We are getting close the end of my round up of Body Positive men. I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know these gents and learning about their perspectives as much as I have been. If you haven’t had a chance to read the rest, here’s the line up so far
Riccardo, Benjamin, Ady, and Kavah
Today we are talking to Troy or as he’s known online… A Bear Named Troy.
The old saying is right, “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” Based out of Los Angeles, Troy Solomon, better known to many of us as “ABearNamedTroy”, got his start simply by taking a picture and posting it on Instagram. The plus-size model, actor, and style blogger used his knowledge of self, style, and entertainment to release one captivating photo at a time, promoting body positivity, self love, acceptance, and inclusion. With the recent launch of his YouTube channel, Troy continues to prove himself as a powerful force in the body positivity community.
So let’s jump in and hear what Troy has got to say!
(All his social media handles will be listed below so you can follow him and all his fabulousness)
How and why did you get started with modelling and/or blogging?
About a year and a half ago I started posting pictures of myself and my style on Instagram as a creative outlet. It was a time in my life where I was really coming into my own and wanted to express and celebrate myself visually. I’ve always enjoyed the art of photography, creative direction, and photo editing so this also gave me a chance to flex those muscles, while simultaneously honing in on my modeling techniques and promoting a body positive message that seems to resonate with a lot of people. Before I knew it my photos were being re-posted on other, bigger accounts and the rest is history. It all started out of self-love, which is why encouraging self-love is so real and dear to me.
What was it like growing up as a plus size male and what are things like today for you?
Growing up as a bigger guy was tough AT TIMES. I was never really bullied by other kids (or at least not that I can remember), but I can remember feeling very shameful of my body mostly due to the way adults treated me. Some of the grownups in my life would always try and get me on these fad diets and keep unhealthy foods physically hidden from me while everyone else got to eat whatever they wanted. I would be encouraged to keep my shirt on at the pool and change in a more private area of the locker room for gym class. I felt ostracized and unaccepted by members of my own family, but it was also a time in society where the bigger you were the less value you offered. I’m sure in some ways it was just the adults in my life trying to protect me from bullies at school, but in turn they ended up causing the same amount of body issues a bully could’ve cause. It took me until I was 25 to really overcome the shame and discomfort I had with my own body. I had to unlearn so many things I had believed to be true and shameful about myself and my body. I think it was finally coming out as a gay man when I was 21 that really brought me into the final stage of the process – there’s something very freeing about coming out and being your truest self – everything else sort of starts to feel trivial or not as big of a deal. As I became more integrated with the gay community, and more specifically the gay “Bear” community (bearded husky dudes), I began to learn that there was a whole other world outside of the judgment I grew up with that accepts people of all shapes and sizes. I felt this overwhelming sense of love and acceptance by my peers both in the gay community and online in the body positivity community, which brings me to today where I have never loved myself more.
Women plus size models and bloggers are really helping to change the game when it comes to what we see in media as well as how brands are able to reach their consumers however we are only starting to see this happen with plus size men. Why do you think this is so important and where do you see this going in the future?
I think it is so important for plus size men to have their place in media for so many reasons. Often times we forget how affected men can be by the hatred of others. Little boys are often times taught to be tough and not show emotion and never cry, but then what does a little boy do when someone hurts his feelings? Which turns into how does a grown man see himself after never expressing his emotions? There are so many men affected by body shaming both from their childhood experience and by today’s standards of how a man’s body should look. The media STILL promotes this idea that you have to have a six pack to be considered an attractive man (just look at Chris Pratt) and because of that a lot of the guys in my life that DON’T have six packs are constantly obsessing over getting one when in reality not EVERY woman or man wants a partner that has a muscular body. The media thinks it is supposed to decide what people want, but what the media should really be doing is encouraging people to want whatever THEY want and the only way this will change in regards to physical attractiveness is by the presence of men and women of all different shapes and sizes IN the media. There is a whole population of plus size men who are currently unspoken for in the media and society as a whole and we want all of the same things our “straight” size counterparts have, including a voice. I think it’s only a matter of time before this happens – we are talking about a very big (no pun intended) community with very LOUD voices. The mission of body acceptance and inclusion for ALL can only be advanced with the involvement and presence of the male plus size community and I see great things for the future.
I recently heard someone say that being a plus size woman in today’s world is harder than it is to be a plus size male – do you think this is true, what are your thoughts either way?
This is tough to answer because I actually think there are two separate things happening here…I think being a plus man vs. plus woman both have their pros and their cons. Women have more fashion choices which has a lot to do with already putting in so much of the work towards being represented and accepted in the fashion industry. There are more visible plus size women in the modeling industry that are taken seriously, signed to an agency, and working regularly, where as there really aren’t many men (aside from my boo Zach Miko) that are plus size, working regularly, signed to an agency, and in the pages of magazines. But when you remove the “plus size” from this conversation, women have always wrongfully had it harder than men. It infuriates me because there is nothing greater to me in this entire world than a strong woman, but still women are paid less than men, forced to behave a certain way at the demand of men, and often times their opinions are not welcomed by men. So many societal factors put women at a disadvantage over men so it’s sort of impossible to answer this question because I will always feel like women have it harder than men no matter what and it breaks my heart, but it also lights a fire within me to make that change and use whatever platform I create to build up women to a place of equality (if not superiority) to men.
