Editing Tess Holliday

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{{Short description|American plus-size model}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox model
| name         = Tess Holliday
| image        =Tess Holliday - Vogue Taiwan 2020 (0).jpg 
| image_size   =
| caption      =Holliday in 2020
| birth_name   = Ryann Maegen Hoven
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1985|07|05}}
| birth_place  = [[Laurel, Mississippi]], U.S.
| death_date   =
| death_place  =
| other_names  = Tess Munster
| education    =
| occupation   = Model, make-up artist, blogger
| yearsactive  = 2000, 2010–present
| height       = 
|weight        = 
| hair_color   = Brown
| eye_color    = Brown
| agency       = Mavrick Artists Agency, Milk Model Management
| spouse       = {{marriage|Nick Holliday|2015|2020|end=div.}}
| children     = 2
| relatives    =
}}

'''Ryann Maegen Hoven''' (born July 5, 1985),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/news/tess-holliday-in-a-string-bikini-celebrating-35th-birthday-pic/ |work=[[Us Magazine]] |title=Tess Holliday Poses in a String Bikini to Celebrate Her 35th Birthday |last=Rekstis |first=Emily |date=July 6, 2020 |access-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref> known professionally as '''Tess Holliday''' and formerly known as '''Tess Munster''', is an American [[plus-size model]], blogger, and make-up artist based in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="glamour2">{{cite news |last=Ogunnaike |first=Nikki |url=http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/dressed/2015/05/tess-holliday-people-magazine |title=Plus-Size Model Tess Holliday Lands a People Cover: 5 Things to Know About Her |publisher=Glamour Fashion |date=May 20, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="etonline">{{cite news |last=Boone |first=John |url=http://www.etonline.com/news/164889_everything_you_need_to_know_about_tess_holliday_the_size_22_model_who_is_changing_the_world/ |title=Everything You Need to Know About Tess Holliday, the Size 22 model |publisher=ETonline |date=May 20, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

==Early life==
Holliday was born and raised in [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]], [[Mississippi]].<ref name="nydailynews">{{cite news |last=Gabel |first=Pearl |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/plus-size-model-tess-holliday-busts-stereotype-article-1.2090500 |title=Plus-size model Tess Holliday busts out of stereotype |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |date=January 24, 2015 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> Her mother left her father when Holliday was a young child, and Holliday claims her family moved 40 times before she turned 10.<ref name="theguardian2">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/jun/06/tess-holliday-first-size-26-supermodel |title=Tess Holliday: 'Never seen a fat girl in her underwear before?' |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 6, 2015 |access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>

In June 1995, her mother was paralyzed and disabled after she was shot twice in the head by her fiancé, who was charged with attempted murder.<ref name="theguardian2"/> At the age of 10,<ref name="today1">{{cite news |last=Holliday |first=Tess |url=http://www.today.com/style/model-tess-holliday-body-image-confidence-love-t13451 |title=Size-22 model: Why I love my body and want other women to love theirs |work=Today |date=July 7, 2015 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> Holliday and her brother moved back to their grandparents' house in Mississippi while their mother recovered.<ref name="theguardian2"/>

Holliday was bullied from fifth grade on for her weight and pale skin,<ref name="dailyvenusdiva1">{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Limarie |url=http://www.dailyvenusdiva.com/2013/03/01/body-activism-w-tess-munster-honor-curves-part-1/ |title=Body Activism w/ Tess Munster & Honor Curves (Part 1) |publisher=Daily Venus Diva |date=March 1, 2013 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> having a disabled mother,<ref name="theguardian2"/> and because they lived in a trailer behind her grandparents' house.<ref name="today1"/> She left school at the age of 17 and earned her [[General Educational Development|GED]].<ref name="dailyvenusdiva1"/>

Holliday has also alleged that her father verbally abused her for her size, but that her mother encouraged her to become a model.<ref name="dailyvenusdiva1"/> Holliday has severed contact with her father.<ref name="theguardian2"/>

