Personal trainer and former reality TV star Daniel Holmes has refused to apologize after his recent comments about a plus-sized mannequin sparked outrage.
The 32-year-old came under intense public scrutiny off-screen when he posted an image of a plus-size mannequin in workout gear on his Instagram story.
“Those that say this is empowering are completely delusional. It’s promoting early death. There’s no power in that,” wrote Holmes in the story caption.
The former reality star, known for his appearance in the 2022 season of “Married at First Sight,” posted again on December 5, explaining the meaning of his comment in the wake of the public backlash. He claimed that his post was not about what overweight people wear to the gym but how corporate entities, such as Nike, monetize obesity.
Nike debuted plus-size mannequins at its flagship Niketown London store in June 2019 as part of its “inclusion” efforts. The women’s floor featured a plus-size mannequin in the front dressed in a black sports bra and leggings. It was the same mannequin Holmes shared in his original story.
Holmes allegedly received a multitude of comments and direct messages denouncing him. Comments on a subsequent post of his featured mixed reactions. Some people agreed with him, while others accused him of body shaming. Some brought up his alleged use of steroids.
“Your comments are so simple and illogical. You need to educate yourself on what it means to be inclusive,” wrote one online commenter.
“I’m overweight and have lost and I’m still losing weight and you are absolutely right. The issue here is that we can’t say anything without offending someone. It’s not a good thing to be extremely fat. It’s unhealthy, it’s unnatural and it’s extremely uncomfortable,” wrote another.
Obesity is a very serious problem in the United States, as nearly half the population has developed the condition, which has been linked to diabetes, dementia, osteoarthritis, and cardiovascular disease.
Troubling statistics published by the CDC show that Americans are not doing enough to maintain the healthy lifestyles necessary to avoid putting on dangerous excess weight. Many states, including Texas, are seeing increases in both adult and childhood obesity.
Holmes did not offer an apology for his comments and claimed that his critics took his words out of context.
“The problem is when brands start to cater to this unhealthy body type,” said Holmes in the post. “My concern is where does that lead,” he continued.
Similar sentiments were evoked by the release of the Disney+ animated short “Reflect,” which featured the media company’s first plus-size heroine, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
Holmes edited his post on December 7, explaining that he had been “flamed” by a minority group and needed to get better at voicing his concerns.
“With that said I am aware I need to try a bit better with articulating my words to ensure the point I’m trying to make gets across,” said Holmes.
Living in this extreme “woke” culture, everything one says must be vetted, lest he/she be pilloried with a variety of criticism that include “racism, sexism, homophobia, fat-shaming, etc. What we should all be criticizing is the dangerous attacks on free speech! When one group or entity decides what speech is allowed, and what speech should be outlawed, we have an emerging autocracy.
Although societal norms have been to comment on everyone’s lives around us, I personally feel like we should be less judgemental, myself included. We all have a tendency to judge others whether we are honest about it or not. However, that being said, we are all unique in our own ways and don’t walk in each other’s shoes. I agree with what Daniel said about how obesity is overtaking our society, I don’t agree with HOW he stated his point.
The best we can hope for is to educate, offer assistance, or counsel but ultimately it’s their choice. How many sports players have just dropped dead of a heart attack, people we may have viewed as “outwardly healthy” but not so much on the inside? The mind is a bigger problem for all of us because we may be putting our bodies through the worst possible torture due to unresolved trauma(s).
I myself have lost over 60lbs since 2020 and still have 20lbs to go to get back to a “healthy” weight and size for me prior to my hypothyroidism diagnosis in 2009. It has taken me over a decade to address it as a result of using food to medicate, needing to address the emotional before the physical (not any different than connecting mental dots for females before we commit ourselves physicaically to another), not being able to lose when I was trying only to find out in 2019 that I had very high insulin resistance which is now categorized as Diabetes 3, not to be confused with diabetes 3C, still healing from a trauma bond resulting from my relationship with a Narcissistic mother and my 1st husband’s Narcissistic Abuse.
The bottom line is we aren’t all meant to fit in a pretty little box, or look the same in clothing, behave, think, or feel the same way about the world. We were all created unique for a purpose, find your purpose and be one with it but don’t judge others because they don’t fit that mold or ideal. My new Motto is, educate, elevate, and heal, part of my mission statement for a new Podcast I will be launching for Healing from Narcissistic Abuse and Codependency in 2023. My question to others is, should we not be trying to solve issues with mental health issues, on-going global issues such as war, poverty, homelessness, disease, etc, in lieu of what others may be choosing to do with their own bodies? Food for thought 🤔
One reason people feel they can comment on people around them is the fact that people continue to put their own personal business on a multitude of social media venues.You post a photo of you in skin tight work out attire and you have layers of fat {Lizzo} then you should expect some harsh words.
I don’t see that mannequin as any different than the vulgar way obese people are now dressing in movies, ads and television. Obesity shouldn’t be glorified any more than smoking cigarettes. The country has become WAY too sexualized. It seems like people now think the more nasty and vulgar, the better. This country could do with some modesty. Children wanting to dress vulgar, and their parents letting them. There is something very wrong with this mindset. This country now has pubic hair for brains and turning into Sodom and Gomorrah. The sweetness and purity of life is being destroyed.