A size 26 woman has been forced to defend herself against other plus-sized people who claim her fiancé must be with her 'for the money'.
Aby Deal met Terrance Raymond online back in 2020 and the pair got engaged one year later after a whirlwind 'mixed-weight' romance.
The body positive mental health influencer, 30, says it was 'love at first sight' but has to deal with strangers making horrendous comments about their size difference.
Fed-up Aby claims the majority of nasty comments come from other plus-size women who she believes are 'projecting' their own issues onto her.
Some have branded Aby a 'gorilla' and claim that warehouse worker Terrance is only with her for 'tax reasons' - even though the pair both have jobs.
Loved-up Aby, who is due to wed 26-year-old Terrance in March 2023, is defiantly sharing their experience to urge people to 'think before they speak'.
Aby, from Gainesville, Florida, US, said: "There's a stigma around plus-size women and interracial relationships.
"People say he must be with me for the money because why would he want to be with someone my size?
"We get weird looks but the criticism of my relationship comes on social media.
"It's guaranteed that if I post a video of us, someone will say 'it must be tax season' or 'he's trying to get that PS5'.
"I get at least three to five comments on a post depending on the views.
"It can blow up every few months and I can have 300 comments saying 'income taxes' or there's no way he'd be with me for any other reason.
"Terrance thinks it's silly because we both work hard and that's never been a concept in our relationship.
"He gets defensive sometimes because he doesn't like when people say hurtful things about me.
"I've told him that the people who are saying these things don't know us or our relationship so spending energy arguing with them online doesn't make a difference. It really upset him at first.
"My biggest challenge doesn't come from my weight but people assume he's only with me because I'm a big white girl.
"I don't like it when people bring weight into it, it's silly. We love who we love. I don't see size or colour when it comes to a relationship. You fall for who you fall for.
"I know what our relationship is, I try not to let it bother me but sometimes it does because I'm human.
"I hope that people think a little more before they speak.
"I know what our relationship is but if I didn't or if I had mental health issues or struggled with my self-esteem, these comments could be something that could push me into an unhealthy mental state."
Aby shares body positive photos and videos on her Instagram account and says each time she posts an image of Terrance, the nasty comments come flooding in.
Aby, who works in purchasing, said: "People don't realise their words have consequences. I wish people would be kinder and realise love is love. It has no limitations on weight, size, height or colour.
"Your value isn't in what you look like, it's who you are. I'm quite confident.
"I have my moments, we all have moments, with insecurities but I overcome a lot of that and try to embrace the skin I'm in.
"It says more about the people who are commenting. These people don't know you, it's the internet. Love has no bounds but social media can be cruel.
"Terrance loves me how I am. He goes into protective mode. The only time he comforts me is when I don't understand them when they come from other plus-size women.
"He says it's jealousy and insecurity on their part. I don't understand women tearing other women down.
"There isn't a specific group of people saying it but a lot of comments are from plus-size women. It's projecting."
The couple met on Instagram back in February 2020 and didn't get a chance to meet face to face until one year later because Terrance lived eight hours away in Louisiana.
Terrance moved to Florida to be with Aby after meeting just three times and proposed to her in December 2021. The pair plan to get married in March next year.
Aby regularly shares videos on social media and is flooded with comments from cruel trolls commenting on their relationship.
One wrote: "Homeboy said he wanted to marry the woman of his dreams, instead he married a gorilla."
Another said: "Hey lady, tell us you have an 850 credit score without telling us you have an 850 credit score."
Another commented on a video of the pair dancing together: "Right after doing this TikTok dance she went to work her nine to five and he went back to the couch to sleep and play PS5 aka what he does for a living."