==Career==
At the age of 15,<ref name="chardline">{{cite news |last=Chanel-Faiteau |first=Chardline |url=http://www.chardline.com/2013/05/29/tess-munster-retro-chic/ |title=Tess Munster- Retro Chic |publisher=Chardline |date=May 29, 2013 |access-date=August 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808054123/http://www.chardline.com/2013/05/29/tess-munster-retro-chic/ |archive-date=August 8, 2014 }}</ref> while she was a US size 16 (UK 18/20) and 5 feet 3 inches tall,<ref name="theguardian1">{{cite news |last=Ferrier |first=Morwenna |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/shortcuts/2015/apr/15/agency-signs-size-24-model-tess-munster |title=Agency signs up the first size-24 model: 'I was never tempted to lose weight' |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=April 15, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> Holliday auditioned at a casting call for plus models in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], where she was told she would be lucky to do print advertisements or catalogue work because she was too short and big.<ref name="nydailynews"/><ref name="plus-model-mag1">{{cite news |last=Young |first=Danielle |url=http://www.plusmodelmag.com/General/plus-model-magazine-article-detail.asp?article-id=702773310 |title=Tess is More: An Interview With Plus Model Tess Munster |work=Plus Model Magazine |date=March 12, 2012 |page=1 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref>

Subsequently, Holliday relocated to [[Seattle]] where she stayed for two years and worked as a make-up artist, hair stylist and creative director at fashion shows. She then moved back to Mississippi and gave birth to her son (at the age of 20). Then, following [[Hurricane Katrina]], she returned to Seattle<ref name="plus-model-mag1"/> (where she had some pictures taken for her then-boyfriend and posted them on [[Model Mayhem]]<ref name="Tess Munster">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAOC76pb0os |title=How I became a model |publisher=Tess Munster |date=September 15, 2013 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> in October 2009)<ref name="modelmayhem">{{cite web |url=http://www.modelmayhem.com/1418934 |title=Tess Munster |publisher=[[Model Mayhem]] |date=October 16, 2009 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> then she moved to [[Los Angeles]] in 2010.<ref name="plus-model-mag1"/>

Her move to Los Angeles helped her gain confidence.<ref name="dailyvenusdiva1"/><ref name="bakeanddestroy"/> She became a professional model in 2011 while working as a receptionist at a Los Angeles dental office.<ref name="nydailynews"/> She responded to 'House of Dreams Model Search' by [[Torrid (clothing retailer)|Torrid]] and was accepted.<ref name="plus-model-mag1"/> At the same time, [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]] chose her to be the face of documentary television series ''[[Heavy (TV series)|Heavy]]''<ref name="plus-model-mag1"/> after being discovered online.<ref name="dailyvenusdiva1"/><ref name="bakeanddestroy">{{cite news |url=http://www.bakeanddestroy.net/2012/03/tess-is-more-an-interview-with-plus-model-tess-munster/ |title=Tess is More: An Interview With Plus Model Tess Munster |publisher=Bake and Destroy |date=March 12, 2012 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> In June 2011,<ref name="Tess Munster"/> she became the face of the television show and was on an advert that ran nationwide and billboards across the country.<ref name="chardline"/> Holliday has been featured on "fatshion" blogs, she models accessories and plus size clothing lines, and was contacted to audition for [[Vh1]]'s ''The Big Girls Club''.<ref name="plus-model-mag2">{{cite news |last=Young |first=Danielle |url=http://www.plusmodelmag.com/General/plus-model-magazine-article-detail.asp?article-id=702773310&page=1 |title=Tess is More: An Interview With Plus Model Tess Munster |work=Plus Model Magazine |date=March 12, 2012 |page=2 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name="reahnorman">{{cite news |url=http://www.reahnorman.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=9&p=5&a=0&at=0 |title=Tess Munster I Am Plus |publisher=Reah Norman |date=March 2010 |page=10 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> She has shot a campaign for [[Benefit Cosmetics]], worked with [[David LaChapelle]], featured in ''[[Vogue Italia]]''<ref name="people1">{{cite news |last=Olya |first=Gabrielle |url=http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20896297,00.html |title=Tess Holliday, Size-22 Model, Is First to Score a Major Modelling Contract |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=January 27, 2015 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> and appeared in ''[[Nylon (magazine)|Nylon magazine]]''.<ref name="theguardian2"/>

