Fitness instructor Danielle Levy encourages fat shaming obese people because she says it helps them lose weight. Photo / Instagram
Fitness instructor Danielle Levy encourages fat shaming obese people because she says it helps them lose weight. Photo / Instagram
A fitness instructor has been slammed after revealing on a UK TV show that she believes obese people should be fat shamed.
Speaking out on Good Morning Britain, Danielle Levy insisted "being fat is bad" while actor Christopher Biggins appeared alongside her to oppose her opinion, arguing fat shaming is not okay.
The Daily Mail reports the trainer, from Essex, said on the show: "The more we fat shame, the more people would keep their mouths shut and stop overeating."
Fitness instructor Danielle Levy encourages fat shaming obese people because she says it helps them lose weight. Photo / Instagram
On Twitter, viewers revealed their shock over the fitness instructor's opinion.
"Definitely bullying. Fat people know they're fat, they don't need a reminder in the form of a derogatory remark. People will lose weight when they are ready to, positive help is needed," one person said.
"Not all fat people overeat. Some have conditions that make them big. Don't tar everyone with the same brush," said another.
Some started to call out aspects of Levy's appearance: "Personally I don't like Danni Levi's lips. Too much Botox", tweeted one watcher.
Fat shaming is just bullying disguised as concern. Itβs simply not the answer to a complex problem. The opposite of fat shaming is not celebrating obesity either, no one is βcelebratingβ obesity.
Definitely bullying! fat people know that they're fat, they don't need a reminder in the form of a derogatory remark. People will lose weight when they are ready to, positive help is needed, fat-shaming needs to go on the "ist" list.
The conversation on Good Morning Britain was in response to US TV host James Corden saying that fat-shaming makes "people feel ashamed", which then links, "to depression, anxiety and self-destructive behaviour."
Biggins shared that he felt the same way and pointed out that being slim wasn't the only good way to be.
"Here's Danni who's a fitness instructor, gorgeous, a little too thin for me if you ask me, you've got a few bones sticking out," he began with.
Levy was clearly ruffled by the remark. She responded by saying: "This is not an aesthetic debate. This is not about how we look, it's not about big is beautiful, big is not beautiful."
She posts lots of photos online showing off her sculpted physique. Photo / Instagram
She then continued to explain: "Overeating is an addiction that leads to obesity that leads to death. it doesn't matter if being big is beautiful.
"And that is why this fat shaming has become such a taboo. We focus so much on the aesthetic of overeating, rather than the health risk."
Biggins disagreed saying it wouldn't be a good thing if we were all slim.
"I think it would be terribly dull and boring if everybody looked like David Beckham, or a whole world of Dannis," he said.
You say βnormalisingβ - I say accepting someone as they are. Itβs nobodyβs business to decree to a fat person, however well meant, that they arenβt acceptable as they are. I am on several different meds that make me gain weight, I donβt need people giving me their opinions on it
— π π±πΆπππππΎπΈ π»πΎππ½ππππ ππ€π³οΈβπ (@Quannoi) September 16, 2019
"I love going to Las Vegas for a holiday, because in Las Vegas, I'm like Twiggy. You do see people wobbling, whole families wobbling."
Piers Morgan, host of Good Morning Britain chimed in: "We have the worst youth obesity crisis in Europe. We are breeding a bunch of fat couch potato kids.
"The answer is not to tell children everyday how wonderful being super fat is."
Levy backed him up, continuing to say "fat shaming" is a good way to stop people from eating so much.
"I think it does work, we definitely need to do it more. James Corden went on to say, 'That made me go to grab the ice cream from the fridge'.
"You don't say to a smoker, your breath stinks, and they go light up another cigarette.
"The more we fat shame, the more people would keep their mouths shut and stop overeating. Fat shaming encourages people to lose weight."
She didn't stop there: "Should we make it okay to become obese, and to become ill as a result of overeating? Should we embrace this 'big is beautiful' era, because it's 'shaming' not to?"
Host Susanna Reid suggested what Levy was saying could be considered insensitive, then Levy responded, "How? We're pussy-footing around it."
She continued: "We need to say fat is not necessarily ugly. But it's killing you. It's clogging up your arteries, it is bad. Being fat is bad."
Biggins raised that: "A lot of people die though, [from] anorexia, all kinds of things."
Levy quickly defended herself: "Not nearly as many though."
I was fat shamed as a young child and all my life- it 'worked' I am now dying from anorexia. I blame women like that vile Danni woman- hate-speak kills. She's just been shouting on the show 'stopping putting food in your mouth'...no food for me today then.
Viewers have since responded to the segment, with many slamming the personal trainer for being a "bully".
"It's all a mental battle that people need more support with! Fat shaming does not HELP!'" one person said.
No. It just makes people miserable and likely to turn to food for comfort, even though we know it will make us fatter. It's not like we don't know we're fat, or what causes it. Try putting your own house in order instead of minding other people's business.
"Fat shaming is just bullying disguised as concern. It's simply not the answer to a complex problem. The opposite of fat shaming is not celebrating obesity either, no one is 'celebrating' obesity." said another.
