Model Tess Holliday has devoted her career to body acceptance activism. As a plus-size model, she’s helped break body image barriers, working with fashion brands from H&M to Torrid. So after an Uber driver allegedly made rude comments about her weight, Holliday announced she is planning to boycott the company.
“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,” Holliday wrote in an Instagram post. “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.”
In the clip, Holliday’s Uber driver allegedly asks about her “cholesterol,” to which she responds, “My cholesterol is fine, I’m perfect. Yeah, I’m healthy.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTC5CtgB9hY/
Holliday says that she posted the video to show “what I deal with daily & why this behavior is unacceptable from anyone.” On Twitter, she noted that there’s more to the conversation as well, suggesting that there may have been other rude comments directed toward her during the car ride.
To everyone that keeps saying "well we don't know the full conversation" I say REALLY?! He wasn't "curious" he was shaming me. End of story.
— Tess H🍒lliday (@Tess_Holliday) April 19, 2017
The Independent later reached out to Uber for comment, which responded by insisting that drivers and customers alike should abide by the company’s community guidelines.
“We expect all riders and drivers to treat each other with respect as laid out in our community guidelines,” an Uber spokesperson explained.