After just one month, Tess Holliday shared how getting through the past few weeks has left her feeling “exhausted” in regards to body shaming comments from, well, the whole earth.
After booking the September cover of Cosmopolitan U.K. — Holliday, 33, was chastised on social media and was accused of praising obesity by Piers Morgan, a U.K. tabloid columnist.
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But Holliday says she is “still standing.”
“This month tested my mental health, but here I am, still standing, still grateful, still happy, still a fat covergirl… but I’m also f—— exhausted,” the mother of two posted on Instagram.
Holliday captioned the post of herself nude from the photo shoot with SELF magazine.
“I know this photo will piss people off, it will be shared worldwide while being mocked and judged, saying how I’m ‘negatively affecting’ impressionable young minds, and I’m prepared for that,” she said.
Holliday shared with People how her old self would have been affected by the crude comments but today, she is in a better mental state.
“My body has always felt like a war zone, but I’ve made peace with that. It’s your minds that need to change,” she said.
Commenters under the post ranged from encouraging Holliday to continue to post, to others who had different opinions.
One user argued:
“I am in no way trying to judge you @tessholliday 🙂 you are beautiful and wonderful and very positive! But your health should be a concern for you, you have 2 children who will look up to you. There are many other ways to teach children and young adults to love themselves. But just as promoting skinny, photoshopped, cake-faced models is bad for impressionable teens, so is promoting obesity and making a statement that it’s ok. Obesity is dangerously unhealthy, just as much as anorexia is. Loving your body includes not only how it looks, but also what you put inside.”
While others backed up Holliday saying:
“My health is my business just as Tess’s health is hers. Tess is providing a voice for those women (and girls, YOUNG girls) that they are worthy and are not alone. That is wayyyyy more powerful than your assumption of laziness and/or bad habits. If you’re expecting Tess to be a perfect role model for your children regarding their own body image, do you own job and be their role model. Support your kids. Understand their point of view. Tess has the confidence I wish I had. I burst with pride for her when I see photos like this. Thank you MsTess. Big love from me.”
Whether you believe Tess Holliday should or shouldn’t be posting photos, her confidence is needed in an age where looks are “everything” and young girls are more impressionable now than ever. You go, Tess, the world is watching and we can’t wait to see what you do next!
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