A lot of people struggle with body image. Men and women of all shapes and sizes and ages struggle with body image.

They perceive themselves in a negative way and feed into underlying emotions. The fact is that it is hard to accept your body whether you are a waif-like cover girl or rounder in shape. When there are only magazine covers with skinny people, it is hard to see yourself wearing the clothes that the models advertise. It is hard to envision yourself in a cute outfit when you do not have the same body that is being adorned on every billboard across the country. Body acceptance is difficult for a lot of people, whether they are a size 00 or 14. However, we are transitioning into a new era of body positivity, and that's why I love models like Tess Holliday.

Tess Holliday, a 33-year-old plus-size model, recently revealed she is the cover star of October 2018 UK Cosmopolitan Magazine. She inspires people like me and others of all sizes to know that even though we do not look like people on billboards and in fashion magazines, we can still be models.

Additionally, Tess Holliday is using her platform to talk about mental health, which is viewed as taboo. "I remember very vividly driving in the car with Bowie (Holliday's 2-year-old son) and I thought to myself, 'I wish I could just disappear. I wish I could vanish", said the model in her interview with Cosmopolitan UK. If she can address her struggles, then so can the average person. She is doing it on a global scale and giving people the courage to be confident in themselves. She inspires me because I know that even if I am not a size 00, I can be a model too. There is a market for every body type, and each person is beautiful in their own way.

Tess Holliday is an inspiring, fresh vision of confidence. With her social media campaign called #effyourbeautystandards, Tess consistently shuts down body shamers. She encourages self-acceptance and promotes positive body image. Men and women of all sizes can be models. It is what's unique that makes us beautiful.