Plus Size is not Obese

TL;DR: I will not find the "obese section" of any clothing store ever. When something is labeled "plus sized," I know it's meant for people like me.

I recently came across an interesting video on YouTube. Essentially, a woman opened up a beauty salon for women who are considered plus-sized. Admittedly, the title shocked me because salons have nothing to do with weight; at least, not the way that clothing stores do. After watching the video however, I understood its purpose: to make a bigger, self-conscious person feel comfortable. All the furniture in this salon is custom made to fit any plus sized person. "Inspiring," I thought. Not to my surprise, so many people disagreed.

I'm positive if I took the time to analyze all the collective comments on the video I would find the majority (maybe 72%) are negative to some degree. The overall theme of these comments can be simplified as such: obese is not plus sized. Viewers who commented negatively either rudely emphasized that the owner was morbidly obese, accused all associated with the project of encouraging obesity or unhealthiness, or feigned caring about other people's health in general. There were even comments about people feeling excluded. Excluded...from a niche establishment...catering to a specific demographic...when there's already existing establishments for people outside of this demographic...I recognized this bothered me. This bothered me enough for me to leave a long reply. As my screenshots would suggest, I had a lot to say.

A little something about me: I am overweight. At 5'3" and 180lbs, I am considered clinically obese. Basically, in real life I look overweight but, on paper I am so huge it's a problem! Now, I personally have struggled with my weight for years. It fluctuates. Between middle school and college, there were years where I lost a few pounds and there were years where I gained a few pounds. I can't say I actively work out, but I can't say I'm lazy either. I love leisurely walks (hiking included). I will gladly lace up my sneakers and walk anywhere.

I'll walk around campus, around the neighborhood, to the nearest grocery stores, to the bank, etc. I take the stairs whenever I can. Depending on the time and the area, I stay outside as long as I can. I enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables just as much as meat and potatoes. I don't drench my salads in dressing; I only add enough for flavor. I recognize when I've consumed too much sugar or salt or grease in the same week and eat less of it. I even make a point not to eat a heavy meal right before I go to bed. Keeping all that mind...

I hate when assumptions are made about someone like me who is considered plus sized. "Obese is not plus sized" repeated throughout the comment section comes with a multitude of assumptions like lack of effort, exclusion, and a love of bad health. "What if someone made a skinny salon?" "It's your fault you can't fit in the chair." "Stop promoting unhealthiness." "Why do I need this?" "Lose some weight and you won't have a problem." "All that effort...everything but jogging." "You shouldn't segregate yourself." These comments came from plus-sized and non-plus-sized people. This is not a "welcome to the internet" moment either; these are not trolls. These are people voicing very specific views on overweight individuals.

Reading and re-reading the comment section, none of the "health-related" comments come off as genuine or helpful. Mind you, this isn't a video about a morbidly obese person laying down and eating junk food for twenty-four hours straight. This is a video about a salon for bigger people. Suddenly every other comment is an "end obesity" campaign. It sounds like people are angry that those who don't want to be judged are removing themselves from a judgmental environment. That makes me angry. Angry enough to write the first post you see in the first two screenshots. Angry enough to write more posts in the comment section.

I understand how hard it is to lose weight. I understand how much harder it is for someone bigger than me. You can't drop 100 pounds overnight. You can't even drop twenty pounds in a week. That's a different kind of unhealthy. In my experience, losing weight requires real motivation, real support, and real resources. I do best when I have an instructor with me. Someone showing me the correct way to exercise and encouraging me to push through every time makes a difference. At home, we keep soda out of the house and encourage drinking more water. Also, coming across free fitness classes like PiYo is the best. Someone who has no resources or support will not be motivated to lose weight.

Is this a service I will likely use?
Probably not. I've never been
mistreated in a typical salon, and I don't usually require extra space. Even so, I understand why the owner created it. Good on her. I bring it up to unveil ignorant statements about weight. "Obese is not plus size." The women featured in the video vary in weight and shape and are considered plus sized. I need at least one other person to understand that "obese" is a medical term while "plus size" is a consumer's term. Words associated with one are not the same as words associated with the other. Slightly overweight people, overweight people, obese people, and morbidly obese people wear plus sized clothing. I will never find the obese section of a clothing store because it does not exist. It's understood that anyone with slightly bigger proportions due to weight or height will buy plus sized clothes. The term works to describe people who wear the clothes as well as the clothes themselves.  

I'll end on this note: Telling someone to lose weight does not turn that person into a supermodel. Reminding someone that they're obese or overweight is telling someone they are a problem because they are bigger. Attacking someone's emotional and psychological health does not improve their physical health. The rudeness, the meanness, and the apathy can break down someone who's just trying to live their life. "Plus size" and "obese" are not interchangeable because the connotations behind one do not equal the other. Not to mention, a plus sized person could just be a tall person with no weight issues. Plus sized is not obese.