Interview With Lilly Rose: Plus Size Model, Vocalist, and Fat Positive Punk Rocker

Fat, Beautiful, and Empowered

By Ghia Vitale

Photo Credit: Mariana Krueger (@mariana.krueger on Instagram)

​Lilly Rose is a plus size model, singer, and member of the fat positive community. Their photos and voice are truly breathtaking. Check out this exclusive interview to learn more about them.

Lilly Rose’s name on Instagram is @TheFatPosiPunk. That’s shorthand for The Fat Positive Punk. In a world full of fatphobia, Lilly embraces fat positivity. It's no shocker that I first came across them in a fat positive Facebook group. (They post their modeling shots in fat positive groups.) When I saw their photos, I was immediately intrigued by their beauty, creativity, and authenticity. These photos were the kind of fat representation I've dreamed about seeing. Not only is Lilly Rose stylish like whoa, but they’re also proudly queer. I know from personal experience that being a fat person on social media isn't easy, so I really appreciate their efforts. 

Lilly Rose is the singer in a queer math rock band called Deathgender. Their sound is enchanting, edgy, and innovative. I highly recommend checking this band out. Lilly’s vocals are stunning and priceless. Learn more about Deathgender below.

Personally, I think Lilly deserves to be more famous. Let’s proceed with the interview:

Photo Credit: Veronica Villegas (@butch_mija on Instagram) Makeup Artist: Jeanette Celine (@como_la_florrr on Instagram)

Tell us a bit about yourself! What would you like the world to know about you?

The way I typically describe myself as is a fat punk bitch. I'm 24 and I'm from Austin, Texas! I am a plus size model and vocalist whose main goals are to both educate and look hot while doing it. I'm extremely queer. I live with 2 of my partners and our little pup, Reptar. When I'm not working on my music or modeling, I spend most of my time talking people’s ears off about how much I love the movie Pacific Rim and trying my hardest to get to a beach as often as possible.
 
How did you get into modeling?

When I was living in Berlin, my roommate and my wife both got into the modeling scene over there. I dabbled a bit, but I mostly helped them out with their stuff. I wasn't in a place where I felt good about myself and confident. That really restricted what I feel could have been an earlier start for my career. Fast forward a few years: Once I was in a much better place with my self-esteem, I really found myself regretting not getting into modeling because I thought that I could be good at it if I put in the work. So that's exactly what I decided to do: I started taking more photos and really trying to put myself out there. I'm very happy with the way things are progressing! 

Photo Credit: Julina Dove (@julinadove on Instagram)

Are there any other plus size icons you admire?

Absolutely. Someone who I admire very much is Shooglet. I have been following Shooglet on Instagram for ages and every single thing they post is breathtaking. The way that they capture the tremendous beauty of fat bodies is so wonderful. It's a dream of mine to shoot with them if I'm being perfectly honest.

How did you find the fat positive community?

I first got into the fat positive community through groups on Facebook. They have been monumentally important to my journey towards self-love and fat positivity. They gave me a space to be radically and unapologetically fat for the first time in my life. The amount of positive feedback and support I got from those spaces is what gave me the confidence to finally take the plunge and get into modeling. 

What has fat positivity done for your life?

It's difficult to put into words what fat positivity has done for me personally. I feel like a completely different person than I did 3 years ago. I spent so long with so much self-hatred and doubt. I hated looking at myself in the mirror when I was younger. It pains me to think about how much I always felt like I was being drowned by society’s hatred of fat people. I wish all the time that I had encountered the fucking amazing fat positive community earlier in life and I cherish my place in this community very much. I love myself. I love how I look, including my fat, my rolls, and everything else that everyone told me was shameful for my whole life. It's not. Fat people are amazing and beautiful, and I want every single fat person reading this to know that. You are all incredible. 

Photo Credit: Julina Dove (@julinadove on Instagram) Makeup Artist: Anshu (@glamour_face_by_anshu on Instagram)

Are you working on any other projects besides modeling?

Yes! I'm a vocalist for a queer band called Deathgender. We are currently working on releasing our second EP. You can find our first EP on Bandcamp and Spotify.

I see you're into punk rock. Have any bands or musicians influenced you creatively?

Beth Ditto from Gossip for sure. She was one of the first artists who I personally encountered that really seemed to embrace her fatness. As a kid who was a wannabe musician, that meant a lot to me. More recently, I've gotten really into All Torn Up! and Cop/Out after seeing the latter in concert with Days n' Daze recently. I felt immediately inspired to get even more political with my music. I'm currently trying to get together a group in Austin to work on a political punk EP. 

Be sure to check out Lilly Rose’s modeling site to see more pictures. For more updates, follow them on Instagram and like their page on Facebook. Don’t forget to listen to Deathgender. You’ll be glad you did!