfiltered and unapologetic. You are beautiful and you inspire and empower me everyday.”
Just hours earlier, Iskra had clearly been feeling nostalgic for her recent holiday as she showed off her bikini body.
She revealed: “So when I posted this from my #Maldives holiday this @aerie collection wasn’t out yet… soooo I’m happy to announce this style (c
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