It’s about time we all learn a bit more about Tess Holliday, the 29-year-old model who graces the cover of People‘s Body Issue.
“After leaving school, I went to many discouraging auditions where I was told I was too short (5-foot-5) and too fat (size 22) to be a model,” Tess told People. “Thanks to the power of the Internet, I was able to create my own destiny.”
Some fans may know her by a different name: until recently, she was Tess Munster. Before that, she was Tess Typhoon and originally Ryann Hoven. She made the final change after getting engaged to Nick Holliday, an Australia native who describes himself as an artist and designer.
The pair first connected in 2012, when Tess was already making a name for herself and her body-positive movement.
“He messaged me on Tumblr in 2012 and he said, ‘I love how you inspire other women.’ I just remember thinking how cute he was, so we started talking and it quickly turned into a relationship,” Tess said this month. “I already knew I wanted to marry him before I met him.”
Before Nick came into her life, Tess was a single mother to son Rylee, whom she had when she was 20.
“When I was younger, I squandered opportunities and I really didn’t care as much. Once I had him, I was 20–which is still young, but by Mississippi standards, I was doing good–he made me have the drive that I needed to put myself out there,” Tess told Plus Size Mag in 2011. “It was the first time that I started being ok with the size I was because before, I had always wished I looked like everyone I saw in the magazines. It wasn’t until I had him that I thought I looked good.”
Even now that she’s a successful model, Tess said Rylee remains her biggest priority.
“I pick my son up from school every day, [do] homework,” she told People. “I just want him to grow up loving himself, to just be free to be himself. That would be the greatest goal in my life. My career’s amazing, but it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have pushed myself as hard as I have.”
That’s just skimming the surface of Tess’ inspiring story. For more, pick up this week’s edition of People.
