I am Annemarie Timmerman born: 17 July 1971 in Amsterdam, height 180 cm, 148 kg, dress size 58. I am an only child, mother of a son, Burgundian, music lover, and sociable animal.
I like to sing and the beach. Independent entrepreneur at heart. I am a creative thinker and doer. Very positive attitude with usually a big smile, crying in a corner is not for me. I am caring and love to help others. I am stubborn and sometimes a know-it-all.
I enjoy life, even if it is not always easy. I live each day and let the next surprise me. Born as, by social standards, an ‘overweight’ baby and yet grown into a self-assured voluptuous Diva. I have been ‘working in the plus-size industry since the age of 17, as a plus-size model, as a saleswoman, as a (plus size) fashion designer, entrepreneur, and now as a plus-size blogger. I am a positive body activist for more diversity and broadening social standards and motivator/inspirator for getting a more positive self-image.
Like everyone else, I have a story. There have been many ups and downs in my life, especially in my youth. There was reason enough to make me feel insecure about my appearance and especially my weight. Like many, I had a mother who was extremely busy losing weight to comply with “the fashion image” and projected that onto me. I have had to deal with a lot of criticism and comments. Perhaps so much that I developed a kind of “deafness” because of it, but certainly also a certain rebelliousness. I have always found it strange and very unfair that your appearance plays a role in acceptance and respect. During puberty, I started to use my overweight as a weapon. To go against everything but, in the first instance, my mother, but also to society. I was just showing what I had to hide according to social standards. I exploited that by making myself even more noticeable with hair and make-up and wearing clothes that showed my so-called body.
I have gained a lot of experience in my field of work. Primarily through working with people that dealt with harmful confrontations which caused problems with self-image and the lack of self-confidence. I have developed the urge to positively motivate and encourage others. I want to inspire, not promote being fat, as some think (I’m fat but not crazy!).
From a very young age, people are consciously and unconsciously presented with a one-sided and unrealistic image of socially accepted characteristics regarding beauty. Through TV, movies, magazines, music, and social media, and through school and from home, children are taught that unrealistic and for many impossible ideals of beauty must be met to “belong” or be accepted. As a result, many people grow up with a negative self-image and a significant lack of self-confidence.
Through my work and organizing meetings and events, I hope to contribute to the broadening of social standards regarding beauty to promote (self) acceptance and diversity. I want to show everyone that you are fine and can be proud of yourself if you do not meet “the norms and standards,” that you certainly also count in society. Still, you are also beautiful when you do not meet certain beauty ideals. You have the right to stand up for yourself when people don’t respect or discriminate against you.
Over the years, things have changed positively. Still, when accepting “being fatter,” unfortunately, we have not yet reached the point where the prejudices and stigmas have disappeared. Fortunately, there are more and more people who quite rightly no longer accept this. Still, as long as not everyone has reached this point and society continues to raise unrealistic standards, I will continue to try to change this.
Love X
Annemarie
