Piers Morgan can be such a mixed bag. It’s nice ot see him berate that vulture Samantha Grant. It’s gross to see him ask Caitlin Jenner creepy questions about her body.
This time, he’s making gross comments about another woman’s body — plus size model and trailblazer Tess Holliday.
Tess graced the cover of Cosmopolitan, and Piers was apparently unable to resist commenting on her body and accusing her of being some sort of public health hazard.
Before Piers decided to insert his opinion into the narrative, Tess was delighted with her cover.
“Phew,” Tess writes on Instagram. “I’m literally a COSMO GIRL!!”
“Can’t believe I’m saying that!” she continues. “Thank you @CosmopolitanUK for this incredible opportunity “
Tess discusses the impact that body positivity can have, writing: “If I saw a body like mine on this magazine when I was a young girl, it would have changed my life “
Tess advises her fans: “Issue hits stands 8/31!”
Unfortunately, Piers Morgan is one of those dudes who worries about other people loving themselves on their terms instead of on his.
“As Britain battles an ever-worsening obesity crisis,” Piers laments. “This is the new cover of Cosmo.”
“Apparently,” Piers continues. “We’re supposed to view it as a ‘huge step forward for body positivity.’”
“What a load of old baloney,” Piers declares.
“This cover,” Piers continues. “Is just as dangerous & misguided as celebrating size zero models.”
Tess took to Twitter and hit back.
“To everyone saying I’m a burden to the British health care system,” Tess begins.
“I’m american,” Texx explains. “So you don’t have to worry about my fat ass.”
She is such a delight and doesn’t hesitate to use humor when speaking truth to power. Good for her.
(Naturally, we shouldn’t conflate body size with health, and no one should be seen as a “burden” because of their health)
Tess says that the people who are uncomfortable with the size of her body, which literally does not impact them at all, should have more important things on their minds.
“Worry about what horrible people you are,” Tess suggests to her detractors.
That’s harsh — but considering that Piers just accused her of being the next Typhoid Mary and he was far from the worst person to comment, it’s fair.
She says that they have demonstrated that they’re horrible “by whining about how me being on the cover of a glossy magazine impacts your small minded life.”
It’s difficult to understand why so many people feel like they have the right to tell other people what to do with their own bodies.
Tess’ body does not impact the rest of us. It just doesn’t.
But a photo of her on the cover of a magazine could have a very real and powerful effect on little girls (or others, but girls especially) who are struggling to love themselves.
When people like Piers say that body positive images of Tess and women like her will somehow make the “obesity epidemic” worse, it is clear what they really mean.
They mean that people who have learned to love themselves won’t go on dangerous starvation diets that ultimately don’t work in a desperate attempt to get their bodies looking how Piers wants them to.
If you think that one body type is more attractive than another, that’s fine — we all have preferences. But women are allowed to just exist without you wanting to bang them.