Elizabeth Anne Holland, 21, from Hull, claims a top modelling agency told her to ‘shrink’ despite the fact she’s 5ft 9in, and a size eight. She was asked to lose weight all over if she wanted to be successful.
Elizabeth was first scouted when she was just 16-years-old and now admits that the pressure of the industry drove her to despair.
At its worst she has been left contemplating suicide at times.
She has started posting about the realities of the industry she has been working in. This particular post has been shared 700 times in recent weeks:
Posting her experience on Facebook alongside photos of her thin physique, Elizabeth said: “They told me my hip measurements were too big and I needed to shrink overall.”
“I’m 5ft 9in, nearly 5ft 10in, size eight… And they wanted me to be smaller? Unfortunately I fell for it, I’ve been one of those girls who are told they are not thin enough. Not good enough.”
“I was never good enough for being me. This has driven me to have an unhealthy relationship with food and depression.”
“It’s stripped me of my self-esteem and confidence. It affects my family, relationships, work. They made me feel so bad that I don’t feel good enough for anything or anybody around me, and contemplated taking my own life at my worst.”
Elizabeth has also shared that her diet became very extreme.
She mostly survived on eating small amounts of food, like nuts and seeds, no fruit and juices. She was also at the gym every day and permitted herself to snack on tomatoes.
Elizabeth was scouted again by another top agency earlier this year after starting to make strides in her recovery from her eating disorder and depression.
However, the new agency she was with also told her that she was too big.
Elizabeth was hit with one of her worst relapses ever.
“I’ve got to the point where I don’t feel like I deserve to eat sometimes, there’s no point in me being around because I’m such a burden.”
“When I feel really bad, I’ll just eat carrots or when I try to eat normal, it will make me feel extremely guilty. I’ve even tried smoking to see if it cuts my appetite. I cry way too much.”
Her mother, Jayne Moss, has now written to a government inquiry about the issue.
When asked why she puts herself through it Elizabeth bluntly states: “The fact is, I get reeled in, made to feel good, but then smacked right down again.”
“I would love to still do modelling, but the price I am paying for feeling fat and and worthless, I’m not sure it’s worth it anymore. If I could do it as me, that would be amazing, I’d love to be an example to girls everywhere.”
“Those girls you see on social media, with their perfectly toned tummy, round hips skinny thighs, pearly white teeth, long glossy hair holding a burger captioned with #carbsfordays – yeah, it’s NOT real.”
“I’ve seen too many stories about how these girls are actually so unhappy with their lives, it’s heartbreaking.”
Stories of young models burning out from the industry and social media anxiety seems to be a recurring issue.
It sucks that someone can’t feel good about simply doing what they love, and what they want to do. Perhaps, like any workplace, if someone there makes you feel like shit just get out and don’t look back. I hope Elizabeth finds a healthy balance and good people to help her do what she loves!
Her Instagram account is 100% hers to control, so I hope she goes forth to conquer in that space.
