Urban Outfitters has gotten a lot of flack for posting and selling a shirt with the words “EAT LESS” scrawled on a skinny v-neck T sported by a traditionally rail thin UO model, and now fashionista and actress of One Tree Hill, Sophia Bush has publicly decried the retailer for its seeming encouragement of unhealthy body image.

Taking to her blog, she slammed the retailer:

I have been a supporter of your store for many years, but now I’m through…

To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you…

She then said she would encourage her many supporters to boycott the store as well.

She went on to demand that the company issue a public apology and donate a hefty sum to an organization which aids women with eating disorders in penance.

I am sickened that anyone, on any board, in your gigantic company would have voted ‘yes’ on such a thing, let alone enough of you to manufacture an item with such a hurtful message. It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun.

She ended the open letter to UO with “with Sincerity but NO respect.” And to that I say, “Amen,” and “thank you.”

Her character on One Tree Hill is a fashion designer who started a campaign called “Zero is Not a Size,” which prompted thousands of fans to reach out to Bush and the TV show, showering them with gratitude for a healthy, body-image awareness message. For someone to whom fashion is so important, it seems this message is a weighty one (pun not intended).

And it’s about time someone stood up against these companies. It’s one thing to see it on the runway, quite another when that hurtful, unhealthy message is retailed to the masses through inexpensive fashion markets.

I unsubscribed from Urban Outfitters catalog and mailing list this week, and, due to their only importing from China and the degeneration in quality, I have not shopped at UO in over a year. I’m absolutely happy to extend that indefinitely.

I encourage you to do the same.

Source: All Headline News, Anthony Jones, SophiaBush.com
Photo Sources: Urban Outfitters, Starpulse.com

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