OPINION: Fat women deserve better representation
I can count the number of fat female influencers on my fingers, and while this isn’t an exact science, it does say something about the state of women.
In a world where diet culture and fatphobia are prevalent, fat women are suffering.
If you were on the Internet at any point in 2020, you probably saw the famous “strawberry dress.”
However, what people fail to realize is that before the puffy-sleeved dress was on everyone’s social media feeds, plus-size model Tess Holliday wore it to the 2020 Grammys.
She shared this quote on her Instagram after the dress went viral.
“I like how this dress had me on worst dressed lists when I wore it in January to the Grammys, but now bc a bunch of skinny ppl wore it on TikTok everyone cares,” Holliday said. “To sum it up: our society hates fat people, especially when we are winning.”
Holiday’s experience is a blatant example of fatphobia, and the number of stories like these couldn’t be counted on my fingers and toes combined.
Fatphobia continues to prevail in the fashion industry, especially in regard to lack of size inclusivity. Luxury brands, such as Balenciaga and Gucci, offer a limited size range that doesn’t exceed a size 12.
Not only does fatphobia reign in fashion, but it also influences the entertainment industry.
Too often, fat women are portrayed as the comedic relief or the supporting role.
I don’t know about you, but I want a world where fat women are the main characters.
I want movies and television shows where the fat lady falls in love and any conflict that may ensue is about anything but her weight.
Hollywood loves to create drama about fat women for being fat, as if that’s the only thing that they can possibly be. A fat woman enters the scene and suddenly, her entire character arch is about starting a new diet or overcoming an eating disorder.
Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t me trying to say “big girls need love, too.”
This is me saying “big girls need love… period.”
Fat women don’t need a reason to be worthy of love and representation. They deserve it.
They deserve to be seen, to be heard, and to be loved.
I want stories where the fat girl wins, and her win is not weight loss.
Maleigh Crespo serves as the Maroon's Editor in Chief. Maleigh previously served as the Maroon's Managing Editor for Print, Design Chief, Equity and...
Barbie • Nov 10, 2021 at 11:04 am
Only Tess Holliday didn’t actually appear on any worst-dressed lists— she made up that narrative for attention, and too many lazy media outlets fell right into her trap without actually looking into the facts. All it takes is just a little digging to learn that her worst-dressed spot with the strawberry dress simply does not exist. Tess has a long pattern of making things up for attention when her press is either bad (like when she scammed hundreds of her followers out of money for #effyourbeautystandards products she never delivered), or when the well has simply been dry for a while. She is by no means a role model for any person — fat or thin— and shame on you for being one of many continuing to deify her.
And for the record, I’m a former fat woman who deserved better. I deserved to not feel tired so frequently. I deserved to be able to move faster and keep up with my kids. I deserved to decrease my risk of serious diseases so I could be there for my family for decades to come. I deserved to not struggle to fit into restaurant booths and chairs. I deserved to not have to pay extra for the neighboring airline seat I was spilling into. I deserved to have more clothing options that were fashionable and fit. I deserved to love life and enjoy my time on Earth without attacking those who simply cared about my health and were only trying to help me live life to the fullest.
Because I deserved all this, I finally decided to stop making excuses and stop living in denial. I put in the work— a tremendous amount of work— and I lost the excess weight. It took a couple years and a big lifestyle change (you’re right— diets don’t work! However, lifestyle changes certainly do), but I did it. I’m finally living the life I deserve. Will you?
Moore Dianne • Oct 24, 2021 at 4:51 pm
Brilliant. The only time I was thin was the day I was born. I’ve lived the discrimination & shame & it’s lie.
Carrie • Oct 23, 2021 at 2:57 pm
If you really want a fat person to win… try promoting a healthy body instead of a fat body. Instead of losing weight to look good in a dress,lose weight to be healthy… and no there is no such thing as being fat but healthy…
Mo • Aug 31, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Science begs to differ, but keep telling yourself that people can’t be heavy and also healthy. Not everyone can, but then you’re also assuming that thin people are automatically healthy by simply being thin and you know that’s not true, either. Thin people eat garbage (thinking it’s “safe” because they’re not fat, lol) and fast food all the time. My husband is a living specimen. He doesn’t exercise, sits around watching tv and playing games all day, doesn’t work (I work), doesn’t eat vegetables, drinks sugary sodas exclusively (I drink water), won’t eat fish or take supplements, eats just trashy crap day in and out and binges on snack foods, pringles, twizzlers, jelly beans, candy etc. and he is THIN AS A RAIL. He can’t gain weight no matter how much trash he shovels into his body. if he were fat, you would be disgusted. But because he’s thin, you would think he takes care of himself, not like those lazy fat slobs. (He doesn’t clean, either. Rarely brushes his teeth. Yes, we’re divorcing. I’m done trying to help him be a human being.) You just worry about what people LOOK LIKE but you don’t give a fig what people’s health is like. Losing weight doesn’t automatically make a person healthy. Gaining doesn’t make them unhealthy. It depends on the individual person.