A group of fat-shaming gamers is sparking outrage across the Internet for Photoshopping pictures of plus-size people – including stars and models – to make them look thinner.
Nick Baskins, a leader of the group – which has been in existence for about a week – exclusively told PEOPLE that he and his friends don’t mean to offend. “Our intention is not to harm, oppress, or ‘trigger’ anyone … We get dozens of messages a day talking about how our photos have inspired them to go to the gym and maintain a better lifestyle.”
According to Baskins, Project Harpoon’s mission is to promote “thinner beauty” and “skinny acceptance.” The project’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts show side-by-side photos of plus-sized women (and a few men), with one side showing the original picture and the other featuring the person digitally altered to have a slimmer frame and sometimes narrowed bone structure.
The project, which Baskins says aims to show “both sides of modern-day beauty,” started when its founders met through a video game group and the online message board Reddit. They were dismayed by “transformations” of the game’s heroines, who went from stick-thin to more “realistic” body sizes. Changes like this have “paved the way for many people to renounce exercise and personal healthcare,” says Baskins.
“We are targeting the HAES movement (Healthy at Every Size),” he tells PEOPLE. “We believe that is simply not true, and while we respect any and all individuals, we believe it’s simply wrong to accept being obese as OK.”
Baskins declined to name the others involved in the group and would not reveal his age, where he is from, or release a photo of himself. “There are many people who will try to send me death threats,” he says.
Baskins makes it seem all good intentioned, but you can see form many of the instagram and facebook captions they aren’t always the kindest with the messaging.
Hit the flip to see some examples of their work.
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