Whenever a discussion is raised about fat shaming and the beauty of bigger bodies, there is always the same oppositional, and frankly irritating, response – “But what about skinny shaming?” Not only does this comment detract from the body positivity movement by shifting focus away from the oppressed group, but it disregards thin privilege. It is important to recognize that fat shaming and skinny shaming are different – and their effects can’t be equated.
I write this article from a position of thin privilege. I know that when I go clothes shopping, I won’t have any trouble finding my size. Even if I buy something marked “one size fits all” – as if all body types could be reduced to a single size – I usually have no trouble wearing it. I don’t make people uncomfortable if I wear a bikini to the beach; I don’t face people using my health as a veiled way to talk about my weight.
But these things are not the case for those without thin privilege. Under the umbrella of fatphobia, fat bodies have neither societal acceptance nor value. This is what creates a structure of privilege and oppression – the group in power determines the societal norm, subsequently taking power away from other groups. This unequal power structure is the root of fat shaming, because fatness deviates from the accepted norm of thinness. This can be seen in myriad aspects of daily life, from advertisements that portray perfectly thin women to insulting comments on social media.
It is important to recognize that not all thin people love their bodies. Body image issues, insecurity, and eating disorders are all valid problems that present significant challenges for many thinner people. However, this does not negate their thin privilege. I am not always satisfied with my body, resulting in personal self-critique – but not judgments that fat people face from society. Someone with an eating disorder struggles on a daily basis with the symptoms and effects of an illness, but can still possess the privilege of being thin. As Melissa Fabello perfectly points out, “Being marginalized in one area doesn’t negate your privilege in another.” And such marginalization or hardship is still different from oppression; an oppressive system comes from society, not the individual.
Yet when there is a move to dismantle thin privilege, with discussions on body positivity, hashtags like #EffYourBeautyStandards or #HonorMyCurves, and condemnations of fat shaming, how do some people respond? That skinny shaming is just as detrimental and common as fat shaming, and ought to be addressed in a discussion of body image. This viewpoint is harmful for two reasons: first, it ignores that the skinny-shaming rebuttal is a direct response to backlash against fat shaming. Without greater appreciation being given to fat bodies, their thin counterparts would not feel the need to defend their own struggles and re-assert their societal power. Secondly, and more importantly, focusing on skinny shaming detracts from the resistance against fatphobia and efforts to promote acceptance for fatness. The conversation must be decentered from thinness in order to change societal norms that value thinness above other body types. In the same way that feminism focuses on women because they have faced inequality and oppression, so must body positivity movements focus on fatness because it is seen as inferior. Equality cannot be achieved without concentrating on the oppressed groups – thus, don’t let skinny shaming take over the dialogue about fat shaming.
Looking at current events, I see this discussion reflected in France’s new legislation, in which models must present a doctor’s certificate confirming that their weight is healthy. Under this law, employers who hire models without acceptable certificates can be fined thousands of euros. It is fantastic that French legislators are taking measures to ensure models’ health and simultaneously diminish unrealistic beauty standards. But in the light of a fat-shaming culture, we must remember that the extreme thinness of these models is still both socially acceptable and coveted. Even while concerns are raised about their health, their thin privilege still exists. They face hardship, not oppression, a crucial aspect of the difference between skinny shaming and fat shaming – and why complaints about skinny shaming detract from making gains in the body positivity movement.
