Tess Holliday (née Munster) is a 29 year-old, 5'5 size 22 supermodel who's signed to a major label. And with hair and a face like that, I must admit she is an absolute stunner. But below the neck, she's nothing but the poster child for obesity, and it seems that Tess is creating a movement that allows for other obese women to continue with their unhealthy dietary habits. My naturally lean frame might be used as an ad-hominem argument against this article, but let's hope that wont be the case and that you'll hear me out.
Let's get to it:
The rise of the body positivity movement gives many women an outlet to share their newfound joy about their own bodies. It's a steadily growing ideology that women are beginning to give to other women. Many are even going as far as taking down ads that promote the perfect body. Women are finally taking a stand, and the media will slowly change its ways to include diversity amongst their women.
However, the movement has taken it a step too far with the introduction of Tess Holliday. While I support body diversity, I do not support obesity or anorexia. I think the opposite ends of the weight spectrum aren't to be encouraged. The main issue here is that Tess' self love is being perceived by many to be the reason why they shouldn't change the way they look. That's a very dangerous mindset to promote considering over 30% of Americans are obese with an estimated annual medical cost of $147 billion due to obesity-related health issues.
Obesity isn't a beauty issue, it's a health issue. The fact that Tess Holliday, an obviously obese woman, sees her situation as mental instead of physical just shows how the body positivity movement has gone amiss. You are allowed to love your body, but you are also allowed to improve it. Self-love isn't about getting acquainted with your fatal flaws, its about loving your body and making sure it gets what it deserves. Your body isn't a shell that doesn't require any polish—it is what drives you forward, literally. It's what keeps you going for years to come, and the only time you wish you did a better job at taking care of it is when your body retaliates from your neglect.
Eating healthy and exercising isn't something that healthcare professionals made up. It's not an option, it's a requisite to maintaining a healthy body. I understand that being overweight doesn't necessarily make you unhealthy, but it does increase the risk of a multitude of illnesses down the road. The thing is, the body positivity movement attempts to shut down facts in favor of blissful ignorance. These overweight women understand the risks involved with overeating and lack of exercise, but they choose to ignore them anyway. Women are now demanding to be loved by society for their indolence. Is that fair for the women who work out, watch what they eat, and treat their bodies well? I don't think so.
Although Tess claims that she is healthy, she promotes a lifestyle that might not result in healthiness in the long run. Just because her self-indulgent diets haven't given her coronary heart disease doesn't mean it won't give someone else hypertension. Her current healthiness is merely the calm before the storm. There's a reason why doctors will encourage any big person to diet regardless of their amazing health; it's to avoid any risk associated with being overweight. The job of a doctor isn't just to prescribe you blood thinning medicine when you're obese, but to avoid giving you medicine in the first place. Yet many women think that any sort of encouragement to be healthy constitutes as fat-shaming. They stick their fingers in their ears and sing All About That Bass whenever someone even suggests a better lifestyle.
There's a reason why Michelle Obama strongly advocates to eliminate childhood obesity. Take a look at the projects of past First Ladies; Rosalynn Carter advocated for mental health, Nancy Reagan launched the Just Say No drug awareness campaign, and both Barbara and Laura Bush fought to advance universal literacy. Obesity is such an important issue to the point where the First Lady took it upon herself to reform it.
You will never hear a previously overweight or obese person complain about how much better off they were when they were fatter. Our bodies weren't made to sustain too much fat and that much processed food. Even the big girls know that the amount of donuts, sugary drinks and fast food burgers they eat is not healthy.
To me, body positivity is all about loving the frame you were born with. Some were born with bigger waists, some with flatter chests. It's about understanding that we all come in different shapes and sizes, but it shouldn't be about letting yourself go. The movement should be about loving your version of fit, not about overeating while binge watching Netflix. Now the body positivity movement has given women a reason to be lazy with their exercises and diets. What was once a movement to appreciate everyone's natural frame has become the new slogan for obesity in America.
Thats why Tess is going to ruin the lives of so many overweight women. Her glamorized presence is already a sign that obesity is not only okay, it's great. Her social media followers look at her pictures and get inspired by her slothfulness and will do the same. You know who I follow? Women who go to the gym. Women who work to give their bodies the best possible outcome. Women who promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
You can't let yourself become unhealthily fat and then blame the media for not praising you. The media praises the lean and the sculpted. The media praises the muscular thighs of Beyonce and the tight bum of Nicki Minaj. The media praises the abs of Candice Swanepoel and the arms of Adriana Lima. Because they worked for that while you didn't. You sit on your couch with a beer belly and a double chin and expect the world to shower you with confetti. That's not how it works. The start of self-love is when you love your body enough to make it better, and if you haven't, maybe one day you'll care enough to do so.
