Fat Is Just A Word, It Doesn’t Have To Be An Insult

Just the other day I was having a conversation with my friend. I told her that I had to go to a particular mall because hardly any stores near us have “fat people” clothes. She immediately told me that I shouldn’t call myself fat, that I’m plus-size and I rock it.

But what’s the difference? Fat is plus size. Plus size is fat. The problem is, fat comes with such a negative connotation.

People hear the word and immediately feel insulted, even if it is not about them. Why can’t I say to my group of friends that I’m fat without getting the sympathy or pity look?
Why am I told to shut up because I’m not fat, when my body clearly says otherwise.

Dictionary.com defines “fat” as “having too much flabby tissue; corpulent; obese: a fat person.” That right there says it all.

It’s an adjective to describe a fat person. Fat can still be beautiful, intelligent, happy, healthy, carefree, adventurous, wild, calm; it can be anything else that anyone else can be. It describes a person’s appearance, NOT the person.

We need to stop being afraid of saying the word. Once society stops putting such shame on being fat, we can use the word openly and freely, just like we use thin or skinny. Society needs to accept themselves, and each other, for exactly who they are.