In 2014, Holliday quit her day job at the dental office<ref name="theguardian2"/> to pursue modelling full time.<ref name="parade">{{cite news |last=Weingarten |first=Rachel |url=http://parade.condenast.com/266630/rachelweingarten/plus-size-model-tess-munster-talks-her-style-evolution-cardigans-and-fat-as-a-trigger-word/ |title=Plus-Size Model Tess Munster Talks Cardigans, Her Style Evolution, and 'Fat' as a Trigger Word |work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]] |date=February 28, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> In May 2014, a video was uploaded on [[Vimeo]] called ''[[everyBODYisflawless|#everyBODYisflawless]]'', which featured Holliday and fellow plus-size fashion bloggers and models Gabi Gregg and [[Nadia Aboulhosn]] lip-synching and dancing to [[Beyoncé]]'s 2013 song "[[Flawless (Beyoncé song)|Flawless]]".<ref name="huffingtonpost1">{{cite news |last=Bahadur |first=Nina |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/08/everybody-is-flawless-gabi-fresh-beyonce_n_5288040.html |title=This Video Proves That Every Body Is '***Flawless' |newspaper=[[HuffPost]] |date=May 8, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> In September of that year, she was interviewed by [[Jacob Soboroff]] and [[Meghan McCain]] on ''[[TakePart Live]]''.<ref name="plus-model-mag3">{{cite news |last=Cruz |first=Marcy |url=http://www.plus-model-mag.com/2014/09/tess-munster-talks-term-plus-size-takepart-live-wasnt-term-wouldnt-know-shop/ |title=Tess Munster Talks The Term 'Plus Size' On TakePart Live: 'If it wasn't for that term, I wouldn't know where to shop. |work=Plus Model Magazine |date=September 16, 2014 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref>

In January 2015, London-based modeling agency Milk Model Management announced that they had signed Holliday to their plus-size division, Curves. They declared that Holliday had become the largest plus-size model of her size and height to be signed to a mainstream [[modeling agency]]<ref name="nydailynews"/> and the first Curve model above a size 20.<ref name="racked">{{cite news |last=Chapin |first=Adele |url=http://www.racked.com/archives/2015/01/23/tess-munster-plus-size-model.php |title=Size 20 Model and Blogger Tess Munster Lands Major Contract |publisher=Racked |date=January 23, 2015 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> In May, she had her first agency shoot.<ref name="huffingtonpost3">{{cite news |last=Sieczkowski |first=Cavan |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/12/tess-holliday-milk-shoot-photos_n_7264856.html |title=Plus-Size Model Tess Holliday Debuts First Agency Shoot, And It's Stunning |newspaper=HuffPost |date=May 5, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2014, Holliday became the first model over size 18 to model Monif Clarke's clothing line after she was hired as the face of the latest campaign for her swimwear line Sea by Monif C - a line that is specifically designed for women sizes 14–24.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} In the same month, she modeled for [[Torrid (clothing retailer)|Torrid]].<ref name="usmagazine1">{{cite news |last=Adlman |first=Nicole |url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/news/plus-size-model-tess-holliday-torrid-spring-2015-campaign-no-photoshop-201543 |title=Size-22 Model Tess Holliday Gets Flirty in Photo Shoot With Torrid—Go Behind the Scenes! |work=[[Us Weekly]] |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="glamour1">{{cite news |last=Melby |first=Leah |url=http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/dressed/2015/03/tess-holliday-ad-campaigns-pictures |title=Model Tess Holliday's New Ad Campaigns Are Out—See the Pictures Here! |work=Glamour |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="bustle3">{{cite news |last=Layne |first=Jodie |url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/79199-tess-holliday-for-plus-size-retailer-yours-clothing-editorial-is-released-and-she-looks-smoking-hot |title=Tess Holliday For Plus Size Retailer Yours Clothing Editorial Is Released And She Looks Smoking Hot |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]] |date=April 27, 2014 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> She also collaborated with the plus size clothing retailer Yours Clothing for the second time when she was officially announced as the face of their high summer campaign.<ref name="irishexaminer">{{cite news |last=Savva |first=Jayne |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/real-life/see-size-22-model-tess-holliday-rocking-it-in-yours-clothing-summer-campaign-325658.html |title=See size 22 model Tess Holliday rocking it in Yours Clothing summer campaign |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |date=April 23, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ijreview">{{cite news |last=Taft |first=Victoria |url=https://www.ijreview.com/2015/04/304651-told-big-model-now-shes-first-ever-woman-size-get-contract/ |title=She Was Told She Was Too Big To Be a Model. Now She's the First Woman of Her Size to Get a Contract |work=Independent Journal Review |date=April 26, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, she was featured on the cover of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]''.<ref name="people3">{{cite news |last=Fowler |first=Tara |url=http://www.people.com/article/tess-holliday-cried-when-she-saw-herself-cover-people |title=Tess Holliday Cried When She Saw Herself on the Cover of PEOPLE: 'It Was Definitely a 'Wildest Dreams' Moment for Me' |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=May 21, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

