Nicole Arbour is back with a follow-up to her controversial “Dear Fat People” video, this time calling out Sports Illustrated’s inclusion of a plus-size model in its swimsuit edition.
Arbour caused public outrage with her first video last September, reportedly losing a job over the video and eventually claiming it was all a marketing ploy after it racked up more than 10 million views.
“Dear Fat People 2: The Second Helping” launches into a litany of things Arbour thinks are wrong right now; she snipes at the transgender community, vegans, and feminists off the bat before honing in on body image by attacking the inclusion of model Ashley Graham in this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
“Sports Illustrated swimsuit models are the mecca of physical perfection when it comes to modeling,” Arbour says in the clip. “Clearly Sports Illustrated put her in because it would cause a controversy.
“All the other models have to be in top shape, but she doesn’t,” Arbour continues. “If any of the other models showed up looking like her, they’d be fired.”
For emphasis, Arbour repeatedly cuts between her own rant and the Louisiana authorities shaming a local gang in their own viral video. Arbour’s argument boils down to the argument that Graham is using Photoshop and cashing in on her plus-size identity.
“The truth is, if she worked out a little bit more she wouldn’t be plus-sized anymore, so she couldn’t sell things to plus-sized women who’ve made her their hero,” said Arbour. “She’s not representing women, she’s representing her bank account.”
Arbour also complains about Barbie‘s revamp to include different shapes and sizes, then closes the video by saying “all the ladies featured are gorgeous, I’m just very concerned PC is taking over.”
Graham hasn’t directly responded to Arbour, but did post an Instagram video of herself working out, with Beyoncé’s “Formation” playing, specifically the lyrics, “I dream it, I work hard, I grind ’til I own it/I twirl on them haters.”
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Screengrab via Nicole Arbour/YouTube