Tess Holliday is making it clear that online criticism will not stop her from enjoying her life.
The plus-size model recently faced backlash after sharing a swimsuit photo from her vacation in Italy. Instead of deleting the post or stepping away from the conversation, Holliday responded with another yacht photo and a pointed message for her critics.
Tess Holliday Shares Another Yacht Photo After Backlash
Holliday posted a photo of herself in a green bikini while spending time on a yacht in Italy on August 21, 2026.
The model appeared to address the negative reaction with humour. In the Facebook caption, she joked that she was sharing another yacht photo because her critics had apparently enjoyed the first one so much.
She also ended the caption on a positive note, writing that she was feeling blessed. E! News reported that the post came after she received criticism over an earlier swimsuit picture from her Italian vacation.
Rather than allowing the comments to define the moment, Holliday continued sharing her vacation and focusing on the people who supported her.
Holliday Sends a Message to Her Critics
The conversation continued the following day.
In a Facebook post on August 22, Holliday pushed back against the attention surrounding her appearance. She explained that people have often focused heavily on her body, while she has never viewed it as the most important part of who she is.
Holliday also emphasised that she is busy living her life, raising her children, working and creating. Her response reflected a broader message she has shared throughout her career: people should not feel obligated to justify their bodies to strangers online.
That perspective has been a consistent part of Holliday’s public work for years.
Tess Holliday Has Long Challenged Beauty Standards
Holliday’s response did not come out of nowhere.
She became widely recognised for challenging traditional beauty standards and promoting greater representation of plus-size women in fashion. Vogue previously described how her social media presence helped push her modelling career into the spotlight, including her #EffYourBeautyStandards campaign.
Her advocacy has also extended beyond social media.
Holliday co-authored Take Up Space, Y’all with Kelly Coon. Published in 2025, the book focuses on self-love, body acceptance, social media pressures and developing a healthier relationship with appearance. The publisher describes it as a guide designed to help young readers navigate pressures surrounding looks, fashion and online culture.
Kirkus Reviews likewise describes the book as a body-positive work encouraging readers to reject restrictive beauty standards and embrace self-acceptance.
Why Holliday’s Response Fits Her Larger Message
For Holliday, conversations about body image are not new.
Her career has frequently placed her at the centre of discussions about representation and beauty standards. Her modelling work and advocacy have developed alongside her efforts to challenge the idea that people should dress, look or live according to narrow expectations.
That history helps explain why her latest response focuses less on defending a particular photograph and more on rejecting the idea that strangers are entitled to judge her body.
Her approach also reflects a wider shift in online conversations about appearance. Celebrities and public figures increasingly push back against comments about weight, pregnancy, ageing and physical appearance, arguing that social media users rarely know the full story behind someone’s body.
Holliday Continues to Focus on Living Her Life
The Italy vacation posts are another example of Holliday choosing to engage with her audience on her own terms.
Instead of allowing criticism to dictate what she shares, she responded by continuing to post. Her message was ultimately about keeping the focus on her own life rather than the opinions of people commenting on her appearance.
That stance has been central to Holliday’s public identity for more than a decade. From her modelling career to her body-positive advocacy and writing, she has consistently challenged the idea that there is only one acceptable way for women to look.
For now, Holliday appears to be enjoying her Italian getaway while refusing to let online body-shaming take centre stage.