Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model denied entry to LA club because of her SIZE

Two plus-size models have hit back at a Los Angeles club after they were allegedly denied entry by the bouncer because they are curvy. 

Ella Halikas, 25, and Alexa Jay, 24, detailed their experience in a now-viral TikTok video last Friday, saying they were discriminated against at The Highlight Room in Hollywood. 

‘This story isn’t really even about me or The Highlight Room. Like, yes, I want an apology, but it’s so much bigger than that. This is about all the girls who don’t have a voice,’ Halikas told NBC News. 

‘Even as a Sports Illustrated model myself, I could not get let into a club because I’m a size 14. That shook me to my core.’ 

In the video, which has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, Jay explained that she had been invited to The Highlight Room for her friend’s birthday and was waiting in line with about 15 other guests when she ran into Halikas. 

‘The promoter starts letting in the whole group of girls, and right when it gets to me, the bouncer puts the rope in front, looks me up and down, and says, “Yeah, not tonight,”‘ she recalled. 

Jay thought he might be confused and pointed out that she was a part of the group that he was letting in, but he allegedly looked her up and down a second time and repeated, “Yeah, not tonight.” 

‘At that point, it was extremely apparent what was going on and that I was being discriminated against because of the size of my body,’ she said. 

Halikas explained that she switched spots with Jay and calmly asked the bouncer what was going on and was also told ‘not tonight.’ 

Jay explained that she had been invited to the club (pictured) for her friend’s birthday and was waiting in line with about 15 other guests when she ran into Halikas

The influencer said the entire group was being let in when the bouncer looked her up and down and said, ‘Yeah, not tonight’

Halikas claimed that she got the same treatment when she calmly asked the bouncer what was going on

‘I was like, “What do you mean not tonight? I’m so confused. Like I was just here for dinner before. Wait, what are you talking about?” He wouldn’t give us an answer. We didn’t know why,’ she said.   

‘To be honest with you, we’re tired of playing safe and we’re tired of just letting this happen and not speaking up about it. This has personally happened to me three other times. I know this has happened to [Jay] and a lot of our curve friends as well. And it is not okay.’

Jay said the entire experience was ‘so dehumanizing.’   

‘It was like we were literally getting looked through,’ she recalled. ‘People were watching and seeing what was going on, and no one was helping. These people were looking at us like we were scum of the earth. Nobody cared. 

‘Again, we have so much privilege and we need to come on here and make it known that this s**t is not okay anymore at all.’

The influencers have been sharing their story on TikTok to raise awareness for size discrimination 

Halikas noted that they ‘don’t care’ they couldn’t get into The Highlight Room, but they want to be an advocate for those who don’t have the platform that they do

‘This has personally happened to me three other times,’ Halikas said. ‘I know this has happened to [Jay] and a lot of our curve friends as well. And it is not okay’

Halikas noted that they ‘don’t care’ they couldn’t get into The Highlight Room, but they want to raise awareness for size discrimination for those who don’t have the platform that they do. 

‘Just because you might be a little bit thicker you can’t enjoy a night out with friends? Like give me a f**king break,’ she said. 

The influencers urged viewers to ‘stand up for what’s right’ and ‘speak up when you see that something is wrong.’  

‘If you’ve experienced any type of discrimination like this, you know exactly how horrible and disgusting it feels, and we are no longer letting this fly anymore. We’re holding these people accountable,’ Jay said. 

‘So Highlight Room and any other club or place that discriminates people and fat shames them, please do better,’ Halikas concluded.

Halikas is a size 14 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model with more than 595,000 TikTok followers

Jay, who is represented by DT Model Management, has more than 78,000 TikTok followers 

Nearly 8,000 people have commented on the video, and many were inspired to share their own stories. 

‘Happened to my friend… our whole group left! That place is wack!!!’ one TikTok user wrote. 

‘I am that girl who doesn’t have a voice and I thank you both for this!’ another added. ‘It’s happened to me and I just walked away and cried in private.’

‘I am the lead singer of a band and one time the bouncer of the venue I performed at TRIED TO TURN ME AWAY AT THE DOOR OF MY OWN SHOW,’ someone else shared. 

In a follow-up video, Halikas and Jay shared that they had been contacted by the general manager at The Highlight Room. 

‘She talked about us having a meeting together, but we know that this is bigger than just one meeting where we get an apology,’ Jay said. 

Halikas and Jay also encouraged others who have experienced size discrimination to share their stories on social media using the hashtag #NotTonight’

Tao Group Hospitality, the company behind The Highlight Room, told DailyMail.com in a statement that it ‘does not tolerate discrimination of any kind’

Halikas explained that they want ‘policy change’ and ‘training’ to ensure that no other plus-size person will ever have to go through what they did that night. 

They also encouraged others who have experienced size discrimination to share their stories on social media using the hashtag #NotTonight.’  

‘The amount of DMs and messages from women sharing similar stories of discrimination is absolutely alarming,’ Jay said. 

A spokesperson for the Tao Group Hospitality, the company that operates The Highlight Room, told DailyMail.com in a statement that it is ‘aware of Ella and Alexa’s experience.’

‘The doorman on this particular evening worked for a third-party promotion company and we’ve removed this individual from the door effective immediately,’ the spokesperson continued. 

‘We have made several attempts to resolve the issue directly with Ella and Alexa and even scheduled a meeting within days to address their experience which they unfortunately cancelled. 

‘Our company does not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We are always appreciative of feedback on our operations and continue to work on how to improve our guest experience.’