Two of Ireland’s top models, Holly Carpenter and Thalia Heffernan have slammed the recent Miss Bikini Ireland topless photoshoot.
The internet went into overdrive when the beauty pageant hopefuls stripped off on Dublin’s Harcourt Street with the aim of promoting breast cancer awareness, but many think it was the wrong way to do it.
“I think there’s a lot of really good campaigns for breast cancer awareness out there and I don’t see how this is going to do anything,” Holly said.
Topless: The Miss Bikini Ireland girls stripped off for a photoshoot | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I don’t think the girls should have been put in that position.”
The former Miss Ireland wants aspiring models to know that they can say no to things they’re uncomfortable with.
“Obviously they were asked, or told, to take off their tops and I think when you start modelling you don’t realise that you can no say to things,” she explained.
“They’re probably just trying to get a feel for what the industry is like, but I just think people are laughing at them now and I feel bad for the girls.”
Not a fan: Holly and Thalia are not fond of the controversial pics | VIPIRELAND.COM
“People might say I’m a hypocrite because I did the bikini thing once when I was in the running for Miss Ireland, but at least we had our bikini tops on.”
Meanwhile, Thalia has admitted that she thinks all those involved in the shoot should be “ashamed of themselves”.
“The only awareness this is spreading is that objectification is still very much a huge thing in this country and anyone who was involved in the making of this should be ashamed of themselves for using these images to get publicity,” she said.
Slammed: Thalia thinks those involved in the shoot should be ashamed of themselves | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I feel so sorry for these girls, I don’t think people realise how wrong this is.”
“If it was for breast cancer awareness they should have used a survivor with a story, shot in an appropriate manner,” she told The Herald.
