Writer Marisa Panella discusses the recent increase in body shaming online and the resurgence of thin-centric beauty standards.
Writer Marisa Panella discusses the recent increase in body shaming online and the resurgence of thin-centric beauty standards.
It’s 2 a.m. and I’m still aimlessly scrolling.
Because I am a plus-size woman, my social media is tailored towards creators who look like me. My suggested TikToks are heavily saturated with beauty tips, thrift hauls and outfit of the day videos.
As I scroll I’ve seen comments expressing disgust to the plus-size creators I love, many assuming a lack of care for one’s body or, more commonly simply spreading hate. I watch as women who mirror my image are told their bodies are a problem — something that must be fixed to be accepted, loved or even just seen.
I’ve watched the internet turn from a body-inclusive safe space to a thin-centric horror show that teaches us fat is the worst thing anyone can be.
41.9% of adults and 1 in 5 children in America are considered obese according to the CDC. Science aligns with modern obesity being far more complicated than someone’s diet and exercise.
There are plenty of other reasons someone could be considered by today’s beauty standards to be “fat” that have little to do with diet and exercise: lipedema, polycystic ovarian syndrome, poverty, food deserts, Cushing’s Syndrome, hypothyroidism and genetics and these are just some of the circumstances that can impact one’s health according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Genetics contribute much more to one’s size than most realize. For some people genes account for just 25% of predisposition to being overweight, while for others the genetic influence can be as high as 80% according to Harvard Health. This means for some — I’d even argue for most — weight is something beyond their control.
It’s impossible to tell what someone’s going through behind the screen or while walking down the street. It’s impossible to know if a stranger eats well or exercises. You can’t label someone unhealthy or unworthy when you don’t know them and can’t fully understand their lived experience.
It’s not just hate online or harsh judgments that are bringing back Fatphobia, but corporations who’ve decided to steer away from body-positive ideals.
“Bodequality” is a campaign run by Old Navy which markets all styles in all sizes at the same price throughout the size range 0-30. In 2022, Old Navy was in the height of its body equality marketing era and made the unprecedented move to carry their entire size range in stores.
I personally frequent Old Navy often for their range of plus-size basics, but on all of my most recent visits, I’ve been unable to find my size in store. On my last visit to Old Navy, I was told in-store, they now only carry up to a size 20 for pants and occasionally a XXL or 2x in tops.
In 2022, Gap Inc., the parent company of Old Navy, announced their in-store inventory would align with demand meaning certain sizes would be pulled off the shelves and made available online only.
Forever21 has followed suit, choosing to delete their plus-size social media account in August and pulling their plus-size lines from numerous stores. Despite deleting this account, the company claimed to have extended their plus-size options according to an Instagram statement.
Old Navy, Anthropolgie, American Eagle, Target and other retail chains may carry extended size ranges, but much of their extended size range is offered online only which can be confirmed through a quick scroll of their websites or a stroll through their stores — once again showing that if you are larger your should suffer, even if the suffering is not being able to shop in stores.
The popularization of Ozempic has also pushed the agendas of a thin-centric culture.
Ozempic is a prescription-only type 2 diabetes medication which has been turned into a cheat code for weight loss. Among other negative impacts, the popularity of the drug and the increase in a desire to be thin have resulted in the medication being snatched up by the wealthy, stripping from those who are truly sick, according to NPR.
We’ve fostered a popular culture that’s forgotten manners and encourages commenting on the bodies of others whether we know them or not.
The size of someone else’s body doesn’t affect your life in any substantial matter, however, comments about others’ bodies can have significant ramifications — some of which can even be deadly.
Dissatisfaction with body weight or shape is the primary contributing factor of altered eating behaviors among adolescents, according to Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta via News Medical. A recent study exploring the relationship between social media and eating disorders also cited misuse of social media platforms — like TikTok — as a contributing factor to the increase of eating disorders among adolescents.
What you say about eating habits, weight, your body, the bodies of others — it all matters. It’s extremely upsetting and disappointing to see our culture stray further and further away from body positive mentalities, instead promoting fatphobic agendas that do nothing but harm.
I was taught my entire childhood that if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say it at all — we all at least have the emotional capacity of children when it comes to remembering to be nice or to just be quiet.
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