Body positivity is a term many people are embracing with open arms nowadays. After all, the social movement promotes feelings of acceptance and love, regardless of anyone’s size, shape, or appearance.
In fact, this new mindset is so widely used and known that there are content creators who blow up by simply sharing their journeys of what it’s like to be a plus-size person in a vastly different and constantly changing world.
They aren’t afraid to call others out for ‘fatphobic’ behavior, rooting for inclusivity for everyone. But as many know, sometimes audience members aren’t the big fans of what influencers create. Here are 11 times plus-size customers spoke their mind and shared it on social media — whether it seems reasonable or logical remains up to you!
#1 Discrimination Within Bollywood
Actress Anjali Anand believes it to be unfair that Bollywood has given her the “plus-size” tag when actors such as Govinda and Rishi Kapoor were never labeled as such.
She told Fever FM, “Nobody would call [Govinda] a plus-size actor. Nobody would call Rishi Kapoor a plus size actor. He is an actor. But for a woman, I’m always called Anjali Anand — a plus size actor. I hate talking about it.
“We need to normalize it. People ask me why I don’t promote plus-size representation on the internet, and it’s because I don’t want to.”
She later went on to describe how society treats women in a harsher light than men.
Image source: anjalidineshanand
#2 Denied Entry From A Party Bus
Miami Beach in Florida is known for its vibrant nightlife and creative parties, and that’s exactly what 27-year-old body positivity advocate Fallon Melillo wanted to take advantage of.
Unfortunately, when she and her friends decided to take a party bus to get to a pool party, things took a turn.
Although the pool party itself said on Eventbrite, “Sorry No Big Girls for this party!” the promoter themselves did not disclose this information to the girl who bought the tickets for the party bus.
Thinking things would be okay, Fallon decided to go, only to be turned away.
“There’s no law, but it’s just downright awful and rude and humiliating,” the advocate told Bored Panda.
Image source: fallonlindsey
#3 Inclusivity In Target
TikTok content creator Samyra has always been loud and proud when it comes to showcasing different kinds of bodies.
She recorded a video where she attempted to shame Target for only marketing their clothes towards thin people.
Samyra picked up a women’s jacket with the tip: “Go up a size or two on your purchase for an easy, effortlessly cool vibe.”
“This is a clear example of how brands center on thinness. How can someone who is 3X of 4X go up a size or two?” she argued.
But the comments were anything but understanding and forgiving.
“Very few people are built like you. Market moves corporations, not your feelings,” one person stated.
#4 Handrails In Swimming Pools
And Jaelynn Chaney stirs the pot of controversy once more.
She claims that public swimming pools that don’t feature handrails are “not inclusive” in a video from July 2024, repeatedly stating that “obesity is not a disability.”
For the 27-year-old, handrails are a crucial part of helping her stabilize as she gets out of the water.
“Accessibility isn’t optional,” she shared. “Make handrails mandatory at all pools for swimmers of every size and ability.”
Chaney continued, “Without handrails, we’re excluding so many from enjoying pools safely. It’s time to ensure everyone can swim with confidence. Demand mandatory handrails now!”
#5 Quitting A Job After Being Told To “Cover Her Stomach”
Abigayle Canterbury was just doing what she needed to do when she was dress-coded at her job… that did not have a dress code.
She was indirectly told by her manager that she needed to “dress something nicer and cover the stomach,” to which she responded with “So no crop tops, got it.”
But after talking to her other co-workers, some who had been there significantly longer than she had, she realized they had never been dress-coded — even though a few were wearing something “inappropriate,” by the manager’s standards.
After all, what drew Abigayle to this job was the “laid-back environment,” and how the employees could wear whatever they wanted.
“That sh–t really not only caught me off guard but kind of hurt my feelings,” she said.
Her response? Quitting.
Image source: abigaylecanterbury
#6 A Look Of Disgust In An Airplane
A Brazilian plus-size influencer known as Sidney recorded an emotional video for his social media followers, recounting a particularly unpleasant experience he had while traveling.
As he was heading to Rio de Janeiro on a plane, he recounted having a difficult time passing through the aircraft aisle and accidentally bumping into a woman.
