The Problem With The "Plus-Size" Label

By Shelly Greenstein on April 13, 2016

etonline.com

Recently, Amy Schumer was incorporated into Glamour Magazine’s Plus-Size Only Issue. There are many things wrong with this occurrence including the fact that Schumer herself did not approve of her images being used in the magazine nor did she know about it altogether.

Schumer quickly responded when she discovered the non-consensual publication, taking to Instagram to share her thoughts with her many followers.

“I think there’s nothing wrong with being plus size. beautiful healthy women. Plus size is considered size 16 in America. I go between a size 6 and an 8. @glamourmag put me in their plus size only issue without asking or letting me know and it doesn’t feel right to me. Young girls seeing my body type thinking that is plus size? What are your thoughts? Mine are not cool Glamour not glamourous.”

One of the major issues that sticks out to me within this unfortunate event is that Schumer herself is not even considered to be plus-size. The idea that women should be labeled based on their appearances at all is also a disturbing thought of mine. Why must Glamour devote an entirely separate issue in order to provide fashion tips to bigger women as opposed to just including them in their “normal” issues on a regular basis?

Not only was Schumer wrongfully included in the issue, but she was then ridiculed by many for feeling uncomfortable with it in the first place. Within the comments of Schumer’s post are an abundance of hateful commenters calling her names including “fat cow” and also claiming that she is in fact plus-size regardless of how she feels or what she says.

Schumer then posted a video of her happily flying a kite in a bikini on the beach in response to those negative comments and stood her ground bravely.

“Thanks for your thoughts to the people who didn’t tell me how I “should feel” Bottom line seems to be that these labels are unnecessary and reserved for women #muchlove

In the world we live in today, you would think with all of the modern marvels we have accomplished we would also accomplish letting go of the vanity within society. Unfortunately, we still have a ways to go in that department.

Don’t get me wrong, we have come a long way as a society when it comes to the way we treat people who are different than we are. We teach our children from a young age to refrain from bullying. We teach our little girls to love themselves for who they are in order to prevent dangerous eating disorders as well as the body shaming of others.

Thing is, women are still being “fat-shamed” and it needs to be put to an end once and for all. It may not seem obvious to you and the majority of the rest of the world, but it is to every woman who has ever had to walk over to the plus-size section of any store in order to find something that will suit her needs. The problem with the “plus-size” label is the negative connotation we have created within our society around it in general.

The fact that plus-sized models are separated from “normal” ones in the fashion industry is the most basic indicator that there is an issue with the plus-size industry altogether. The separate but equal mentality that applies to the plus-sized area of fashion is not right on any level, but it continues to thrive nonetheless.

We have systematically been conditioned to accept the plus-size label as a normalcy within our society, but I think that there needs to be a change in order for us to move forward as a collective.

I have never been a “skinny” girl. Personally, throughout my entire life I have striven for physical perfection. I have fluctuated in my weight endlessly. I have tried every crazy diet and every insane workout regiment under the sun.

Now, instead of striving for beauty I am striving for health. I am focusing on getting healthier rather than getting skinnier and prettier because I have realized that skinny does not equate to pretty no matter what anyone else says. I am not the most confident person in the world, but I can say that I wholeheartedly believe that I am beautiful regardless of what I weigh.

From my own personal experiences, I can say that it didn’t feel good to be plus-size. Not only was I burdened with the negative physical feelings that came along with being bigger, but I also emotionally felt like crap about myself any time I went to a store that didn’t carry my size. Or worse, when a store had my size, but it was in a totally different section than all of the normal sizes.

Bottom line is, our bodies as women should not be subjected to any negative categories that are filled with judgement and shame. Every woman in this world should be considered normal, no matter what her weight or height is for that matter. Labeling women by any means is not helping the body image issues that exist currently throughout the world. Let’s strive for a brighter future where labeling people based on appearances is a way of the past.

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