Tess Holliday Boycotts Uber After Claiming a Driver Body-Shamed Her: ''I'm Fat. I Also Have a Fat Wallet''

Size 22 model shares the concerning story with her 1.4 million Instagram followers

By Kendall Fisher Apr 19, 2017 4:56 PMTags
Tess HollidaySergiy Barchuck/The Guardian/Sipa USA

Tess Holliday will no longer use Uber's services.

The plus-size model says she was body-shamed by a driver who picked her up on Tuesday and told her she was not healthy because of her weight. Holliday took to Instagram to share a video from the incident with her 1.4 million followers and explain the story.

"Hey @uber I don't pay more to use your 'black car' service to be told that there's no way I could possibly be healthy because I'm fat & then questioning it," she wrote. "No one should have to tolerate this at any level of the services you offer. I'm fat. I also have a fat wallet & will no longer be using your services. Ever. Also after I told him I was healthy he turned the radio off & changed the subject. #putmymoneywheremymouthis #uberdriver #uber."

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The size 22 model later added an edit to further explain the situation and clarify her comments. 

"Edited to add: saying my driver is fat was obviously being used as a descriptor & not to insult him," she continued. "Also I did not show his face or use his name when filming, it was to be able to show what I deal with daily & why this behavior is unacceptable from anyone."

In the video, you can hear the driver asking Holliday about her cholesterol. She responded, "My cholesterol is fine. I'm perfect. Yup, I'm healthy."

Uber released the following statement to E! News regarding the incident: "We expect all riders and drivers to treat each other with respect as laid out in our Community Guidelines."

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time the model—who scored a major contract after starting the #EffYourBeautyStandards movement in 2015—has publicly boycotted something.

Several years ago, she slammed a Facebook page called "Project Harpoon" that photoshopped plus-size models to look thinner. 

"This kind of hit piece is exactly why I started #effyourbeautystandards," she wrote at  the time. "I am asking my followers to boycott this [page] and any others like it. Loving yourself is the most powerful message we all need to stand behind."

Preach, girl.