Thin Privilege

Hi Huns, today I want to talk to you about something that I think about a lot and deal with on a daily basis. THIN PRIVILEGE or TP for short.

I am pretty sure if you have it you will have never considered it. Let me give you an example of thin privilege, I was recently reading another bloggers post, and they were talking about how they love jeans that are two sizes too big for them, this is an example of thin privilege. By no means is it a slight against this blogger, who I adore, but it is an example of a piece of behaviour that I think is completely overlooked by people who have the choice.

For someone like me, who is by any use of vocabulary, not thin, plus size if you are kind or if you fancy being blunt, fat. I am not writing this here for sympathy, I am merely providing you with some basic facts. However, there are some limitations that come with this, for example finding jeans to fit in the right size is hard enough, trying to find a pair to fit me that are 2 sizes bigger is a challenge that even Annica would decline.

A lot of people are uncomfortable with the term white privilege because they assume it implies negative connotations onto them. Well, it doesn’t, it just means that you have to accept that some things in our lives have been made easier by our white privilege. This is the same with thin privilege because there are things that thin people can do that I cannot and that makes their life easier. I, for example, cannot walk into any shop and find something that will fit me. I will never have all the choice that thin people have. This is why we need to be aware of thin privilege and try to change things for those without it.

Great waves have been made, by the mere fact that retailers provide plus lines. However, more needs to be done. Marks and Spencer have recently relaunched their plus line with the aid of the wonderful Danielle Vanier, specially made for plus size with every piece made on a size 24. This is a great relaunch and a great selection, but we need MORE.

Then there is what would seem to be brands who want to go BACKWARDS. Elvi, who up until this season offered a selection of trend lead (if a little pricey) plus size pieces, have rebranded now sizing 8-28, stating that “We believe that the future of fashion should be inclusive and want to create clothes for #everyBODY. By expanding our size range, we believe we’re making a step in the right direction”. Sorry, Mum, I am going to be rude, but this is UTTER BULLSHIT, the whole point of the discourse surrounding plus sizes is that we have LESS choice, why is a plus brand spending more time on catering to an audience that has more choice than ever, it is ridiculous.

This sentiment and message would make sense if Topshop were going to be offering clothes 6-30 but for an existing plus brand to do this is just plain stupid. This is a clear example of TP, also clock the way the garments are now shot, with more thin women used in the merchandising, it feels like plus sizes are an inconvenience again, which is just so unfair. I am not saying that plus sizes should boycott Elvi, but it would take a lot for me to want to shop there. This is TP and PR gone wrong.

I don’t hate thin people, and I'm not jealous either. However, I think we need to open up the conversations surrounding how plus sizes face challenges. The fact that I dress well, means that I have had to try twice as hard just to match a size 8- I want as much choice as thin people have. I want to eradicate thin privilege so that we all have equal choices and availability of great clothes.

Rant over. See you next week huns.