This is the story of Annette Richmond. She’s a 32-year-old stylist who posts on her Instagram account regularly with the hashtag Fat Girls Traveling. She is challenging the stereotypical ideas of what a traveler should look like. On her blog she describes herself as: “A self-proclaimed Fat Girl, I’m a staunch supporter of the Body Positive Movement.” She explains that: “Traveling is my newest obsession. I’ve visited 14 countries in the last two years. I’ve always wanted to see the world and until recently, I didn’t think that was possible. In October of 2017, I will be embarking on the adventure of a lifetime! I’ll be traveling through Asia for a year studying culture, fashion, and beauty. I am a voice for Fat Travelers.”

So Annette started posting her own pictures on Instagram and really soon, other women started using the tag too. Today, there are more than 900 women submitting pictures of their adventures with the same tag. Annette has also created a private Facebook group that has almost 1,000 members. One of her latest posts is on travelling ‘while fat’.

She wrote: “Unless you can afford to fly private, travelling on public transit is rarely comfortable for anyone. No matter their size. The bottom line is no one wants to make others feel uncomfortable. Living in a bigger body means you might have to take up more space. People feel self-conscious when they think they might need to take more than their share.  Should they buy an extra seat? Will they need a seat belt extender? Should they get a window or aisle seat? What if they have to use the bathroom?”

She is a great inspiration for people struggling like her and for those who want to reach out and help.