Influencer claims luxury island rejected her over plus-size photos

Aubery claims she was rejected over her posts featuring plus-size models. Photo / Supplied / Instagram

A French influencer claims she was booted off a media trip after the host withdrew the invitation because of a photo she posted on Instagram.

Louise Aubery, who has more than 240,000 followers on the social media platform, claims she was invited to attend a press trip to L'Île d'Oléron, an island off the west coast of France, with a group of other influencers by the local tourism office.

Ms Aubery, however, never made the luxurious destination because of a photo she posted to Instagram in her lingerie alongside a "curvy" friend holding a body positivity sign.

In an interview with Insider, Ms Aubery alleges her invitation from the tourism office of La Charente Maritime was cancelled because of a post titled "All bodies are good bodies".

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« She does not have a good body » Here is the comment someone saw fit to write on the YouTube video I realized to fight insecurities. Set apart the fact I will never see the point in spreading negativity; I had to speak about this notion of « good » body. ❌ Let’s be clear. « Good » or « bad » is a judgment. You can find that a cake tastes good. Or you can find that a cake tastes bad. Nobody asked you to do this for the human body. A woman’s body is not here to seek YOUR judgment. A woman’s body is not here to satisfy YOUR willingness. The only person a woman’s body needs to please, is herself. For her to feel good. For her to be happy. For her to thrive. And this, every bodies allow it. So yes, all bodies are « good bodies ». Let’s stop ranking them 👊🏼 _____________________________________ « Elle n’a pas le bon corps » Voilà le commentaire qu’une personne a jugé bon de laisser sur la vidéo YouTube que j’ai réalisé contre les complexes. Mis à part le fait que je ne comprendrais jamais quel est l’interêt de répandre de la méchanceté gratuite; il fallait que je prenne la parole sur cette notion de « bon » corps. ❌ Soyons clair. « Bon » ou « mauvais », c’est un jugement. On peut trouver un croissant bon. Ou on peut trouver un croissant mauvais. Personne ne t’as demandé de le faire avec le corps humain. Le corps d’une femme n’est pas là pour recueillir TON jugement. Le corps d’une femme n’est pas là pour satisfaire TON bon vouloir. La seule à qui ce corps doit plaire, c’est à cette femme. Qu’elle soit épanouie. Qu’elle se sente bien. Qu’elle soit heureuse. Et cela, tous les corps le permettent. Alors oui, tous les corps sont des « bons » corps. Arrêtons de les hiérarchiser 👊🏼 . . . #feelgood #bodypositive #bodypositivity #selflove #loveyourself #bbg #tbc #confidence #confianceensoi

A post shared by Louise 🍒 (@mybetterself) on May 19, 2019 at 11:31am PDT

The picture shows the 21-year-old and her friend wearing lingerie and holding up a sign about positive body image.

While the picture may seem harmless, Ms Aubery claims it cost her a trip to the island after she received an email outlining the invitation no longer stood three days after the post.

In an email obtained by Insider, the tourist office of the Charente-Maritime département allegedly wrote "regarding your last Instagram posts, I am sorry to say that our client no longer want you to be a part of that trip".

The influencer posts about travel and body image, but not every client is as open to her message. Photo / Supplied, Instagram

Ms Aubery said she at first "questioned" herself over the post, "felt sad" and "did not see what they (tourism board) were talking about".

"The post was made to help women feel good in their own skin, which is what I fight for on social media," Ms Aubery said, noting the media trip was based on "wellness".

L'Île d'Oléron: Aubery claims the tourism body revoked her invite over the social media images. Photo / Getty Images

"So it had to be because of my friend's shape, and the fact that the client did not want to be associated with it.

"I realised that unfortunately for them, and for many companies in France, 'plus size' cannot be associated with 'wellness'."

Following the email, Ms Aubery says she contacted the other influencers who were set to attend the trip and informed them of what had happened to her.

French influencer Louise Aubery, right, claims she was uninvited from a trip over her the post. Photo / Instagram

In response, Ms Aubery says all of the attendees opted out of the invitation.

"There is a prevailing cowardice in the French industry that just cannot go on — brands do not want to go out on a limb and associate themselves with engaged influencers or celebrities," she said.

"If we do not raise our voice about it, if we do not show that society is tired of this and actually want real people sharing real values and real pictures, the media and advertising landscapes will remain the same.

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Do you know what I love doing to remain motivated & productive ? Setting up small goals every week. Not performance goals. I find it stressful. MOMENTS goals. We live in a world where the emphasis is on results, whether physical or professional - as if it was here that lies the key to happiness. Nope. Yes, results are gratifying. But it boosts your ego more than your happiness. It makes me sad that most of the time, the first question we ask people is « What do you study / do in life ? ». For real, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to ask « What makes you thrive » or « What makes you happy ? » I deeply believe that happiness lies first and foremost in the moments you live. This is why I try to organize every week a little happiness moment - a dinner with friends, a romantic getaway, a good old dance class to blow off some steam. Do you have moments like which bring you happiness ? 💫 ________________________________ Vous savez ce que j’aime faire pour rester motivée et productive ? Me fixer des petits objectifs chaque semaine. Pas des objectifs de performance, non. Je trouve ça anxiogène. Des objectifs de MOMENTS. On vit dans un monde où l’accent est beaucoup mis sur les résultats, que ce soit physiques ou professionnels - comme si c’était là que ce se trouvait la clé du bonheur. Non. Oui, les résultats, c’est gratifiant. Mais ça bombe l’ego plus que le bonheur. Ça me fait de la peine que la première question qu’on pose souvent aux gens c’est « T’étudies quoi / tu travailles dans quoi ? ». Sérieux, ce ne serait pas tellement plus significatif de leur demander s’ils sont épanouis et ce qui les rend heureux ? Je pense sincèrement que le bonheur c’est avant tout des moments passés. Et voilà pourquoi j’essaie d’organiser chaque semaine un petit moment de bonheur - que ce soit un resto avec des copines, un petit week-end en amoureux, un cours de danse où je me défoule. Vous avez des moments ou activités comme ça qui vous apportent beaucoup de bonheur ? 💫 . . #goodvibes #feelinggood #loveyourself #frenchvibes #parisianstyle #lookdujour #travel

A post shared by Louise 🍒 (@mybetterself) on May 16, 2019 at 11:29am PDT

"We want to see women in sizes 34, 38, 44, 52," Ms Aubery wrote on her Instagram story.

"We want to see diversity, reality, non-retouched images.

While Ms Aubery claims the tourism board revoked her invitation because of her body post, in 2017, six countries including France, Spain and Israel banned the use of "dangerously skinny" models.

We want the authintic: The social media star posts about positive body image. Photo / Supplied, Instagram.com

Following the ban, models working in France must present a medical certificate proving they are fit to work, which is calculated based on their body mass index, age and body shape.

The tourism office of La Charente Maritime was contacted for comment.