Tess Holiday has been raked over the coals recently for being on the cover a magazine. There were lots of comments by people claiming to be concerned about her health. Thin women don’t get that treatment. These people made all sorts of passive aggressive comments about how she might look happy and beautiful, but they worried for her health.

Worried.

And then, of course, there were the others who said that by being on the cover of Cosmo, she “glorified obesity.” Just by standing there. As if by being on a magazine, she’ll inspire millions of women to leap from their treadmills and change their entire body type. (“Never mind! I never realized there was another option!”) There’s no risk of that, I can assure you.  But... there might be some girls who look at Tess, look down at themselves, and realized that they’re beautiful just as they are. Heaven forbid girls and women feel attractive and worthy, right?

We women go through enough at the hands of “the system” without turning on each other. No one is worried about a plus-sized woman’s health to the point that they feel they can invade her privacy and spout off. Because really… you’re concerned about her health? I call BS on that. If she were thin and standing here with a can of pop in her hand, would you worry about the amount of sugar she was consuming? Would a cigarette or an alcoholic drink make you suddenly alarmed for her longevity? Not likely. But when a plus-sized woman simply stands there feeling confident, looking beautiful and drawing the gaze of people who might not have looked before, suddenly everyone is concerned about a complete stranger’s health.

I wrack my brain to think of what their motivation is, because I highly doubt they are personally concerned about her health. Is it jealousy? A worry that there might be more competition for the male gaze than before? Is it just a toppled sense of the hierarchy of women, where she isn’t supposed to achieve that level of attention? Why the anger? Why the negativity?

Ms. Holiday doesn’t need anybody’s worry. She’s beautiful, successful, and at the top of her career. She’s married with a beautiful family. Any “worry” on her behalf is very misplaced, and I love that she’s on the front of Cosmo! She makes me feel beautiful, too.

Being a woman has never been easy, and it’s high time we stopped fighting each other and banded together.

In my my upcoming release, I wrote my most recent heroine as a gorgeous, confident, plus-sized woman. Why? Because I wanted a heroine who looked like me, and who was absolutely perfect just as she was. She’s sweet, sassy, and just the hero’s type.

No treadmill required. 😉

****

Their relationship isn’t real…

But his feelings for her are!

Detective Jack Talbott has devoted his life to ending police corruption. His latest target is Liv Hylton, the ex-wife of a dirty cop. She’s also the woman he’s secretly loved for years. To get close to her, Jack’s going undercover as her boyfriend. But when the evidence points to Liv’s innocence and a threat to her safety, he’ll do anything to protect her. Even risk his career…

E-book available on the Harlequin site now!