Strangers shouted 'you're fat' during my first mum's night out – I'm proud of my body
A plus-size mum who was scolded and told to “go on a diet” on her first night out without her baby says she is “proud” of her body.
Jaz Harris, 31, has always been confident in her size 20 body but was shocked when strangers harassed her in the street on her first night out since having her son Vinicius-George, now two.
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The strangers called Jaz 'fat', 'obese girl' and shouted at her to 'go on a diet' before following her and her friend, Deanna Byron, 29, on the road.
But despite the comments she initially 'slammed', Jaz now 'accepts and loves' her body and did not react to it.
She says she's the “fittest and healthiest” she's ever been and embraces her size as a plus-size model.
Jaz, a model and content creator, from Rochford, Essex, said: “No one should have to put up with hate speech – whether it is about their appearance, their sexuality or their ethnicity.
“I'm tired of it being normal and accepted. It's disgusting.
“I am so proud of my body and don't want anyone else to feel discouraged because of their size.”
Jaz was always confident growing up, but only really found self-love after a solo trip in May 2018.
Shortly after returning, she met her fiancé Ellis Smith, 25, a football academy director, and they welcomed their son Vinicius-George Smith, now two, on August 27, 2021.
They cherished their son's first months – especially after being warned they might not be able to get pregnant due to Jaz's diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common condition that affects the functioning of a woman's ovaries.
Jaz didn't put any pressure on herself to shift the baby's weight, but felt good when she was invited to a friend's hen party in January 2022 – her first night without her baby.
She said: “I hadn't gotten dressed for a girls' night out for a long time – I was so excited.
“I was a little nervous about leaving Vinny behind, but I knew Ellis would take care of him, so I wanted to make sure I could enjoy my time with the girls instead of worrying.”
When she went home after her night out, she was harassed by three men.
There is so much pressure on women's bodies to bounce back after pregnancy.
Jaz
Jaz said: “They said 'Okay darlings' when we walked past and asked where we were going, but my friend said we weren't interested and were going home.
“Then they turned around and started bickering.
“They called me fat, obese, said I needed to lose some weight and that I was ugly.
'I didn't turn around, but their voices got louder, so I knew they were following us.
“Luckily my friend's friend picked us up at the end of the street.
“He had gotten out of the car to see what was going on, but I just told him to get in and drive. I didn't want to give them what they wanted or cause any problems.”
Since the incident, Jaz has regained her confidence and wants to put an end to the pressure of having to 'bounce back' after birth.
She said: 'There is so much pressure on women to bounce back after pregnancy.
“I wanted to show people what 'normal' looks like, and how proud I am of my body and the joy it has brought to my life and my son.
“I find the term 'bounce back' horrifying. It can't be 'bounce back on the belly,' it should bounce back with you.”
Jaz flaunts her plus size figure online and says she gets cheated on daily.
She said: “The word fat is thrown around like glitter.
'I'm the fittest and healthiest I've ever been.
“Your buddy shouldn't insult you.
“I have come a long way on my journey to self-love, and I want to encourage other women to do the same.”
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