In a time where Megan Trainor and J-Lo are singing about the love of their curves, anti-photoshop movements are popping up, and body acceptance is a more commonplace idea in society, there is still a large problem occurring everyday on the streets of America. We’ve all heard of catcalling, well what about fat-calling?
Fat-calling is a term coined by Australian writer, Catherine Bouris. Fat-calling is similar to catcalling, where people feel it appropriate to yell out to woman on the streets and comment on her appearance. Fat-calling however is even more negative, as it is the public announcement of somebody’s size. It is strangers feeling it appropriate to comment on the extra weight many people carry, as they try to go about their daily lives.
In my life, I have experienced catcalling before since I am a woman, but I’ve experienced fat-calling about ten times more as a plus size woman. I had never even thought about it being something we should be discussing as a social issue until I read the article by Bouris. But it’s absolutely something that needs to be addressed just as heavily as catcalling.
If I go for a jog in public, there’s a 50 percent chance I’ll have someone yell, “run fat girl, run” as they drive by in a passing car. I’ve had every possible insult for being fat thrown at me by strangers on the street without hesitation. I’ve been called a pig, a whale, a fat lard, a waste of a woman, and an obese slut on the streets before. A stranger in a mall felt it appropriate to inform me that I will “never get a husband if I don’t lose weight.” I’ve had a homeless man yell out to me asking for sexual favors because “fat girls are desperate.” There have been so many taunts by strangers in public throughout my life as a plus size female; I’ve just grown accustomed to it.
Which is terrible that I have grown to accept something so downright heinous. Why should anyone live with that anticipation? Fat people are living their lives with constant anxiety that someone might harass them on the streets because of their size. We live in a world where we cannot go about our daily lives without assuming we might get harassed, and that’s not okay.
So how do we stop this? Well for starters, just be nicer. You have no right to comment on anyone else’s body, especially people you don’t know. You live your life, and I’ll live mine.
Don’t tell me how fat I am, trust me, my brain does a good enough job at doing that every morning when I look in the mirror. It’s very difficult to live my best life and be confident in my body at every size when there’s constant fear of harassment about it. Another way to stop it is by calling other people out. If you witness fat calling, say something.
Tell the harasser how rude it is, because often it takes an onlooker to speak up and truly get the harasser to understand how mean they’re being. Finally, spread the word. Teach your friends and family about fat calling. Teach them to be kinder to others and keep their thoughts in their head. That time old saying is so true in many aspects of life and this is certainly one of them: “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
