'Real friends have your back': Plus-size model Tess Holliday shows off aerial yoga skills with Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness - who is seen lifting her into the air as she bends over backwards
- Tess, 33, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a video and photo of Jonathan, 33, lifting her into a high-flying whale pose while hanging out in Los Angeles
- In the snap, he is lying on the ground with his arms and legs pointed upwards; Tess's back is resting on his feet while he holds her legs above his head
- The video shows that Tess had two spotters — Julie Carrillo and make-up artist Patty Carrillo — while trying the move for the first time
- In addition to being a famous hairstylist, Jonathan is a longtime yogi
- Tess, who started working with LA-based trainer Massy Arias in July, opened up about her fitness journey, saying: 'I'm doing this for me & it's been so much fun'
Tess Holliday got a boost from her friend, Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness, while he gave her an aerial yoga lesson in Los Angeles.
The 33-year-old plus-size model took to Instagram on Sunday to share a video and photo of Jonathan, 32, lifting her into a high-flying whale pose in West Hollywood, writing: 'Real friends have your back @jvn.'
In the snapshot, Jonathan is lying on the ground with his arms and legs pointed towards the ceiling. Tess's back is resting on his feet while he holds her ankles above his head with his hands.
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Tess Holliday, 33, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a video and photo of Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness, 33, lifting her into a high-flying whale pose while practicing aerial yoga
They are both decked out in stylish workout clothes for the occasion. Tess has on a white T-shirt that she tied at her waist and black leggings with white stripes running down the legs.
Jonathan, meanwhile, has his black sweatshirt pulled up to show off his stomach and a pair of black bike shorts.
They look like natural aerial yoga stars in the snapshot, but the video shows that Tess had two spotters — Julie Carrillo and make-up artist Patty Carrillo — while trying the move for the first time.
In addition to being a famous hairstylist, Jonathan is a longtime yogi. He made sure his friend was at ease as he walked through the motions, having her rest her back on his feet before he lifted her up in the air.
Steps: Jonathan, who is a longtime yogi, made sure his friend was at ease as he walked through the motions, having her rest her back on his feet before he lifted her up in the air
Flying high: 'Oh, my God, it's so weird,' she said. 'Oh my God. That's crazy'
Going for it: Tess let out a panicked 'no' when Jonathan tells the spotters to step away so actor Johnny Sibilly can take their photo, but she eventually acquiesced
'Oh, my God, it's so weird,' she says. 'Oh my God. That's crazy.'
Tess lets out a panicked 'no' when Jonathan tells the spotters to step away so actor Johnny Sibilly can take their photo, but she eventually acquiesces.
'We are acro yoga queens,' Jonathan commented on the snapshot Tess shared on Instagram.
The group also had brunch together and posed for a photo outside of Eveleigh, a rustic restaurant with farm-to-table dishes inspired by country cooking.
Tess, who started working with Los Angeles-based trainer Massy Arias in July, drives more than two hours a day, three days a week to work up a sweat.
Out and about: The group also had brunch together and posed for a photo outside of Eveleigh, a rustic restaurant in West Hollywood
Happy: Tess opened up about her fitness journey on her Instagram Stories. She also shared her excitement that U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is following her on Instagram
The mother-of-two opened up about her fitness journey on Instagram Stories on Monday after a fan asked her how it was going.
'Good! I take it day by day & have a ton of support around me!' she wrote. 'I'm doing this for me & it's been so much fun & I'm learning so much!'
Tess also shared her excitement that U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez started following her on Instagram, writing: 'I'm gonna poop my pants.'
Over the weekend, the model enjoyed a relaxing bath, and she couldn't resist showing off the intricate tattoos that cover her thighs and calves.
Getting it: Tess started working with Los Angeles-based trainer Massy Arias (right) in July
Healthy outlook: The model explained that she is doing it for herself and her mental health
'I’m a literal work of art #effyourbeautystandards,' she captioned the image.
Last Thursday, Tess revealed she had an abortion as a mother-of-two because she couldn't mentally handle being pregnant again after suffering postpartum depression.
Using the viral hashtag #YouKnowMe on Instagram, she opened up about her abortion in response to Alabama's decision to impose a near-total ban on the procedure, including those for victims of rape or incest.
'I’m from Mississippi, living in California, married with 2 kids, & I had an abortion,' she wrote. 'If I was still down south, I might not have been able to get the abortion I wanted & needed.'
''I’m a literal work of art': Over the weekend, the model enjoyed a relaxing bath, and she couldn't resist showing off the intricate tattoos that cover her thighs and calves
The mother-of-two Tess has been candid about her struggles with postpartum depression on social media
Tess, who has been candid about her struggles with postpartum depression on social media, has a two-year-old son named Bowie with her husband Nick Holliday and a 13-year-old son named Rylee from a previous relationship.
'My mental health couldn’t handle being pregnant again & I made the best decision for ME & ultimately my family. It wasn’t the "easy thing to do", it was excruciating on many levels, but necessary,' she explained. 'Do I regret it or question my choice? Not at all.'
Tess noted that many people in Alabama have had similar experiences, explaining that the 'majority' of those who had abortions in the state in 2017 were already parents.
'Did you know 1-4 women have had an abortion?' she asked. 'This isn’t something that only affects women either.
Honest: Tess revealed on Instagram last Thursday that she had an abortion because she couldn't mentally handle being pregnant again after having postpartum depression
Opening up: She said having an abortion as a mother-of-two was ultimately the best decision for her and her family
'In the words of my friend @alokvmenon: "Abortion is a queer issue. Abortion is a trans issue. Abortion is a non-binary issue. A lot of people still mistakenly believe that only cis women & heterosexual people can get pregnant / have abortions & this rhetoric erases queer women, trans men, and non-binary people who have a disproportionately difficult time accessing abortions."'
She stressed that 'abortion is healthcare' and people who are 'living down south need safe access to abortions.'
At the end of her post, she shared that she just donated to the Yellowhammer Fund, a grassroots organization funding safe abortion access in Alabama.
She urged her 1.8 million followers to follow in her footsteps and either donate to The Yellowhammer Fund or similar organizations, including The National Network of Abortion Funds, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.
Family: She has a two-year-old son named Bowie with her husband Nick Holliday and a 13-year-old son named Rylee from a previous relationship
Looking back: Tess suffered from postpartum depression for more than a year after she had Bowie. She is pictured at age 21 with Rylee (left) and at age 31 with Bowie (right)
'Don’t let these old white men tell us what we should do with our bodies. #prochoice #abortionisahumanright,' she wrote.
Tess suffered from postpartum for more than a year after she welcomed her youngest son Bowie in June 2016, and as she explained in her candid Instagram post, having an abortion was necessary for her mental health.
Alabama's new bill makes all abortions illegal unless they are required to save the mother's life. It was passed 25-6 last Tuesday and all of the votes in favor of it were from men.
The law — HB 314 — is set to come into effect in six months, and doctors who defy the law could face 99 years in prison.
Like Tess, thousands of women have shared stories about their abortions using the hashtag #YouKnowMe after news broke about the near-ban.
