Entertainment
Model Tess Holliday, 31, just welcomed a baby boy named Bowie Juniper this summer, and she's been dealing with the backlash over her post-baby body (and just her body, generally). It actually started before Bowie was born, so, unfortunately, fat-shaming is not something Holliday is unfamiliar with. The size-22 model has been vocal about her belief that you can be healthy at any size, and continues to post inspirational photos to her Instagram despite critic's trolling. Below, check out five times Tess Holliday fought back against fat-shamers.
The Mississippi-born mom of two lives in Los Angeles and first hit the scene when she became the face of a documentary called Heavy, filmed by A&E. Holliday's likeness appears in all the promotional posters and photographs for the documentary, although she is not featured in the documentary itself.
She's been pursuing her dream of modeling for years, but it wasn't until last year when she was signed by Milk Model Management that she really hit the scene. And in fact, she made headlines as the largest plus-sized model to be signed to a mainstream agency.
Holliday describes herself as a body-positive activist, and she's utilized social media as a way to respond to those who criticize her weight.
#effyourbeautystandards
In 2013, Holliday started an Instagram hashtag #effyourbeautystandards. The movement was a huge hit on social media, and she even started making shirts with the saying on them for fans. But, as she told Refinery29 in an interview, she had trouble keeping up with the demand, and multiple SNAFUS with the postal service upset a lot of her fans. Fortunately, things got back on track in terms of sales, but she wasn't able to donate the proceeds to the The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which had been her original intention once she decided to start selling the shirts.
She Regularly Tweets @ Haters
Holliday isn't afraid to take to social media, whether it be Instagram or Twitter, to tweet (or subtweet) critics, the media or online haters who judge her appearance. She's also said that she's "flattered" so many people seem concerned about how her weight might affect her health.
She Started A Plus-Size Fashion Line
Partnering with Pennington's, Holliday has an entire line of gorgeous plus-sized attire, everything from leggings to adorable dresses. The line — mblm by Tess Holliday — is described as "a collection unwilling to make sacrifices."
She Isn't Afraid To Call Out Fat-Shamers — Even During An Interview
When Holliday was a guest on This Morning in the UK back in May, she directly called-out those who were fat-shaming her (even as the show was still live, as people responded to her via social media). According to The Daily Mail, when the hosts, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, asked her to respond to critics who said she couldn't possibly be a good role model because of her size, she said: "I will agree to disagree because I do believe health is not an indicator of size."
