Toronto clinic accused of fat-shaming customers in email blast
A well-reputed Toronto medispa with multiple locations across the city is being accused of using insensitive imagery (a pig in lingerie) to promote discounted "body contouring" services.
Like most cosmetic facilities of its ilk, Bellair Laser Clinic had been pushing a whole host of promotions for botox, filler and the like to clients ahead of Valentine's Day.
One patron who wishes to remain anonymous told blogTO that she was "beyond disgusted" to find one such promotional email from Bellair's Yorkville clinic in her inbox this afternoon.
"I received a horrifying fat shaming Valentine's email from Bellair Laser clinic," she said when sharing the email. "Baffled as to how someone thought it was okay to send out."
The email in question, sent out at 1:49 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2023, contains a subject line reading: "You'll want to check out this Valentine's sale."
At the top of the message can be found a photo of a toy pig with false eyelashes in sexy underwear.
"When your lingerie says Victoria's Secret but your body says McDonald's," reads a text overlay on the image, suggesting that overweight women in lingerie look like pigs — and not only pigs, but pigs in police hats.
"EMSCULPT NOW 55% OFF," screams the email. "BYE BYE FAT."
According to Bellair Laser Clinic's website, Emsculpt is an "FDA authorized/cleared for improvement of abdominal tone, strengthening of the abdominal muscles, development of firmer abdomen."
The treatment uses electromagnetic technology to "induce muscle contractions not achievable through voluntary contractions," eventually improving the appearance of stomachs and butts.
Bellair Laser Group has yet to respond to a request for comment regarding the email blast and reaction to it, but as one upset recipient of the email told blogto: "It's pretty brutal. It's just really wrong and I think they should be held accountable. "
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