‘Fat Beach Day’ in New York City to fight plus-size stigma
Many people mistakenly believe that plus-size individuals do not face discrimination. However, activists who do not fit the norms of traditional size constantly demonstrate otherwise. To challenge this stigma, those from the US arrange special beach parties for plus-size people.
Summer is a time for beach parties, visits to swimming pools, and relaxing by the lake. However, for plus-size individuals, the warm weather can be challenging. It can involve uncomfortable issues like chafing thighs, anxiety about wearing shorts or dresses, and the experience of judgmental stares and comments. Some larger-bodied individuals even feel the need to cover up with oversized clothing, even at the beach, to avoid criticism.
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American activists fight the weight stigma
'Fat Beach Day' events, where plus-size individuals can enjoy the beach without restraint, are increasingly common in the United States. On Saturday, June 22, 'Fat Beach Day' took place in Far Rockaway.
"We’re going through something culturally that is impacting us every day on an individual level and a systemic level," Jordan Underwood, the event organiser, told The Guardian. "We’re really trying to open up a space for people to be themselves."
Jordan Underwood, a model and artist, has firsthand experience with weight-based bullying. She began a blog at the age of 12 to share her struggles with hate speech. Underwood is collaborating with the vintage shop Berriez to organise 'Fat Beach Day' at Jacob Riis Park.
"I’m so self-conscious at the beach, and I’m never around people that look like me," Emma Zack, who started Berriez in 2018, told The Guardian. "I’m excited we’ve created this space for folks with bigger bodies to have a good time."
The problem of being overweight
KFF researchers note that one in eight adult Americans has been treated with drugs intended for weight loss, such as Ozempic or Mounjaro. Celebrities claim to have "magically lost weight," which inspires regular people to resort to such radical measures.
Jordan Underwood notes that fatphobia has existed for several years now: "In the 2000s, there was a strong anti-fat, intense cultural swing that really parallels what we’re going through right now."
"It’s a really sh–ty time, not just on the internet but in society, to be fat, and it feels really violent in a lot of ways," Emma Zack adds. "You’d think it wouldn’t be such a thing because New York is so open, and you dress however you want. I always say I never realised how much people hate fat people until I got TikTok."
Source: The New York Post
