Dove partners with controversial BLM activist for 'fat liberation' initiative, sparking outrage

WASHINGTON (TND) — Personal care brand Dove is partnering with a Black Lives Matter activist who allegedly wrongfully attempted to get a White college student expelled for its new "fat liberation" initiative.

Dove is working to outlaw “body size discrimination” in the U.S., something it believes should be a crime in all 50 states. In the brand’s announcement of the partnership, it explained that the new initiative focuses on education and advocacy efforts to abolish bias.

“Everyone deserves care, love and respect – at every size – yet body size discrimination is legal in 48 US states,” the brand wrote. “Join us to make body size discrimination illegal in the US.”

Involved in the effort are the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) and Fat Legal, Advocacy, Rights and Education Project (FLARE) Project, as well as Black plus-size influencer Zyahna Bryant.

The partnership with Bryant sparked outrage on social media, with some claiming the activist, who attended the University of Virginia, previously "destroyed" the reputation of classmate Morgan Bettinger. In 2020, Bryant allegedly falsely accused Bettinger, who is White, of making racist remarks at a BLM protest. Bryant then allegedly attempted to get Bettinger removed from the university.

Bryant reportedly later acknowledged that she may have misheard Bettinger's remarks.

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Bryant was also involved with the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Virginia in 2021.

The announcement of the partnership even gained the attention of X owner Elon Musk, who called it "messed up."

In an Instagram video discussing the partnership, Bryant explained that the topic of "fat liberation" is one that deserves more attention in the public forum.

“Fat liberation is something we should all be talking about!” she captioned the video. “That’s why I am partnering with Dove, to support the work of @naafaofficial , @flareforjustice in the Campaign for Size Freedom. Tell us what Fat Liberation means to you using the hashtag #sizefreedom and tagging @dove to share your story.”

Bryant also noted that the movement seeks to emphasize the way overweight people experience daily life.

“When I think about what fat liberation looks like to me, it looks like centering the voices and the experiences of those who live in and maneuver through spaces and institutions in a fat body,” she said.

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In a report on size discrimination, Dove wrote that “living in a larger body is a reality for the majority of people in the US.” It also noted that women, particularly those of color, are at an increased risk for body size discrimination.

The company backed up its claims, citing research from NAAFA which found considerable “fat bias” in the news.

Michigan and Washington already support body size discrimination laws at the state level, and the topic is supported locally in New York City and Washington D.C.

Dove and Bryant did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The National Desk Thursday.

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