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TikToker Alicia Mccarvell came under intense scrutiny for posting a cute video of her and her husband, Scott Mccarvell, getting dressed for a wedding, a common trend on TikTok.
Her TikTok became viral, but not for the reasons she intended.
She was following the transition video trend on TikTok
Mccarvell, who has been married to her husband Scott for five years, was using the app the same way other couples do.
She wanted to make her own fun transition video, where couples "switch" into formal wear.
A slew of negative comments
After she posted, she began noticing negative comment after negative comment; all focused on her appearance versus her husband's.
Many comments centered around speculation on why the couple was together, other than genuine love.
It's not the first time she's had to deal with these trolls
Unfortunately Alicia's had to fend off the toxic troll brigade on TikTok before. Hats off to her because she addresses this BS in such a funny and insightful way.
Just like her other responses, Alicia took to the platform to address the influx of rude comments she was receiving.
She couldn't stay quiet
Mccarvell couldn't stay quiet after having to witness her notifications filled with utter negativity, fatphobia, and fat-shaming.
So she made another TikTok video in response to the haters.
Not fitting the beauty standards
In her response video, Mccarvell points out that the video went viral because "by beauty standards, we don't make sense."
She said, "The world looks at us and immediately values Scott more than me".
But why is all of this only skin deep?
In an older TikTok Alicia posted a photo of herself from a bikini competition, and says she's "learned what I deserve and who I am in the process".
All of this superficial focus on how she looks versus how her husband does is honestly sad.
Her husband faced negative comments
Her husband Scott, a fitness lover, into bodybuilding and weightlifting, has similarly been the target of negative comments.
These commenters are speculating that he's gay or that he's with his wife because she's rich.
People don't understand why they're together
Mccarvell is a strong advocate for body positivity and speaks out against the negativity by saying, "We've been made to believe that somebody who is physically fit like Scott could never in a million years be in love with or compatible with a fat woman."
"And that's solely because the world has literally taught us that we have to value our worth [based] on our bodies."
Someone DMed her husband
Mccarvell also revealed that a woman even had the nerve to DM her husband.
The woman told him that he should be with someone who looks like her-- that is, someone thin.
She refuses to base her worth on looks
But Mccarvell fired back, saying "Me telling myself for the majority of our relationship that I'm not worthy of his love because of my body is the exact same thing as this thin woman telling him that she is worthy of him because of her body."
The conversation kept going.
But haters really don't give up
In an unrelated TikTok, Alicia jokes about getting harassed on the app and having to block people. Only for them to create a new account and come back.
Alicia got plenty of hateful DMs and comments over the situation, but she never gave up on making her point.
Values don't align with physical beauty
She went on to say that people tend to slide into her husband's DMs leading with their body and physical appearance.
But she knows her husband doesn't value those things because he "[knows] that people's values don't lie in how well their bodies fit into society's trash beauty standards."
Love is not based on looks
Mccarvell reiterates that "[my husband] values my humor, and my commitment and my caring heart."
She says, "And none of these things that he values about me change if my body changes."
Nothing new
But Mccarvell had been facing these kinds of comments before the transition TikTok posted last month.
These kinds of comments riddle posts of her and her husband together.
"See how fat people are treated regularly"
Alicia states, "Some of you don't experience this and I think it's important for you to see how fat people are treated regularly."
She's right that so many people still jump to horrible words and actions when talking about or to larger people. It's sad how immediate and visceral the reactions are.
Don't ignore the haters
And Mccarvell's response is to always speak out and take a stand against these commentators.
She cannot ignore people who perpetuate negative body image attitudes about measuring one's self-worth on their physical appearance.
Together for 14 years
What her followers might not know is that Mccarvell and her husband hail from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and have been together for over 14 years.
They first met in high school when they were just 15 years old.
A super supportive husband
Mccarvell's husband made his own Instagram post in response to the comments he and his wife have received.
In the post, he affirms his love for her and how proud he is of her success as an influencer and for standing up against bullies.
"People say it's staged"
It's so sad how people so quickly jump to think their relationship is fake. Scott had the perfect response.
"Recently, I've read a lot of comments about the way I look at you. People say it’s staged now, but the truth is it’s always been that way. You’re my favourite view, and you always will be. Our lives have changed drastically in the past 3 years, and we’ve been privileged to see some amazing sights. Looking into your eyes will always be my favourite."
Millions have heard her message
The original transition video has since received over 40 million views, with Mccarvell's response TikTok receiving 23 million views.
People using the platform commended her for speaking out against the fatphobic comments that pervaded her original transition video.
A true influencer
Mccarvell's message of body positivity has helped her become a successful influencer on social media.
She's done brand collabs with Cetaphil Canada, La Roche Posay, Dove, and most recently Tim Hortons.
TikTok famous
Mccarvell's TikTok page now has over 5 million subscribers, while her Instagram has over 800,000 followers.
While her transition video didn't get the response that she initially thought, it turned into a much bigger conversation that she was happy to be a part of.
Her weight used to affect her relationship
Mccarvell has been open about going years without taking photos with loved ones, rejecting her husband, and not going to the beach.
All actions pushed by the feeling that she didn't deserve to enjoy life because of her weight.
She learned how to be happy in her skin
But she has since become an unofficial spokeswoman for body positivity, responding to her haters, and regularly making posts reminding her viewers that they are loved.
She also offers advice on encouraging a healthy relationship with eating.
Sharing a message of love and body positivity
Today, Alicia and Scott Mccarvell enjoy working as influencers on social media.
They're spreading messages of love, being an example of a healthy and supportive relationship, and how to move away from using physical appearance as a measure of worth.