In September 2015, Holliday starred in [[H&M]]'s [[sustainable fashion]] campaign alongside singer [[Iggy Pop]], artist [[Daniel Lismore]], sex blogger Karley Sciortino and blogger Pardeep Singh Bahra.<ref name="huffingtonpost8">{{cite news |last=Chung |first=Madelyn |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/04/tess-holliday-hm_n_8090984.html |title=Tess Holliday Stars In H&M's Sustainable Fashion Campaign |newspaper=HuffPost |date=September 4, 2015 |access-date=September 29, 2015}}</ref> In the same month, she starred in [[Addition Elle]]'s fall 2015 capsule collection campaign.<ref name="huffingtonpost7">{{cite news |last=Chung |first=Madelyn |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/02/tess-holliday-addition-elle_n_8077538.html |title=Tess Holliday Stars In Addition Elle's Decadent Folk Collection Campaign |work=HuffPost |date=September 2, 2015 |access-date=September 29, 2015}}</ref><ref name="dailyvenusdiva4">{{cite news |last=Penn |first=Stephanie |url=http://dailyvenusdiva.com/2015/09/23/addition-elle-launches-new-fall-capsule-collection-starring-plus-size-model-tess-holliday/ |title=Addition Elle Launches New Fall Capsule Collection Starring Plus-Size Model Tess Holliday |publisher=Daily Venus Diva |date=September 23, 2013 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> In the same month, she also confirmed that she was in the process of designing her own clothing line.<ref name="huffingtonpost9">{{cite news |last=Cherrington |first=Rosy |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/09/28/tess-holliday-interview-clothing-line_n_8205892.html |title=Tess Holliday Interview: Plus Size Model On Body Confidence, Naked Photos And Her Upcoming Clothing Line |newspaper=HuffPost |date=September 28, 2015 |access-date=September 29, 2015}}</ref> In November of the same year, she was involved in a fashion shoot for ''[[Marie Claire]] UK''{{'}}s December 2015 issue.<ref name="huffingtonpost10">{{cite news |last=Cherrington |first=Rosy |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/11/06/tess-holliday-marie-claire_n_8490518.html |title=Tess Holliday Looks Stunning In New Marie Claire Shoot, But Reveals Trolls Still Call Her 'Disgusting' |newspaper=HuffPost |date=November 6, 2015 |access-date=March 1, 2015}}</ref>

