Tess Holliday is an American model, the first model over a size 20 to be signed to a major modelling agency, and the creator of "eff your beauty standards" - a campaign designed to show the world that you can be beautiful whether your a size 2 or 20.

 With an Instagram following of over 1 million, a campaign with H&M, and her own fashion line, this is a woman making waves in the fashion industry. She's showing plus-sized girls everywhere that they can make it. Is that a bad thing?

Apparently so.  A quick glance at any of her social media accounts will show the same series of comments over and over; "you're unhealthy" "you're promoting obesity" "this is gross". What these well meaning trolls have failed to realise is that just because Tess is Fat she isn't asking other people to become Fat. She's asking them to love themselves how they are. She's promoting love, not obesity.

As a "Former Fat Kid" this message is desperately needed. It's so important for young people to have a representation of themselves in the media. I spent years developing an unhealthy attitude to food, and beating myself up because I didn't look like the girls in magazines, the girls on T.V. I remember crying at Pretty Little Liars because they were all so IMPOSSIBLY PRETTY (and also very skinny) which I was not. I hated eating out, I hated eating in front of people, I had a list of certain foods THAT COULD NEVER TOUCH MY PLATE EVER, making me an incredibly finicky eater, and a massive pain in the arse for any friends trying to plan a meal out. I was thoroughly miserable, and well on my way to eating disorder territory, all because of the fear of judgement for being A Fat Girl. Why was I taught to hate myself and feel horrible because of my size? We should be teaching young people, boys and girls, to be healthy and fit, to love themselves and others, no matter what size they are.

Proof of Former Fat Kid Status

I firmly believe that accepting and loving yourself and your body is the only way forward. Why should anyone hate this message just because a Fat woman is promoting it? Obviously if your size is effecting your health (be it too big or too small) you should do something, but do it for you. Your body is amazing, and you're amazing! Love yourself, and love the fact the fashion industry has cottoned on to the fact Fat people would like to wear something that isn't black leggings and a floaty top.

With plus-size gals like Model Tess Holliday, Reality T.V stars such as Whitney Way Thore (Fat Girl Dancing), and fictional characters such as Rae Earl (My Mad Fat Diary) Fat has come a long way.