Tess Holliday Reclaims The Word 'Fat' In New Instagram Video

The model is reclaiming the word “fat”

Tess Holliday, the outspoken model who describes herself on her popular Instagram account as “Plus Model, Wife, Mom, Feminist,” has released a short video to promote her new book, The Not So Subtle Art Of Being A Fat Girl. In it, she talks about the word “fat” and how she refuses to be afraid of it.

In the video, which she made with Self Magazine, Holliday talks about her decision to use the word “fat” in the title of her book. “Everyone will hopefully get that I’m fat and it’s okay to say it,” she says.

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Holliday, (who is stunning in a black swimsuit that we might need to own immediately,) wants to take the power out of the word “fat”: “I think that it’s very important to take the hurt out of words that society has placed on us as bad or negative…I never thought that I would I would be okay with saying it.”

She says people “gasp” when she calls herself fat and tell her “don’t say that,” to which she responds, “it’s OK, chill.”

Could we love her more?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY1kKBPhFBz/?taken-by=tessholliday

The author and model, who made history in 2015 when she became the largest plus-sized model to get a major modeling contract, has become beloved by millions for her openness about her body and her refusal to hide behind layers and loose-fitting clothes. She hasn’t always felt like this, however — in fact, she was bullied so much about her weight in high school that she dropped out, choosing to get her G.E.D. instead. Now, at 32, she has come to love her body and uses her platform to talk about everything from body shaming to the struggles of new motherhood.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZHG3guBqDK/?taken-by=tessholliday

With her oft-used hashtag #EffYourBodyStandards, Holliday makes clear that she’s not afraid to be who she is. She is going to live her life loudly and proudly, no matter what other people think: “Society is so afraid and almost offended to see someone my size living their life or wearing clothes that they shouldn’t. So, it’s no surprise that I would choose the most ‘offensive’ term to describe my body.”

We love this woman and the way she gives the middle finger to those who judge her because of her size. We’re all for her defiant “eff yous” because anyone who thinks that good people should hate themselves because of what they look like has no place at our table. There’s no room in our Lyft. You can’t sit with us. Git.

Tess Holliday inspires larger women and girls to be comfortable in their own skin, and we applaud her courage, spirit, and delicious boldness. You can buy her book today!