Facebook Page Photoshops Women To Look Thinner: ‘Project-Operation Harpoon’ Comes With Controversy
The Facebook page was initially called “Project Harpoon,” and it featured digitally slimmed-down photos of famous folks and regular folks. Also, it came along with some pretty scathing comments about some of the folks featured on the pages. Perhaps that’s why “Project Harpoon” has now become “Operation Harpoon” on Facebook. Whatever the name, the Facebook page is still courting controversy.
As reported by Us Weekly, the Operation Harpoon Facebook page calls itself a #SkinnyAppreciation feed.
Such a hashtag reminds one of the Instagram skinny hashtags that feature anorexic pro-ana photos, or pics from those trying to show others how to recover from eating disorders, as reported by the Inquisitr.
Now that the Project-Operation Harpoon Facebook pages have gone viral, the backlash against them has begun online. The photos of celebrities and plus-sized models have been Photoshopped to make most of the subjects look thinner — a lot skinnier in some instances.
The popular plus-size model Tess Holiday has come against the Facebook pages. She not only criticized the way the Photoshop job made her body appear all out of proportion, but also the method behind the person’s madness who adds mean quips to each Facebook post.
“People that do this kind of stuff will never get it. They need to work on their own issues and why they have so much hate and anger first. It’s disgusting, yes, but I can’t even take them seriously, and no one else should. Honestly, to me, it’s a joke. To Ashley Graham, Melissa McCarthy, and the other poor people who’ve been mangled by these morons, we’ve never looked worse.”
According to People, those who run the “harpoon” pages are pegged as fat shamers, even if one of the group’s leaders doesn’t agree that meanness is the goal. Nick Baskins said that fat-shaming isn’t their intent.
“Our intention is not to harm, oppress, or ‘trigger’ anyone … We get dozens of messages a day talking about how our photos have inspired them to go to the gym and maintain a better lifestyle.”
One photo requests comments, but urges those making comment not to indulge in hate or fat-shaming.
“Which version of this popular celebrity do you like more! NO hate speech or shaming please!”
On Instagram, the project urges others to support their movement and come against obesity by using the #thinnerbeauty hashtag and to direct message their Photoshopped pics to the project. Also, they have an explanation for “harpoon” allegedly not standing for the first thing that comes to mind — but for “healthy and responsible people overcoming obesity.”
[Image via Facebook]
