Model Charli Howard says being photographed with ‘rolls’ isn’t brave: ‘It’s just what we look like’

'I know very few women who don’t have ‘rolls’ when they sit down'

(Rex Features)

Model Charli Howard has called out people for describing her as “brave” because she wore a bikini and posed sitting down in a magazine photoshoot.

Howard stars on this month’s cover of Women’s Health and proudly posted a snap from the shoot on Instagram.

“I know very few women who don’t have ‘rolls’ when they sit down, yet we rarely see that in magazines,” the 28-year-old captioned the photo.

“Being shot like this isn’t ‘brave’, it’s just WHAT WE LOOK LIKE!” she added. “And we need to see more of it alongside various other sizes.”

Howard went on to praise the publication for having her as a cover girl “at [her] natural size”.

The model also posted a clip revealing the inside of the magazine, writing “we all deserve to see our body shapes represented on magazine covers.

“And guess what – there ARE girls who go to the gym who DON’T look like they have washboard abs. This one’s for you!”

Howard’s posts have prompted thousands of supportive messages from fans praising her body positivity.

“I think I know maybe one girl in real life who doesn’t have rolls sitting down,” wrote oner person.

“And I slouch when I’m not posing so it’s just natural for the body to bend that way. I like what you said about it not being brave and just being real.”

Another added: “You are amazing, thank you for normalising something that’s... well, normal!”

Howard’s magazine cover comes months after she fronted a lingerie campaign for Agent Provocateur in celebration of Valentine’s Day.

For the campaign, the British model penned a love letter to her own body recalling how hard she was on herself as a child.

“I was never satisfied with what you gave me,” Howard wrote, “I put so much focus on looking perfect on the outside that I forgot about the love you offered me from within.

“And the truth is, Body, you were perfect already – I was just blind to it.”