Why do you think it’s so important to be a voice for other men?
I think being a voice for other men is an honor and a privilege and something I never thought in a million years I would have the opportunity to be. Like I said before, there’s such a large population of men who don’t currently have a voice and are crying out for acceptance and inclusion. Since I am a member of this male plus community and I have the growing platform its almost my inherent responsibility to be the voice of an unheard community and I welcome the honor.
What is it like looking for a fashionable wardrobe as a plus size man? Are there limited options or do you have lots of options?
Hard. The options are VERY limited when it comes to male plus fashion. Some new brands are emerging with promising designs, but not many. More established brands are STARTING to carry bigger sizes for men, but often time at the sacrifice of style. I’ve heard rumblings of up and coming male plus size lines that are trendy and fashion forward which I am very excited about, but until then its slim pickings (again, no pun intended).
Processed with Snapseed.
What would you say your style is?
My style is kind of fluid, it changes regularly, and has some definite feminine undertones. I like trying new trends and revisiting old trends that I think could use a reboot. Sometimes I go for an over the top dramatic look with like a long cardigan or a poncho and then sometimes I’m more subdued with a monochrome street style look. I think style and fashion is MEANT to be experimented with and I have a lot of fun taking whatever I find interesting about fashion at the time and running with it.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to fashion?
My biggest fashion challenge, which I’m sure most people can relate to, would probably be buying clothes online. Most of the clothing I like doesn’t come in my size IN STORES (which is something I’m such an advocate of change for) so I have to rely on shopping online, which is a risk when it comes to sizing and fit. By now I’ve pretty much figured out my sizing on most online stores, but in the process of figuring that out I’d have to buy two or three sizing options of each piece and ship back the ones that didn’t work – and sometimes NONE of them worked.
What are some of your favourite go to brands?
I’d say my number one go to brand is ASOS. They have SO MANY OPTIONS and probably the widest collection of trendy clothes that would fit plus size men. I also tend buy/wear a lot of women’s clothes because usually they’re just cuter and fit my body well and ASOS has their “Curve” line, which is an incredible plus size women’s collection (and makes up most of my closet). I also love American Apparel for all my basics. Old Navy and Target often offer some great one-off pieces in larger sizes, but you gotta really dig for them and think outside the box. I love American Eagle for my jeans and shorts – they carry bigger sizes online and the materials they use are really comfortable and have great stretch to them. Oublier is a band new “athleisure” clothing brand that specifically caters to plus size men and I am OBSESSED with all their pieces – lots of great oversized and longline options that are cut in such a flattering, unique, and fashion forward way – I definitely recommend checking them out.
What is it like dating as a plus size man? Do you feel that you are judged based on your size?
I’m sure it’s different for a straight plus man, but dating as a gay plus size man is probably the easiest part of being plus size! I have a wonderful boyfriend who loves and accepts me for all that I am., but the gay community is so welcoming of plus size men so even when I was dating I never really had any problems. I would get the occasional thinner guy who judged me (which still happens sometimes), but none of it really bothers me – once you love yourself you don’t really get affected by the judgment of others because you realize their judgement comes from a place of insecurity.
With the online popularity that you have been receiving, I am sure there also comes with it a little bit of negative attention. How do you manage to stay so positive when there are quite a few critics out there commenting on what you produce?
I have to be honest, I don’t really get that much negative attention – or at least not that I’ve read or heard – but whenever I have encountered hate or negativity I try and take that as an opportunity to educate someone. Usually someone’s negativity or hate comes from a place of insecurity or lack of knowledge so I typically just try and relate to that person in an effort to get them to relate to me and hopefully change their perception. Again, once you put in all the work to love yourself you don’t really pay much attention to the hate – hate can only really affect you when its possible for someone to take away any of the love you have for yourself, but if you love yourself wholly that’s nearly impossible to do.
What does life look like for you outside the fashion world?
I’ve managed to create a pretty wonderful life in and out of the fashion world. In learning to love myself I also learned that happiness truly is a choice. I choose to surround myself with amazing friends and a life that cultivates happiness. I have an adorable dog that lights up my life and a wonderful boyfriend who believes in me and encourages me to be myself everyday. I’m having a great time with the recent launch of my YouTube channel which covers all sorts of things from body positivity to makeup to interviewing and learning about random people.
What is the message you hope to portray to other plus size men?
That you matter and there’s a place for us in this world that is just as important as anyone else’s. That people want to hear your story and that speaking your truth is the most important step towards self-discovery. That the greatest love you’ll ever experience is the love you have for yourself and that no relationship is as important as the one you have with yourself.
Want to see more of Troy???
Website & Blog: www.ABearNamedTroy.com
Instagram: @ABearNamedTroy
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ABearNamedTroy
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ABearNamedTroy
Snapchat: ABearNamedTroy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmgCB6-c7LC0uMkBgOPuN5A
Leave A Comment