A young model has sparked a global conversation with a simple request: make airplane seats wider. The influencer pleads that bodies are changing and hence, airplane seats should be made bigger too. When faced with criticism, the model revealed she has not had any surgeries to enhance her butt and shared old photos.
A viral dilemma.
Gracie Bon, a social media star from Panama, went viral when she shared a video of herself on a plane. It showed her struggling to buckle up in an airplane seat. Her discomfort was evident as she tried to adjust herself in the cramped space. The video struck a chord with many, spreading like wildfire across social media platforms.
She elaborated on her struggle and many resonated with her.
Despite booking first-class tickets, Gracie found no respite. She faced the same issue. The seats were still just too small for her curvaceous figure.
This led her to voice a bold statement. She urged airplanes should have bigger seats. She also argued that it’s not her responsibility to change her body to fit into the seats.
Gracie’s message received both support and criticism.
Gracie’s outspokenness brought mixed reactions. While some applauded her for standing up for plus-sized individuals, others criticized her. They suggested that her body’s proportions were a result of plastic surgery. Gracie stood firm, countering that her physique was natural. She requested that the airline industry adapt to accommodate everyone despite their size.
The model shared her impressive transformation journey.
Putting the negative comments about her having surgery to make her butt bigger to rest, Gracie spoke out. She shared before and after photos of herself. She clarified that she used to weigh 300 lbs (136 kg).
When she was 21 years old, she decided to adopt a healthier lifestyle. She started working out and taking care of herself. She also added that she made such a decision as her weight started affecting her health and led to knee pain and breathing issues.
She admitted to having surgeries on her upper body.
Gracie successfully lost 100 lbs (45 kg). She confesses that to deal with extra skin, she opted for surgery. In fact, she says she had «many» small surgeries to remove the loose skin. Gracie also promotes body positivity and believes that no one body type is superior. We should all feel comfortable in our own skin without giving into beauty standards.
Many people still had various questions. Some asked how she was able to only lose weight in her upper body. Others questioned how her face changed completely. A few also wondered if she edits her photos. Gracie is yet to comment on these concerns.
Another woman made headlines for her surprising transformation. She removed all of her teeth. You can read about it here.
Preview photo credit graciebon / Instagram, graciebon / Instagram, graciebon / Instagram
Donald Trump elected 47th US president
The Republican candidate has won at least 277 Electoral College votes, per The Associated Press.
Donald Trump has been elected to return to the White House as the 47th United States president.
The vote was called for the Republican candidate by The Associated Press news agency early on Wednesday. His victory has been met by international congratulations but is likely to add further uncertainty to a turbulent geopolitical situation.
Results showed Trump beating Vice President Kamala Harris in a race far less tight than expected as he triumphed in key battleground states.
Victory in Wisconsin after earlier triumphs in Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania saw the former president clear the threshold of the 270 Electoral College votes required to clinch the White House in Tuesday’s election.
Trump’s victory in those swing states currently sees him with 277 electoral votes against 224 for Harris. Polls had predicted a much tighter race, but it appears that anger fuelled the Republican’s remarkable comeback from defeat in 2020 and widespread condemnation of his refusal to accept the result.
That refusal sparked a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, and Trump was also convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
However, his campaign, which has seen him demonise his political opponents, immigrants and many minorities, tapped into the frustrations of many voters in a bitterly polarised nation.
Speaking to his supporters as he declared victory, Trump claimed he had won “an unprecedented and powerful mandate”.
Anger and resentment
Scott Lucas, a professor of international politics at the University of Dublin, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s victory stemmed from frustrations that have been bubbling within the US public for years.
“There is anger and resentment in the US, which has been there for quite some time. It’s been a trauma since 9/11. It’s been there with the financial crash in 2008-2009. It was there in 2016 when Trump exploited it, and he exploited it again,” Lucas said, adding that Trump was able to do that because the “political system is damaged”.
Concern over the economy, and inflation in particular, under President Joe Biden was a major focus of the campaign.
That also encouraged opposition to the support Washington is giving to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Meanwhile, the failure to rein in Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon has angered Muslim and liberal voters.
Those complex geopolitical issues will test Trump, who is known for his simplistic claims of being capable of quickly solving such issues.
He has promised to end the war in Ukraine in a day, an idea that has Kyiv wary that it could face pressure to strike a deal to hand over territory to Russia. NATO allies, meanwhile, fear Trump will weaken the alliance’s mutual defence guarantees.
Trump is also a strong supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has boasted he will end the war with Hamas in Gaza in hours.
“Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!” Netanyahu said in a statement after Trump declared victory.
The enthusiasm in Israel also stems from the incoming president’s hawkish approach to Iran, which he is likely to reassert.
China is also braced for a more confrontational relationship with the US under Trump, who is expected to revive staunchly nationalistic trade policies, putting both allies and rivals on edge.
‘Much more dangerous era’
However, at home, supporters will look to Trump to put the focus on the welfare of US citizens while following through on promises to enact an agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government.
That will include plans to launch the largest deportation effort in the nation’s history and use the Department of Justice to punish his enemies.
The result is that “we are going into a much more dangerous era for Americans and for the world because this will not be a coherent US policy for America but one pursued for Trump,” Lucas said.
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