Plus-size model Sonny Turner says she wore 'special padding' to make herself look bigger

'Even within the plus-size industry there's still pressure to look a certain way'

Turner is a vocal advocate for the body positivity movement ((Credit too long, see caption))

A UK size 16 model has revealed that she faces intense pressures with regards to her weight in the plus-size sector saying “you can be fat but not too fat”.

Sonny Turner, 20, claimed that despite efforts to be more inclusive, the fashion industry remains rife with discrimination.

“Even within the plus-size industry there’s still pressure to look a certain way, and a preference to be hourglass,” the Birmingham-born student explained.

“You can be plus-size, but you’ve still got to have a flat stomach.

“It’s annoying because plus-size is supposed to mean being whatever size you are – but within that, there are still restraints.”

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Turner went on to address the misguided belief that plus-size models such as herself must be unfit.

“I’ve still got to be cautious and watch what I eat, and I still have to go to the gym,” she said.

“I think the misconception is that we’re all unhealthy but if I was, I wouldn’t be able to do this job.”

The young model, who is signed to Milk Model Management, was scouted on Instagram by Milk’s founder, Anna Shillinglaw. At the time, she was a UK size 12.

“What happened to me when I first signed to Milk, I was definitely not plus-size, but I was not skinny enough to be a straight-sized model [either],” she explained before revealing that she had to wear special padding on her body to make herself look bigger when she was shooting for plus-size brands.

“There was no in-between sort of model then – you were either a size six or a 16. Whereas now, I feel like there’s more of a place in the industry to be whatever size you want to be.”

Turner has more than 293,000 followers on Instagram and is a vocal advocate for the body positivity movement.

In a recent post, the 20-year-old poses in her underwear alongside a caption urging girls not to “shrink themselves”.

“Take up space my queens,” she wrote.

“Don’t be insecure if ur the fattest in the room or the biggest in your friendship group. Don’t feel as though he’d fancy you more if your were smaller.

“Don’t be afraid to accept and show your podgy stomachs or big thighs or stretch marks [...] We will not allow them to starve us, control us, distract us from what’s really important, or destroy our self esteem anymore.”