In January 2016, Canadian plus-size retailer [[Penningtons]] announced that the brand has partnered with Holliday to release a capsule collection bearing her name under their mblm label.<ref name="plus-model-mag5">{{cite news |last=Cruz |first=Marcy |url=http://www.plus-model-mag.com/2016/01/have-you-heard-plus-model-tess-holliday-to-launch-new-collection-with-penningtons/ |title=Have You Heard? Plus Model Tess Holliday to Launch New Collection With Penningtons |work=Plus Model Magazine |date=January 25, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref>

==Activism==
Holliday also self-describes as a "body positive activist".<ref name="parade"/> She embraces the word 'fat' and advocates that people should be able to eat as much and whatever they want without suffering from social ostracism.<ref name="theguardian2"/> In 2013, she started her #effyourbeautystandards movement on [[Instagram]].  Holliday claims the movement shows women that they do not have to be a certain size to love their body (big or small) and that their size should not dictate their fashion choices.<ref name="dailyvenusdiva3">{{cite news |last=Penn |first=Stephanie |url=http://www.dailyvenusdiva.com/2013/10/01/2013-october-cover-model-tess-munster/ |title=2013 October Cover Model: Tess Munster |publisher=Daily Venus Diva |date=October 1, 2013 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name="dailyvenusdiva2">{{cite news |last=Penn |first=Stephanie |url=http://www.dailyvenusdiva.com/2013/08/22/plus-size-model-activist-tess-munster-shares-the-dark-side-of-modeling/ |title=Plus Size Model & Activist, Tess Munster Shares The Dark Side Of Modeling |publisher=Daily Venus Diva |date=August 22, 2013 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> Since February 2015,<ref name="independent3">{{cite news |last=Saul |first=Heather |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/tess-holliday-the-supermodel-leading-the-plus-size-fashion-revoloution-a6835236.html |title=Tess Holliday: The supermodel leading the plus size fashion revolution |work=[[The Independent]] |date=February 2, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> Holliday has employed a team of six social media specialists to help manage her message across the world.<ref name="huffingtonpost9"/><ref name="instyle">{{cite news |last=Silvers |first=Isabella |url=http://www.instyle.co.uk/fashion/news/plus-size-model-tess-holliday-interview |title=Plus Size Model Tess Holliday Talks Modelling, Men And Her ASOS Obsession |work=[[InStyle]] |date=September 28, 2015 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> She has said that the movement has led to women letting her know that they now feel good about how they look and wear what they like.<ref name="people2">{{cite news |last=Holliday |first=Tess |url=http://www.people.com/article/tess-holliday-blog-challenging-perceptions-beauty |title=My Plus-Sized Life: Tess Holliday on Challenging Perceptions of Beauty |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=May 20, 2015 |access-date=July 17, 2015}}</ref> She also talks at public events about body confidence.<ref name="birminghammail">{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Alison |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/plus-size-model-tess-munster-8104411 |title=Tess Munster, an American champion for curvy girls, will be appearing at Yours Clothing in Birmingham to talk about body confidence. |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] |date=November 13, 2014 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref>

In February 2014, Holliday appeared on ''[[Channel 4 News]]''.<ref name="channel4">{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/news/tess-holliday-the-plus-size-model-redefining-beauty |title=Tess Holliday - the plus size model redefining beauty? |publisher=[[Channel 4 News]] |date=February 4, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> In April 2015, she was interviewed by [[Meredith Vieira]] on ''[[The Meredith Vieira Show]]''.<ref name="meredithvieirashow">{{cite web |url=http://www.meredithvieirashow.com/tag/tess-holliday-interview/ |title=tess holliday interview |publisher=The Meredith Vieira Show |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> In the same month, she appeared on ''Plus Sized Wars'', a [[Channel 4]] documentary about changing beauty standards<ref name="independent1">{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Ellen E |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/plus-sized-wars-channel-4--tv-review-dropdead-gorgeous-size-24model-tess-shows-that-big-really-is-beautiful-10193615.html |title=Plus Sized Wars, Channel 4 - TV review: Drop-dead gorgeous size 24-model Tess shows that big really is beautiful |work=[[The Independent]] |date=April 21, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> and explores the fast-growing plus-size fashion industry.<ref name="bestdaily">{{cite news |last=Savva |first=Jayne |url=http://www.bestdaily.co.uk/your-life/news/a643120/is-this-the-most-dangerous-fashion-trend-ever.html |title=Is this the most dangerous fashion trend ever? |work=Best Daily |date=April 21, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref>

