Lifestyle Health Women of All Sizes Celebrate Body Positivity at the Golden Confidence Pool Party Essie Golden started the Golden Confidence Pool Party to "encourage plus size women everywhere to wear swimwear" By Julie Mazziotta Julie Mazziotta Twitter Julie Mazziotta is the Sports Editor at PEOPLE, covering everything from the NFL to tennis to Simone Biles and Tom Brady. She was previously an Associate Editor for the Health vertical for six years, and prior to joining PEOPLE worked at Health Magazine. When not covering professional athletes, Julie spends her time as a (very) amateur athlete, training for marathons, long bike trips and hikes. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 1, 2020 09:44 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Source: Essie Golden/Instagram What’s better than a pool party in the summer heat? A pool party that celebrates body positivity! Style blogger and curvy model Essie Golden came up with the idea for the Golden Confidence Pool Parties in 2015, based on the #goldenconfidence hashtag she would add to her swimsuit photos on social media. “We created [the hashtag] to help encourage plus size women everywhere to wear swimwear and feel good about themselves while doing it,” she explains, but the women said they would only wear swimsuits “if they were surrounded by other women who looked like them.” So Golden, 29, came up with the idea for a body positive pool party, starting with her first one in her hometown of New York City last year. “I decided to create a safe and non-judgmental place where women of all shapes and size can come together, slay in their swimsuits and uplift each other,” she says. “And that’s exactly what this event has done.” “Women have traveled from all over the states and even internationally, just to be in a positive space with other women. Many women come alone and leave with new friends. It’s truly incredible what an event like this can do for people.” After the success of the first Golden Confidence Pool Party, Golden expanded it this year to Miami and Los Angeles, where she hosted the party on Saturday with attendees like Tess Holliday. She hears constantly from women who are thankful to have a space where they can feel free from body insecurities. RELATED VIDEO: Our Body Issue Stars React to Nice Tweets About Themselves “I hear it all of the time. That’s why I know an event like this is important,” she says. “It’s really troubling to hear women in their 20s and 30s telling me this is the first time they’ve worn a swimsuit because their body isn’t perfect, or because they’re so scared someone is going to make fun of them.” “These women come to my events fully covered and by the end of the event they’re in the pool looking amazing in their swimsuits, laughing and having a good time. You can see their confidence building.” Golden hopes to take the pool parties international – “I would love to bring it to London, Toronto and even the Carribbean,” she says. “I want to take it everywhere!”