Canadian model Lauren Chan defends latest swimsuit photo: 'SI Swimsuit is for women'

Canadian model Lauren Chan is calling out critics of her recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearance. The body positivity advocate took to social media to address a comment made on an image from her return to the magazine this month, where she can be seen on a Bermudan beach wearing an off-white lace two-piece swimsuit from PQ Swim.

The Brantford, Ont.-born model shared a screenshot an Instagram user named Caiser Hogan left on a photo she posted. The person's comment read, "Who are they even doing this for anymore? Women?? This makes zero sense."

Within the screenshot, Chan shared her thoughts, saying this "is exactly why I show up in this space with my full chest." She added the magazine is for women, representation and inspiration, rather than "an objectifying catalogue of fantasy for patriarchal pawns." One the second photo of her post, Chan quipped "wait 'til he finds out I'm a lesbian."

In the caption of her post, the model expressed how the comment "struck a chord with me" and that she's leaving the post up for everyone to see.

"The inclusion of myself and other folks that represent minorities in SI Swimsuit signifies an evolution in how women are allowed to exist in this society and which women deserve respect," Chan penned in her caption. "This man is insinuating that because I am a size 14, Asian and Middle Eastern, a lesbian, etc., that I am unattractive to him individually and that therefore no man, based on the patriarchal beauty standard, could deem me worthy of being in this publication."

Chan further explained the magazine's purpose, sharing how it's a "rewriting of the beauty ideal through the female gaze," and that every woman should see herself reflected in the pages.

"It is not an outdated, objectifying catalogue of fantasy for patriarchal pawns. If that makes men feel irrelevant and angry enough to throw a tantrum in my comments ... I see no issue publicly and permanently addressing them," she said.

She ended the post by writing she believes in the magazine's mission "with [her] whole heart" and declaring that "SI Swimsuit 2025 is for the girls."

The post received thousands of likes and hundreds of comments of support.

"Omg, wait until the men find out we just wanna live our lives and love seeing other women do the same. The horror," wrote Canadian influencer Sarah Nicole Landry.

"Bravo!! I wish you and this whole attitude had existed when I was in high school and college. So happy for the representation now," wrote another commenter.

"Say it louder for the people in the back, never stop speaking up," another person wrote.

Chan first made her debut with SI Swimsuit in 2023, and made history as the first openly queer, plus-sized model in the magazine. She has spoken in the past about receiving negative comments online and dealing with "trolls."

Last year, she addressed her audience in a video posted to Instagram to share how she's able to move on from hateful comments. She shared her theory behind the behaviour is that "most people think, act and believe exactly what they're told. And in this society those tellings are patriarchal, capitalist and Christian."

Chan speculated that the angry comments she gets come from seeing someone who defies these societal norms succeed, as she did with her SI Swimsuit feature, saying she's now able to "digest" their comments and "not take it personally."

She's also spoken about getting over the "male gaze." In a 2024 interview with "The Confident Collective" podcast, Chan said the "best thing" she ever did for her body confidence was to come out, because along the way, she "ditched the male gaze."

"Now that I don't perform for men and I don't try to show up physically as what I've been taught by culture men want women to look like ... I feel free," she said at the time.

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