Plus-size body activist Tess Holliday became the first size 26 (US size 22) supermodel to be signed to a major agency, land a number of high-profile fashion campaigns and successfully challenge our idealised beauty norms.
However, controversial weight loss expert Steve Miller says he is outraged by the positive attention the 29-year-old pin-up is getting.
The outspoken hypnotherapist, who runs a flab-fighting practice in the West Midlands, told FEMAIL that it’s ‘ludicrous’ that Mississippi-born mother-of-one Tess believes you ‘can be gorgeous and fat’.
Infuriated by the rocketing profile of curvaceous Tess, forthright Steve said: ‘The last thing we want to see is a plus-size American barging into UK shores showing us how it’s cool to eat junk, eat huge portions and love your fat.’
He added: ‘Tess challenges the fashion industry’s preconceived idea of beauty and believes you can be gorgeous and fat which is ludicrous because fat isn’t great – it’s dangerous.’
Heavily-tattooed Tess shot into the spotlight in 2013 after starting the ‘#effyourbeautystandards’ social media campaign.
She hit back at the online bullying she’d received due to her non sample-size figure and sought to make it as a model without slimming down.
‘Her assertion that being a size 26 in undies is a good look is a naive error of judgement, and one that would be better viewed as a fat aversion,’ Steve said.
At 5ft 3in, camera-ready Tess, who is engaged to Australian Nick Holliday, has become a force to be reckoned with in the modelling world.
Named by Vogue Italia as one of the world’s most influential plus-size models and having starred in campaigns for the likes of Yours Clothing, Simply Be and Benefit, Tess, who lives in Los Angeles, is the most in-demand face – and body – of the moment.
She has tapped into the zeitgeist and boasts over one million likes on Facebook and 800,000 followers on Instagram.
‘Of course she is bound to boast so many followers because there are sadly a lot of fat women out there who are in denial about the dangers of being too fat,’ claimed Steve.
‘They prefer to hide behind the rhetoric of Tess and her attempt to normalise obesity.’
Tess recently told British newspaper The Guardian that she has learned to deal with cruel taunts and negative remarks about her physique.
‘I’ve been called fat my whole life. I am fat, so it’s kind of silly to get mad about it,’ she said.
‘Everyone has their vices but mine are visible. If I shot all day and I want a f****** hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant I’m going to eat it.’
The voluptuous beauty made history in January by becoming the first model of her size to be signed by a top agency – London-based company Milk Model Management.
Motor-mouthed motivator Steve criticised the agency saying: ‘By signing Tess, Milk Management have signed up an advocate of a killer disease.
‘Promoting excess fat as the norm will probably mean many obese women die sooner than needed.’
Having been dubbed the ‘Simon Cowell’ of the slimming world due to his offensive comments, Steve Miller is no strange to weight struggles.
He used to be four stone overweight before dropping the unwanted pounds.
However, he appears to have minimal sympathy for those who are happy with their curves.
‘I wonder how Tess will feel one day if a crying child explains to her that mummy died because she accepted being too fat because of the message promoted by her,’ he said.
‘Of course being too thin is equally dangerous, but the extreme fat acceptance Tess is promoting is arguably even worse because of the shocking explosion in the obesity statistics.’
Steve added: ‘With fat being aligned to cancer, strokes and heart disease, the message should be that being too fat is unacceptable and can kill you.
‘Given the recent news that more cancer deaths are being caused by obesity, the plus-size brigade would be better branded as ‘cancer contractors’.
‘The “you can look good no matter how fat you are” mentality needs squashing fast.
‘It is time to put out the message that if you are a size 26 fashion model, you don’t look good, and you’d be better off showing your audience how you transformed to a more healthy weight using a range of weight loss techniques including hypnosis, mindful eating, and exercising for pleasure.’
Tess maintains her figure by working out with a personal trainer four times a week and enjoys walking, swimming and hiking in her free time, according to Yahoo.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3116823/Weight-loss-expert-Steve-Miller-slams-size-26-model-Tess-Holliday-normalising-obesity.html#ixzz3cpqEOGIX
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