In August 2015, Holliday demanded a boycott of [[Facebook]], Instagram and [[Tumblr]] accounts under the name 'Project Harpoon', which [[Photo manipulation|photoshopped]] her image and images of other women including [[Rebel Wilson]] and [[Melissa McCarthy]] to make them appear slimmer without authorization.<ref name="independent2">{{cite news |last=Saul |first=Heather |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/project-harpoon-plus-size-model-tess-holliday-demands-users-boycott-facebook-and-instagram-accounts-fatshaming-women-10465290.html |title=Project Harpoon: Plus size model Tess Holliday demands users boycott Facebook and Instagram accounts fat-shaming women |work=[[The Independent]] |date=August 21, 2015 |access-date=September 1, 2015}}</ref> In September 2015, she criticized [[Victoria's Secret]] for their limited amount of plus-size clothing options.<ref name="mtv">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2243662/tess-holliday-victorias-secret/ |title=Tess Holliday Explains Why Victoria's Secret Needs To Get In On The Billion Dollar Plus Size Industry |publisher=[[MTV News]] |date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="inquisitr1">{{cite news |last=Silven |first=Kirsten |url=http://www.inquisitr.com/2414378/does-victorias-secret-exclude-plus-size-women-tess-holliday-thinks-so/ |title=Does Victoria's Secret Exclude Plus-Size Women? Tess Holliday Thinks So |newspaper=[[The Inquisitr News]] |date=September 12, 2015 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="inquisitr2">{{cite news |last=Nicholas |first=Noelle |url=http://www.inquisitr.com/2419052/victorias-secret-continues-to-ignore-plus-size-consumers/ |title=Victoria's Secret Continues To Ignore Plus Size Consumers |newspaper=The Inquisitr News |date=September 14, 2015 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref>

In a January 2016 interview with ''[[Paper (magazine)|Paper]]'',<ref name="papermag">{{cite news |last=Song |first=Sandra |url=http://www.papermag.com/tess-holliday-plus-size-model-1571214668.html |title=Tess Holliday Dispels Industry Myths And Looks Damn Good Doing It |work=[[Paper (magazine)|Paper]] |date=January 25, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> Holliday stated that she embraces the term "plus-size" and disagrees with other people's rejection of it.<ref name="vogue">{{cite news |last=Milligan |first=Lauren |url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2016/01/27/tess-holliday-plus-size-model-on-curvy-vs-plus-size-label |title=Tess Holliday: Why I'm Happy To Be Called "Plus Size" |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] |date=January 27, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref><ref name="usmagazine2">{{cite news |last=Torgerson |first=Rachel |url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/news/tess-holliday-takes-a-stand-in-the-plus-size-debate-w162661 |title=Tess Holliday Takes a Stand in the Plus-Size Versus Curvy Debate |work=[[Us Weekly]] |date=January 27, 2016 |access-date=February 1, 2016}}</ref> She discussed how she does see how the term as negative<ref name="huffingtonpost11">{{cite news |last=Markovinovic |first=Monika |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/01/27/tess-holliday-plus-size_n_9089448.html |title=Tess Holliday Continues To Advocate The Term 'Plus-Size' |newspaper=HuffPost |date=January 27, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> or derogatory and thought the term is 'very important' for larger women to have their own labels.<ref name="sundayworld1">{{cite news |url=http://www.sundayworld.com/style/fashion/tess-holliday-fine-with-plus-size-label |title=Tess Holliday is pregnant |location=Dublin |work=[[Sunday World]] |date=January 26, 2016 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref>

