- TikToker Mikaela Testa filmed her "first meal in 48 hours" after another influencer called her "fat."
- The clip of Kerri Gribble's "body-shaming" comments led to widespread backlash.
Australian influencer Mikaela Testa shared a video of herself eating her "first meal in 48 hours" to "show how badly one comment can affect someone" after another OnlyFans influencer, Kerri Gribble, said Testa looked "fat in person" in a since-expired Snapchat video. The clip caused widespread accusations from users that Gribble was "body-shaming" Testa.
"I have not left the house in a week since that comment was made because I just don't like what I look like and I don't want to be seen by anyone," Testa told viewers in a December 17 video.
"I struggled with an eating disorder between the ages of 16 to 21 and it was one of the reasons why I got my surgery because I thought it would fix whatever was wrong with my brain," the influencer explained.
@mikaelatesta ♬ original sound - Mikaela Testa
"Literally the last thing that I wanted was for this to be resurfaced and brought back because I don't know how to fix it."
"Because I keep it real online, or I try my best, I wanted to show you guys how badly one comment can affect someone. This is my first meal in 48 hours."
Testa, who said she has a "really good support system" at the moment, invited others who may be "struggling to eat" right now to eat with her, a supportive action also commonly demonstrated by TikTok creators such as Jen Curley, who has filmed herself eating "fear foods" submitted by her followers in an effort to help normalize them.
"Let's have a meal together," Testa told viewers before opening up boxes of pizza and biting into a slice.
"I don't know why I let this comment get to me," Testa continued. "I think it's because she was my friend."
In the December 8 clip that has since been reuploaded by other social media users, Gribble said "Mikaela Testa is fat in person, social media is fake."
The same day, Testa appeared to respond to Gribble's comments in a TikTok, filming herself with an on-screen caption that read: "A girl I met at an event called me fat on her snap story hours later, if she thinks this is what 'fat' is, I'm concerned."
@mikaelatestacle ♬ original sound - ur cute jeans
Commenters responded to Gribble's comments in disbelief and anger: "What kind of world are we fucking living in, where people say shit like this?" said one user who had reposted the clip. Many users, like Jamie Lee King, also called for White Fox Boutique, a store Gribble was affiliated with, to stop working with the influencer.
The boutique commented under King's post, as Insider's Charissa Cheong previously reported, to say that she was "no longer an affiliate of the brand," which the brand also confirmed in a statement to News.com.au.
According to a since-expired social media statement screenshotted by the Daily Mail, Gribble wrote that she doesn't think Testa is "fat," and that she also doesn't see the word as an insult.
"I'm not going to sit here and beat myself up about saying something bad about someone, as I'm human, we all do it with our friends, and there's always more to a story!" the influencer wrote, according to the Daily Mail.
Underneath her December 17 video, Testa commented: "Either way, Kerri has apologized, and although I'm not really too accepting of the apology itself, we can move forward, and I forgive her."
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder in the US, you can call NEDA's Helpline (1-800-931-2237) or email info@nationaleatingdisorders.org on weekdays for support, resources, and information about treatment options. In crisis situations, NEDA offers 24/7 support — just text "NEDA" to 741-741.