“When I passed by her and unintentionally, because of my size, my belly touched her, she looked at her arm, wiped it off, and gave me a disgusted look,” he said. “I felt like the worst human being alive.”
The small incident also triggered his anxiety.
“I had never gone through something like this, never in my life. I don’t give room for anyone to disrespect me, but this time it was completely different,” he concluded.
Image source: gordaodaxj
#7 Lyft Driver Refuses To Let A Plus-Size Woman In His Car
When Dajua Blanding, known as ‘Dank Demoss’ ordered a Lyft ride to the Lions playoff game, she was met with rejection over her weight.
In a video posted on January 19, Dajua captured the whole conversation between her and the driver.
When he showed up, he allegedly took one look at her and immediately locked the car’s doors, denying her entry into his Mercedes-Benz sedan.
“I can fit in this car,” Dajua said in the clip.
“Believe me, you can’t,” replied the driver. “I’m sorry. I’m going to cancel. You’re not going to be charged,” and added, “I’ve been in this situation before.”
Shocked, Dajua asked, “So every big person, you turn down because they can’t fit in your car?”
The driver apologized and then suggested she order herself a bigger vehicle, such as an Uber XL, for easier access.
Image source: dankdemoss
#8 Bigger Car Seat Size
“Supercars should be for everyone,” stated Panamanian plus-size influencer Gracie Bon as she posted a video demanding that the luxury sports car McLaren should increase the size of their seats to accommodate her 55-inch hips.
Unsurprisingly, users online slammed her and suggested she go for bigger cars that have bigger spaces.
But Gracie has labeled herself a “body positivity advocate,” despite the fact that many people have claimed her body is the result of numerous surgical procedures.
“It’s not my fault to have an a– this big,” said the 27-year-old in a viral video from last year.
One person countered, “There’s no way that’s natural. It’s absolutely your fault.”
Image source: graciebon
#9 “Why Do You Need Two Chairs?”
Once again, Gracie Bon has sparked a viral debate. After posting a video where she demanded two chairs for her body — where most of her weight remains in her lower half — to sit comfortably at a restaurant.
In the clip, a person who appeared to be the restaurant owner laughed with her as they helped her arrange the seats.
Since then, it’s received over 5 million views and 80K comments, with some saying there was no natural way for Gracie to achieve her specific physique.
“She isn’t plus-sized; she is surgically altered,” stated one person.
But Gracie has made it clear that her body is not a product of any cosmetic procedure, writing, “Life changes when you love yourself. I’m happy to have you all witness my evolution, and to those who criticize me: no, I have never done any procedure to my face.”
She added, “This body is literally what God gave me. And I have to embrace every single part.”
#10 Paying Extra To Fly
Airplanes are known to have uncomfortable, small spaces in order to use the most of the room available. But this wasn’t working for 28-year-old Jaelynn Chaney.
As a plus-size woman, she often took up more space than one seat could hold, and so she demanded airlines give free tickets to customers like her.
This solution was met with a wave of hate comments saying it wasn’t an airplane’s job to accommodate her size. A few netizens came up with the “suggestion” that she should be “charged by weight” in the way someone pays “extra for luggage.”
“So my body is being compared to luggage?” she asked. “Charging by weight is fatphobic and dehumanizing,” adding that she wasn’t a suitcase.
The influencer closed the debate with, “It’s time to stop treating fat people like we don’t deserve the same dignity and respect.”
#11 Flying Private Is The Solution
For the third time, Gracie Bon is standing up for what she believes is right.
After campaigning for bigger seats on aircrafts, the plus-size model said she was now banned from a few select airlines. But to her, this wasn’t a problem as she’s now decided to fly with her own private jet.
“Some airlines banned me so this is how I have to travel,” Gracie said in a video showcasing her experience flying privately.
“Everytime I travel, I used to buy two or three seats. So I started a campaign requesting bigger seats and they didn’t like it. Now flying private is my only solution,” later saying that being banned was the “best thing” to ever happen to her.
“Is flying private the solution for big girls like me?” she asked.
Image source: Gracie Bon
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