Pin-Thin Gap Model Sparks Twitter Outrage: Is the Internet Skinny-Shaming?

Controversy erupted after a tweet from the clothing retailer

By Alyssa Toomey Aug 07, 2014 5:35 PMTags
Gap ModelTwitter/GAP

While the Internet is no stranger to thigh gap scandals, it seems that retailer the Gap has now found itself immersed in the too-skinny debate.

The popular clothing company has been on the receiving end of criticism as of late after the Gap tweeted a photo of a super-skinny model wearing a pastel plaid dress.

"Dress up your days in pastel plaid. #since1969," read the caption to the pic, which features the pin-thin model.

The image sparked an endless amount of controversy from the Twitterverse, with some users defending the brunette beauty's frame, while others expressed outrage over the controversial shot.

Others, however, jumped to the model's defense and accused the social media world of "skinny-shaming" the starlet.

Following the plethora of critical comments, the model's husband, director Daniel Ralston, weighed in on the skinny scandal and insisted that his wife simply has trouble putting on weight.

Gap has since responded to the controversy via a statement to E! News. "Our intentions have always been to celebrate diversity in our marketing and champion people for who they are," Edie Kissko, Gap Inc. spokesperson said. "Upon reflection, we understand the sensitivity surround this photograph. Customer feedback is important to us and we think this is a valuable conversation to learn from."

It's also worth noting that the retailer's website features a different model sporting the same dress. According to the site, the model is 5-foot-10 inches with a 25-inch waist and is wearing a size small.

Do you think the model is too thin or is society simply skinny-shaming? Hit the comments to weight in!

PHOTOS: Controversial magazine covers