However, the movement has taken it a step too far with the introduction of Tess Holliday. While I support body diversity, I do not support obesity or anorexia. I think the opposite ends of the weight spectrum aren't to be encouraged. The main issue here is that Tess' self love is being perceived by many to be the reason why they shouldn't change the way they look. That's a very dangerous mindset to promote considering over 30% of Americans are obese with an estimated annual medical cost of $147 billion due to obesity-related health issues.
Obesity isn't a beauty issue, it's a health issue. The fact that Tess Holliday, an obviously obese woman, sees her situation as mental instead of physical just shows how the body positivity movement has gone amiss. You are allowed to love your body, but you are also allowed to improve it. Self-love isn't about getting acquainted with your fatal flaws, its about loving your body and making sure it gets what it deserves. Your body isn't a shell that doesn't require any polish—it is what drives you forward, literally. It's what keeps you going for years to come, and the only time you wish you did a better job at taking care of it is when your body retaliates from your neglect.
Eating healthy and exercising isn't something that healthcare professionals made up. It's not an option, it's a requisite to maintaining a healthy body. I understand that being overweight doesn't necessarily make you unhealthy, but it does increase the risk of a multitude of illnesses down the road. The thing is, the body positivity movement attempts to shut down facts in favor of blissful ignorance. These overweight women understand the risks involved with overeating and lack of exercise, but they choose to ignore them anyway. Women are now demanding to be loved by society for their indolence. Is that fair for the women who work out, watch what they eat, and treat their bodies well? I don't think so.
Although Tess claims that she is healthy, she promotes a lifestyle that might not result in healthiness in the long run. Just because her self-indulgent diets haven't given her coronary heart disease doesn't mean it won't give someone else hypertension. Her current healthiness is merely the calm before the storm. There's a reason why doctors will encourage any big person to diet regardless of their amazing health; it's to avoid any risk associated with being overweight. The job of a doctor isn't just to prescribe you blood thinning medicine when you're obese, but to avoid giving you medicine in the first place. Yet many women think that any sort of encouragement to be healthy constitutes as fat-shaming. They stick their fingers in their ears and sing All About That Bass whenever someone even suggests a better lifestyle.
There's a reason why Michelle Obama strongly advocates to eliminate childhood obesity. Take a look at the projects of past First Ladies; Rosalynn Carter advocated for mental health, Nancy Reagan launched the Just Say No drug awareness campaign, and both Barbara and Laura Bush fought to advance universal literacy. Obesity is such an important issue to the point where the First Lady took it upon herself to reform it.
You will never hear a previously overweight or obese person complain about how much better off they were when they were fatter. Our bodies weren't made to sustain too much fat and that much processed food. Even the big girls know that the amount of donuts, sugary drinks and fast food burgers they eat is not healthy.
To me, body positivity is all about loving the frame you were born with. Some were born with bigger waists, some with flatter chests. It's about understanding that we all come in different shapes and sizes, but it shouldn't be about letting yourself go. The movement should be about loving your version of fit, not about overeating while binge watching Netflix. Now the body positivity movement has given women a reason to be lazy with their exercises and diets. What was once a movement to appreciate everyone's natural frame has become the new slogan for obesity in America.
Thats why Tess is going to ruin the lives of so many overweight women. Her glamorized presence is already a sign that obesity is not only okay, it's great. Her social media followers look at her pictures and get inspired by her slothfulness and will do the same. You know who I follow? Women who go to the gym. Women who work to give their bodies the best possible outcome. Women who promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
You can't let yourself become unhealthily fat and then blame the media for not praising you. The media praises the lean and the sculpted. The media praises the muscular thighs of Beyonce and the tight bum of Nicki Minaj. The media praises the abs of Candice Swanepoel and the arms of Adriana Lima. Because they worked for that while you didn't. You sit on your couch with a beer belly and a double chin and expect the world to shower you with confetti. That's not how it works. The start of self-love is when you love your body enough to make it better, and if you haven't, maybe one day you'll care enough to do so.
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