EXCLUSIVE: Tess Holliday - 'People Think I Don't Have Feelings'

Check out our groundbreaking photoshoot and interview with beauty icon, social media queen and body image revolutionary Tess Holliday.

ON WHY THE UK HAS A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO ACCEPTING PLUS SIZE FASHION:

'You guys need this. The States are more accommodating to fat people – there are more plus-sized clothing labels, and people talk openly about it. I've noticed that a lot of people who criticise me are from the UK – both in the press and on social media. Since I've been here, I've gotten a lot of stares on the street, but in the States, people always come up to me and say, "I love your hair" or "I love your dress, you're so cute". Here, people just look at me like I'm a crazy person.' ON THE ABUSE PLUS SIZE BLOGGERS GET OVER SOCIAL MEDIA: 'People think we're disgusting. They automatically think we're lazy, when I work hard and I'm constantly on my feet. But I do have moments, like for this shoot, when I get ready and feel self-conscious. I've got this really tight dress on, and my stomach's not flat – clearly. I'm a normal person, but people see me as this person who's not really real, almost like I don't have feelings. They think they can treat me any way they want to.'

ON HER TURBULENT CHILDHOOD: 'People hated me. I would receive death threats, as a kid. I have no friends from high school. That was probably the reason I ended up dropping out, and I dealt with that by eating.'

ON STRANGERS' CONCERNS ABOUT HER WEIGHT:

'It's always "You're unhealthy". I just think, "Fuck you". It's nobody's business whether I'm healthy or not. We could have other problems, like smoking 20 [cigarettes] a day, but you can't see that. Whereas you can see that I'm fat, and I work out, but that's because I want to.'