Yahoo News Jameela Jamil has Twitter row with Victoria's Secret model Sara Sampaio
Jameela Jamil and Victoria's Secret Angel Sara Sampaio had a heated exchange on Twitter today after comments by Jamil about a fashion show were attacked by the model.
Jamil was criticised by Sampaio after sharing a clip from Vienna Fashion Week in 2018 and writing, "Oh my god, this looks like the most fun, and not a long-starved terrified teenager in sight. Beautiful."
But Sampaio, who has modelled for Victoria's Secret, quickly picked up on her tweet.
"How about celebrating someone without bringing other people down?" she replied, "Calling runway models 'long-starved terrified teenager' is extremely offensive. From someone that is always preaching for body positivity this just screams hypocrisy."
I didn’t say all models in my tweet so try to calm down. But I will say there is a *vast* majority issue with young girls starving themselves, and using drugs and cocaine to control their weight, to meet the very small sample sizes. If you don’t see that, then you are in a bubble https://t.co/K3DkuRmIG7
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil)
Jamil responded by telling Sampaio to "try to calm down" and cited the "vast majority issue with young girls starving themselves, and using drugs and cocaine to control their weight."
She added, "I also don’t preach 'body positivity.' I talk about moving away from all talk of body, in order to combat our current pervasive issue of eating disorder culture, which is in NO small way perpetuated by the extreme thinness demanded of girls by the high fashion powers that be."
Sara Sampaio is a successful Portugese model who has worked with brands including Giorgio Armani and Sports Illustrated. She has also walked several times in the Victoria's Secret fashion show.
In a series of tweets she disputed Jamil's claim that many models starve themselves or use drugs to maintain their weight.
You didn’t say all models, sure, but you still chose to attack girls just so you can celebrate others. Eating disorders, drugs and cocaine use aren’t a exclusive problem of models, it’s a huge problem is society as a whole. And when you talk like you know for sure majority of https://t.co/4hAIf379WP
— Sara Sampaio (@SaraSampaio)
Have eating disorders and drug problems, when that’s not the case. And about modeling I can for sure talk with more certainty than you. Sure that happens but it’s for sure not a vast majority. The point of my tweet though, wasn’t that one! And you know!
— Sara Sampaio (@SaraSampaio)
I can say for a fact, while some girls unfortunately might do drugs the majority actually doesn’t!
— Sara Sampaio (@SaraSampaio)
Jamil later responded to dispute Sampaio's claim that she had used derogatory words.
“Long starved” and “terrified” aren’t derogatory words Sara. Chill out. And mentioning that a lot of them use drugs and smoking to maintain a Low weight is fact, not a diss of any kind... we are at an epidemic of eating disorders in the world. There is a problem here. 🤷🏽♀️
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil)
I think you’re using your platform to defend something that is overwhelmingly negative for girls. That’s the only thing that is clear to me. Find a better cause to fight for, because this ain’t it. You can do more than this, you’re smart. Help girls, don’t normalize this. https://t.co/14YIP7Av9q
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil)
Since launching her 'I Weigh' campaign Jamil has been vocal in her criticism of people and companies who promote weight loss. She has previously called the Kardashians "double agents for the patriarchy" for their promotion of diet products and body make-up.
Supermodels, and other people benefitting of a predominantly racist, fat-phobic industry that preys on children because they’re easier to manipulate into maintaining low calorie diets... when I call out the blatant problematic evils of this industry be like... pic.twitter.com/DCTygAqgu9
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil)
She added to Sampaio, "Don’t police how I choose to celebrate something or call out something problematic. I was celebrating that it’s a refreshing change, compared to the toxic fashion show norm. I’m an activist. My words aren’t cute, or easy, or inoffensive. Change doesn’t come from being polite."
