I’m a plus-size model – I got turned away from a nightclub because I’m curvy, I was even on the guestlist for a birthday

DURING a night out, two plus-size models were eager to celebrate a friend's birthday at a nightclub.

But even though other members of their group were allowed in, the women were allegedly denied entry – and they believe it was an act of size-based discrimination.

Gabriella Halikas posted two videos to her Instagram profile recounting the incident, alongside fellow curve model Alexa Jay.

The title of the videos was written in the caption: "How we got turned away at a club in LA for being curvy."

"We're feeling absolutely sick to our stomachs about what happened last night," Halikas said in the introduction.

Jay explained that she had been invited to a nightclub to celebrate a friend's birthday.

She met up with a group of around 15 other women, including Halikas, outside the Highlight Room in Los Angeles.

"I was definitely the biggest in the group," Jay said. The bouncer let several members of their party into the club.

But when Jay and Halikas reached the front of the line, he allegedly put the velvet rope down in front of them.

Jay continued. "He looks me up and down and says, 'Yeah, not tonight,'" she alleged.

At first, Jay said, she took the interaction in good faith as a misunderstanding.

"I wanted to make sure he wasn't confused and that he knew I was part of the group that he was letting in," Jay explained. "He looked me up and down one more time and said, 'Yeah, not tonight.'"

At that point, she said, it was "extremely apparent" that she was being discriminated against because of the size of her body.

Halikas tried approaching the bouncer as well, switching places with Jay at the front of the line. Again, they were allegedly denied entry.

According to Halikas, the bouncer looked her up and down before repeating the same phrase, "not tonight," that he'd used previously.

She said that she questioned the bouncer again, to no avail. "I was just here for dinner before. I don't know what you're talking about," she said to him.

The women also claimed that another staff member, a security guard, saw the interaction but refused to intercede on their behalf.

"A security guard was there and did not help," Halikas said. "He was like 'Oh, that's not really my thing.'"

The Highlight Room is a subsidiary of Tao Group Hospitality, the company behind over 70 branded event spaces, restaurants, and nightclubs.

On Monday, a spokesperson for Tao Group Hospitality told NBC News that the company is “aware of Ella and Alexa’s experience and are actively engaged with them to discuss the incident further."

"We are always appreciative of feedback on our operations and continue to work on how to improve our guest experience," the statement read.

"Our company does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”

The US Sun also reached out to Tao Group, Halikas, and Jay for comment.

Halikas said that she and Jay decided to speak up because their status and influence as models might be able to change how other plus-size women are treated.

"We're tired of playing it safe. It is not okay," Halikas said. "We understand we're privileged, but that's not to say that this is okay."

"It was so dehumanizing," Jay added. "These people were looking at us like we were scum of the earth."