More and more shops are beginning to sell 'plus size' clothing. More and more 'plus size' women are being outspoken about embracing their bodies which society tells us are unhealthy and unlovable. These issues have been widely discussed in the media recently, a lot of the conclusions by people have been very negative but I think people need to have a more balanced view.
The term 'plus size' - is it offensive?
There are two sides to this. Some people think the term should be embraced and is not offensive but a way to distinguish between sizes in fashion. Others believe the term suggests that people who are considered to be in this category are not normal. The term could be taken to mean that people have a surplus of something and who should be allowed to define what normal is?
Personally, I would not have an issue with the term if there was not so much discrimination. By this, I mean that being 'plus size' is equated with being unhealthy and abnormal. It is this idea of excessiveness that society refuses to accept. The truth is that, for most people, it is not just a distinguishing of groups of sizes. It is often used as a way to shame people into losing weight.
What sizes are covered by the term 'plus size'?
This has always been an issue. While some shops consider a size 12 to be 'plus size,' it does not start until a size 18 for others. Again, this raises the issue of who is allowed to decide what should be considered outside of the norm. People come in many shapes and sizes, there is no way to really decide who should have to look for clothes in the 'plus size' section.
I have been 17lbs overweight and at that point, in some shops, I was considered to be 'plus size.' I was not obese but overweight. Where do we draw the line with this? Why does it even matter?
Being plus size means you are unhealthy
It is really damaging to continuously link weight and health together. You can be considered to be overweight and still have perfect health, you can be unhealthy at a 'normal' weight etc. Although there can be a link between weight and general health, it is not the only contributing factor and people need to acknowledge this.
Selling plus size clothing encourages obesity
There are many causes of obesity. There are vast reasons why people struggle to lose weight. It is very common for someone who is obese to fail to lose weight despite their best efforts, why should they be made to feel bad? Seeing the possibility of being able to buy clothes if you were bigger will not necessarily encourage you to eat more food and put on weight. The sale of plus size clothing just says that we know that some people are bigger than others and also need to buy clothes like the rest of society.
Some may argue that selling plus size clothing in shops will deter already obese people from losing weight. Erm, do people realise that these people have not been walking around naked until now? There will always be sale of this clothing as long as there is a demand for it. You never hear people complaining about the availability of size 4 clothing for adults and this can be equally damaging on the other end of the scale. Besides, plus size clothing is often more expensive anyway so people are having to pay for being obesity in many ways.
Being 'plus size' is not something to be ashamed of. Being 'plus size' does not mean someone is unhealthy. Everyone is different shapes and sizes and that is why the body is so amazing. As long as we need to wear clothing everyday then shops will need to cater to all body types! Do you expect obese people to stay at home until they are a size which is acceptable to society? While obesity is not something to necessarily be celebrated, it is something which needs to be accepted as a part of modern society. The world does not cater to obese people, the world shames them every single day and they have to live with that. If shops selling clothing in their size makes their lives a little easier then so be it, they already have to deal with discrimination and being shamed by society every single day.
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