==Controversy==
In late 2014, Holliday began producing a series of T-shirts with the phrase "Eff Your Beauty Standards", with some of the proceeds being donated to an organization that helps survivors of [[domestic violence]].<ref name="refinery293">{{cite news |last=Ilyashov |first=Alexandra |url=http://www.refinery29.com/2015/12/99577/tess-holliday-eff-your-beauty-standards-shirts |title=Tess Holliday Breaks Her Silence On T-Shirt Controversy |publisher=[[Refinery29]] |date=December 15, 2015 |access-date=February 5, 2016}}</ref> In December, approximately 140 orders failed to deliver to customers, though about 3000 orders were successful.<ref name="bustle6">{{cite news |last=Ospina |first=Marie Southard |url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/133292-tess-holliday-apologizes-for-the-eff-your-beauty-standards-t-shirt-controversy |title=Tess Holliday Apologizes For The Eff Your Beauty Standards T-Shirt Controversy |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]] |date=January 4, 2016 |access-date=February 5, 2016}}</ref> A post on [[Reddit]] accused her of withholding money promised to charity, as well as not delivering her products.<ref name="people4">{{cite news |last=Olya |first=Gabrielle |url=http://www.people.com/article/tess-holliday-responds-scamming-accusations |title=Tess Holliday Responds to Accusations of Scamming People Who Bought Her Branded Merchandise |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=December 16, 2015 |access-date=February 5, 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, Holliday told ''[[Refinery29]]'' that the project was launched with "pure intentions" and "My mother and I are both victims of [domestic violence]." She said, "The idea that I would willfully defraud the people who have supported me along the way, and a charity that touches on my own family's struggles, is so upsetting."<ref name="refinery293"/> Holliday admits that she did not know how to handle the logistics of the project,<ref name="refinery293"/> was unable to keep up with orders, and takes responsibility for some customers not receiving the merchandise they paid for.<ref name="people4"/> "The system we were using just didn't work," she said, attributing missing merchandise to "one big batch that was lost by the post office" and "usual business discrepancies". She was unable to make the charity donation after paying "thousands and thousands of dollars" out of pocket to a shipping and distribution center to ensure issues with merchandise would be resolved, which "ate up what little [was] left of the profits". She said, adding that she has given a "substantial contribution" to the [[National Coalition Against Domestic Violence]].<ref name="refinery293"/> In January 2016, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence's Development Manager Dina Coates Koebler confirmed, "A donation in the amount of $1,000 was made to our organization on 12/13/2015 by Ms. Hoven."<ref name="bustle6"/>

==Personal life==
At the age of 20, Holliday gave birth to her son Rylee. In June 2015, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported she no longer had any contact with her son's father.<ref name="theguardian2"/>

In 2012, Holliday met Australian businessman, photographer and artist<ref name="smh2">{{cite news |last=Clarke |first=Jenna |url=http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/ls-celebrity-news/the-goss-how-an-aussie-man-stole-the-heart-of-the-worlds-biggest-model-20150620-ght5rq.html |title=The Goss: How an Aussie man stole the heart of the world's biggest model |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=June 21, 2015 |access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref> Nick Holliday on [[Tumblr]]. They talked online for seven months before Holliday traveled to the U.S. to visit,<ref name="smh2"/> and in April 2015,<ref name="today2">{{cite news |last=Holliday |first=Tess |url=http://www.today.com/series/2015-voices/tess-holliday-opens-about-body-positivity-her-breakthrough-year-modeling-t63841 |title=Size-22 model: Why I love my body and want other women to love theirs |work=Today |date=December 24, 2015 |access-date=March 1, 2015}}</ref> he moved from Melbourne to the U.S.<ref name="theguardian2"/> On July 5, 2014, they got engaged. They secretly wed one year later on July 5, 2015.<ref>{{cite instagram |user=tessholliday |postid=BWKrlkyhGPx |title=Happy Birthday to me, annnnd also...Happy Anniversary to my Husbear @nickhollidayco ❣️💍🙈 Yes, we got hitched two years ago today... sneaky I know 🤷🏻‍♀️💕😈 Make sure you pre-order my book to see the exclusive photos from our wedding that we are sharing just with YOU! Now we are off for a much needed celebratory vacay 💕🎉📚💋 #NotSoSubtleTess #surprisesurprise |date=July 5, 2017 |access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref> In January 2016, it was announced that Holliday was pregnant and expected to give birth in June.<ref name="people">{{cite news |last=Olya |first=Gabrielle |url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2016/01/27/tess-holliday-pregnant-expecting-second-child/ |title=Model Tess Holliday pregnant: 'I'm having to relearn a lot' |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=January 27, 2015 |access-date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> Holliday gave birth to her second son in June 2016. She and Nick Holliday have since divorced, describing the marriage as having been abusive.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pasquini |first=Maria |url=https://people.com/health/tess-holliday-claims-marriage-to-ex-was-abusive/ |title=Tess Holliday Says Marriage to Ex Was 'Abusive': 'Healing Is So Much Harder Than I Imagined' |work=People |date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref>

