Plus-size model Tess Holliday is no stranger to criticism of her size and she takes every opportunity to advocate for women to love their bodies, no matter what.
Her stance has often made her a target.
Earlier this week there was a debate on the ABC special, Hack Live on Body Obsession, over whether fitness guru Ashy Bines’ recent attack on plus size model Tess Holliday was justified.
Bines took the opportunity to reiterate her criticism of Holliday, stating, “I understand that her message [is] to love yourself no matter what size you are, and I totally agree with that. But Tess isn’t saying, ‘I love myself here and I’m on a journey to be healthier.’ She’s saying ‘I’m a plus size model, I’ve got this many followers, I’m getting paid to be this size, this is okay’.”
Yet last night, Holliday shared her own side of the story and emphasise what it’s really like working in the plus-size industry.
Speaking on another ABC program, Naked As: Plus Sized Wars, Holliday said, “Yes I know I’m fat and I’m very vocal about that. For some reason the internet gets angry when they see a fat girl in a bathing suit or lingerie. They just can’t help it.”
“If I see someone being mean to me online I just ignore it because you can’t fight stupid,” she adds.
“I definitely think that there’s a lot of people jumping in on the body positive/plus size train. But they realise, oh, if I say that I’m body positive I’m going to sell something.Everyone wants to sell clothes and make money right? But it’s important to have the right ethics behind that.”
The highly publicised spat began last month when Bines attacked Holliday as “not a good role model” in an Instagram post.
“It’s sad that women who are obviously eating a lot more than what they need and not moving their bodies to be fit, strong and healthy are getting praise,” Bines wrote of 30-year-old Holliday in the original, February 2016 post.
Bines said any doctor who looked at Holliday would say she didn’t look healthy.
And while she doesn’t believe young women shoukd look to Holliday as a healthy role model, she thinks she’s a shining example herself.
“I think that I’m a really good role model for the younger generation,” Bines said.
Top Comments
My comment was about those whose weight gain was caused through being unable to move enough to burn off the average calories consumed due to illness & pain - and that fact is not tiny no matter how much some may wish it to be so.
Some people only feel good when they can dis someone else and obesity has become that focus in these times.
In the 19th Century (for eg) visiting sideshows to "gawk" & laugh at the "freaks" was one way to feel better about "oneself".
If you told most of those people that the "freaks" became that way through no fault of their own - the "gawkers" would become enraged......they would be in denial.........surely they could laugh & point the finger at someone ?
I have a young relative who's obese - and has lived most of her life in a wheelchair.........she still cops it - unbelievable.
Extreme thinness (as promoted by the cynical, fashion industry ) is as unattractive as extreme obesity - women are exploited and manipulated by fear to squeeze themselves into tiny garments by men who have either a fetish for prepubescent body-shapes, an aversion to normal curves or a complete disinterest in women - either way, regular women haven't a hope of measuring up. The women in that industry need to lift their game when it comes to the ethical considerations of their sisters.
I get that much of catwalk fashion is about art & beauty but not all body-shapes are represented.
Accepting the realities of human health will help the fearful to cope with the stuff life chucks at you.
Check out the images for "The Venus of Willendorf" - a fertility statue from the Paleolithic period of human history which is quite obese - a body-shape created by the ultimate Paleo-diet with no processed food and an extremely rugged, deprived & physically demanding tribal life-style...........makes you wonder about our body's true destiny when you see that..........xx's
I don't find INSPIRATION from any "fitness expert" that was BORN with a tiny frame and lacks ability to gain weight. How is it inspirational when you've gone from 'lean to lean' ? People who have had a lot of weight to lose due to lifestyle, lack of motivation, medication or mental instability are far more INSPIRATIONAL than someone who was lucky enough to have the 'jeans of a model'! PUN INTENDED!