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I’ve been a follower of Whitney Way Thore on Instagram for years. She’s a talented dancer, a savvy entrepreneur, and the star of TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life. I admire her not just for her dancing skills but for her empowering message. Her No Body Shame campaign resonates deeply with me. As a fellow plus-size woman navigating the challenges of PCOS, I find much of her content relatable. Plus, seeing women with larger bodies thrive, irrespective of societal beauty standards, is truly inspiring.
Living in a larger body while being visible to the public can be incredibly challenging. While I don’t have the same social media following as Whitney, my job sometimes allows me to address matters concerning life in a bigger body. Even with a degree of anonymity, I still face unsolicited opinions about my size. Often, these comments come at the most unexpected moments! Some of the harshest remarks I’ve received were from CIS MEN on an article about MOTHERHOOD. It seems that once some people see fat bodies, they feel entitled to voice their unsolicited opinions.
Whitney addresses this issue head-on, and I absolutely LOVE it. Recently, she shared snippets of her delightful life in Paris, enjoying moments with her new boyfriend, wearing a stunning skirt, and swimming with friends. Just the kind of summer bliss we all yearn for.
But, of course, that’s not all there is to it. The obsession with commenting on fat bodies is relentless.
After posting her lovely Parisian experiences, Whitney shared a cute bikini photo accompanied by two comments overlaid on the image. One read, “You still haven’t lost any weight, huh?” while the other noted, “Girl, you lost weight! Looking good.” Whitney’s reaction was powerful: “This — on everything I post, always. So tired of it, exhausted by it, annoyed with it. Can we please find something else to talk about? Suggest good topics in the comments.”
In response, some individuals argued that Whitney shouldn’t expect people to refrain from discussing her weight because she lives a public life (which is utter nonsense). However, many others offered alternative topics, which was heartwarming.
To Whitney Way Thore, I say YES and AMEN! It’s incredibly frustrating when every aspect of your life seems to revolve around weight. For those of us in larger bodies who dare to exist openly, especially online, it feels like society assumes it has the right to comment on our physiques.
The negativity in the first comment is self-explanatory. In our culture, being fat is often perceived as inferior, and weight loss is mistakenly viewed as a victory. The intent behind that comment was crystal clear: to shame Whitney.
The second comment is more nuanced. While it likely came from a place of goodwill, the underlying notion that fat individuals are merely unsuccessful thin people is pervasive. Many believe that every fat person secretly yearns to be smaller, so the commenter likely thought they were encouraging Whitney.
However, any remark surrounding a fat person’s size can be disheartening, especially when the focus should be on something else entirely.
What Would Have Been a More Meaningful Compliment?
Ignoring Whitney’s size altogether. Nothing would be more refreshing for a plus-size individual than to not have to consider their body or others’ opinions about it.
Though societal norms make it difficult for fat individuals to exist without constantly reflecting on their size, we deserve that right just like anyone else. Not every action should be an invitation for commentary on our bodies.
Wouldn’t it be nice to occasionally be seen for more than just our size? We are far more than our physical appearances and labels. It’s odd and tedious to have others bring up our bodies when we haven’t initiated that conversation.
As a society, we need to break the habit of commenting on other people’s bodies, especially those of strangers.
If your close friend has been struggling to fit into a dress and would appreciate your compliments, that’s different. But when someone feels compelled to bring up a fat person’s size during a discussion that clearly isn’t about bodies, that’s just bizarre.
Fat individuals should be free to share pictures without their size being scrutinized. This applies to celebrities as well. No public status should strip someone of their right to set boundaries.
There’s no level of fame that excuses body-shaming or unsolicited comments about size.
Everyone deserves to navigate social media without their bodies becoming a topic of discussion every time they post. Fat bodies shouldn’t always be up for debate. In the wise words of Cardi B, “Let us fat in peace.”
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Summary
Whitney Way Thore’s recent response to unsolicited comments about her weight highlights the ongoing struggle of individuals in larger bodies to exist without constant scrutiny. Her call for a shift in conversation resonates with many who feel the weight of societal expectations. It’s essential to recognize that our bodies are not the only aspect of our identity, and we should be free to share our lives without being reduced to our size.