She was born Ryann Hoven but changed her name to Tess Munster (a surname she chose because she liked the television sitcom ''[[The Munsters]]'') when she started doing alternative modeling and has also used the name Tess Typhoon.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine |last=Olya |first=Gabrielle |url=http://www.time.com/3892756/fashion-plus-size-tess-holliday/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523160546/http://time.com/3892756/fashion-plus-size-tess-holliday/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 23, 2015 |title=6 Things to Know About Plus-Size Fashion Star Tess Holliday |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=May 21, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> In January 2015, she adopted and officially started using her fiancé's surname.<ref name="nydailynews"/>

In 2019, Holliday came out as [[pansexuality|pansexual]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://people.com/health/tess-holliday-comes-out-pansexual/ |title=Tess Holliday Comes Out as Pansexual: 'A Lot of Stuff in My Life Now Makes Sense'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nylon.com/tess-holliday-nylon-july-2019-cover |title=Tess On The Beach: July 2019 Cover Profile Of Tess Holliday |publisher=NYLON |date=June 21, 2019 |access-date=July 8, 2019}}</ref> In 2021, Holliday claimed that she was in recovery from [[Other specified feeding or eating disorder|atypical anorexia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elan |first=Priya |date=May 5, 2021 |title=Model Tess Holliday reveals she's recovering from anorexia |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/may/05/tess-holliday-recovering-from-anorexia}}</ref>

Holliday states that she is {{convert|5|ft|5|in|cm}} tall and that she wears a US dress size 22 or 3x.<ref name="nydailynews"/><ref name="tumblr">{{cite web |url=http://tesshollidayofficial.tumblr.com/FAQ |title=Tess Holliday FAQ |last1=Holliday |first1=Tess |website=Tess Holiday on Tumblr |publisher=[[Tumblr]] |access-date=July 17, 2015}}</ref> She is heavily tattooed, including a [[Miss Piggy]] tattoo on her right outer forearm, a [[Mae West]] tattoo on her right inner forearm, a [[Marilyn Monroe]] tattoo on her left bicep, a plus-size mermaid tattoo on her right upper thigh, a [[Hello Kitty]] tattoo on her right calf and a [[Dolly Parton]] tattoo on her right arm.<ref name="parade"/><ref name="businessinsider">{{cite news |last=Weisman |first=Aly |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-tess-holliday-plus-size-model-with-tattoos-2015-3 |title=Meet the tattooed, size 22 model taking over the fashion industry |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=March 5, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> She also has a [[septum piercing]].<ref name="refinery293"/>

==See also==
* [[Fat acceptance movement]]
* [[Health at Every Size]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* Weisman, Aly. [https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-tess-holliday-plus-size-model-with-tattoos-2015-3 Meet the tattooed, size 22 model taking over the fashion industry]. [[Business Insider]]. March 5, 2015
* Newsome, Teresa. [http://www.bustle.com/articles/108811-8-times-tess-holliday-challenged-oppressive-beauty-standards 8 Times Tess Holliday Challenged Oppressive Beauty Standards]. [[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]. September 6, 2015

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