Erin Marley Klay, a 24-year-old plus-size model and content creator, is no stranger to the spotlight — but her latest viral moment came with a wave of vitriol. After posting a series of beachside bikini photos on July 8 to X (formerly Twitter), Klay found herself at the center of a heated online firestorm, with the post garnering over 75 million views — and an onslaught of body-shaming comments.
“The discourse has been absolutely unhinged,” Klay told PEOPLE. “Some of it was so crude and mean-spirited, it was hard to believe it was about a photo of someone simply existing in their body at the beach.”
But the Los Angeles-based influencer, who’s been sharing swimsuit content online since she was a teenager, isn’t folding under the pressure. Instead, she’s responding with resilience, grace, and defiance.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve gone viral for my body,” she said, recalling a similar incident when she was just 18. “Back then, I laid low and let it blow over. I didn’t have the tools to cope with that kind of attention. But I’ve come full circle — this time, I chose to lead with light and positivity.”
Rather than let the hate drown her out, Klay used the moment to encourage self-love. In a thread of follow-up posts, she reminded her followers: “Don’t let society’s warped standards of beauty keep you from living your life. Anyone projecting hate is just revealing their own misery.”
She continued, “No one filled with love and confidence spends their time tearing someone else down on the internet. Wear the bikini. Go to the pool. Live your damn life.”
Despite the initial backlash, the response hasn’t been all negative. Klay says she’s been flooded with messages of support — especially from women who thanked her for modeling confidence in a world that often shames bigger bodies.
“What truly mattered were the messages from women telling me that seeing me confident in my visibly plus-size body made them feel seen,” Klay said. “That meant everything.”
Instead of wasting energy on hateful trolls, she focused her energy on uplifting others. “Most of the hateful comments came from men who would never have the courage to say these things in person,” she pointed out. “Online hate lives in a vacuum — in real life, no one is looking at me sideways on the beach. At most, they keep their thoughts to themselves. And that’s fine.”
Klay began modeling professionally at 21 after being scouted on Instagram by Zion Models. Since then, she’s worked with major brands like SKIMS, Nordstrom, Selkie, Wet n Wild, and House of CB.
But breaking into the fashion industry hasn’t come without its obstacles.
“I think the hardest part was dealing with my own insecurities,” she admits. “I didn’t feel like I deserved to take up space in those rooms. I’d talk myself out of wearing certain outfits or even going to events.”
And while her confidence has grown, Klay is honest about the uphill battles that remain. “Even now, agencies tell you flat-out that ‘big girls aren’t booking well,’ or brands will quietly pull plus sizes from their lines. The fatphobia in this industry is deep.”
But instead of backing down, she’s doubling down on visibility and activism.
“It’s not a crime to look the way you do. You’re allowed to exist — proudly — in your body. You don’t need to shrink yourself to fit someone else’s comfort.”
Klay sees her role in media not just as a model but as a disruptor: “Plus-size bodies are not a trend. We’ve always been here. No matter what diet culture throws at us, we’re not going anywhere. We deserve to be seen in the shows we watch, the ads we scroll past, the magazines we read.”
And to her critics? She has a message.
“I plan on being in your face whether you like it or not. If I have to take a thousand jabs to move the needle on representation — I’ll take them. Gladly. I’m strong enough. And I’m not going anywhere.”
