The thwack of battle ropes as they hit the floor, sending dust flying into the air. A Lycraclad woman raising hand weights above her head, before racing across ladders laid down on the floor. These – along with the steady pump of Calvin Harris tracks – are sights and sounds that you will hear across the UK, so par for the course that they’re unremarkable. And yet when model Tess Holliday is the woman in this scenario, it is remarkable. People pay attention. They comment on her Instagram; they discuss her on panel shows; they write articles about her. This is what happened when, last year, Tess first began sharing her workouts on her social-media pages. Her loyal fans feared she was turning her back on her self-love philosophy, while her trolls told her that she didn’t belong on the gym floor. A war broke out in her comments sections. She had, unwittingly, stirred up a global debate about what happens when a large woman works out. Here’s what she learned along the way.
You do fit in
This story is from the September 2019 edition of Cosmopolitan - South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2019 edition of Cosmopolitan - South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Marc Buckner
The Bachelor SA Season 2’s star is here to make you swoon. Find out why boss babes are ready to risk it all for this adventurous dog lover.
I Tested Positive For The Alzheimer's Gene At 26 Years Old
A DNA testing kit is like a crystal ball, but what if you don’t like what you see?
Basically No-One Has A 28-Day Menstrual Cycle
Brought to you by: the idea of a ‘normal’ period is a lie
For Those Times When You're Like, ‘I Love You, But You're Annoying...'
Coupledom can be hard!
How To Get Sh*t Done
Calling all procrastinators: sometimes getting started on a new project or goal can be the hardest part. Here’s how to stop putting it off and actually press go
Is Rage Bait Okay?
It has become the new engagement strategy for many brands. Companies bait their followers into engaging with their content around topics that cause outrage. But is this okay? Social -media strategists Talya Goldberg and Jabulile Dlamini -Qwesha share their views.
Is Cardio A Scam? And 7 Other Not-stupid Questions About Fitness Things
Thanks for calling 0800 -WTF- Is -This
Hold The Phone
Zozibini Tunzi is here to remind you all to Take. Up. Space. She’s rewriting the pageantry rulebook, and she wants you to join in (in a bath, wearing sparkly boots, because that’s just how we roll).
How To Tell It Like It Is *And Finally Get A Promotion*
Receiving constructive criticism on your work can be terrifying. But do it right and it can be a career game-changer.
What Makes A Compulsive Liar?
We all do it. Tell those lit t le white lies to ourselves, and others. But what about those for whom lying is a way of life? Catriona Harvey-Jenner investigates the rise of a new kind of scammer.
