I Got Fat-Shamed for Being Overweight: One Woman Fights Back
Meagen’s M.O.: “Have curves, will travel.” (Photo: Meagen Collins/5 Dollar Planet)
Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I too overweight to travel?”
No? Neither have I. Which is why I was shocked the other day when someone left the following comment on a story I’d written for a local newspaper: “She looks overweight and unfit, which is bizarre for someone traveling like that.”
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It’s amazing the thoughts that run through your head when you come across comments like this. I’ll be honest, mine ranged from, “F@#k you, lady,” to “Meh, T-Swift is right: Haters gonna hate.”
But once I had calmed down a bit, I realized that my commenter wasn’t entirely to blame for her remark. After all, I Googled “female traveller images,” and this is what came up:
Not pictured: Even ONE overweight female traveler. (Photo: Meagen Collins/Five Dollar Traveller)
This is the female traveler expectation. Pretty, young, skinny things who don’t have curves, greying hair, sagging boobs, or cellulite…yet. Now, I’m not saying that this image is necessarily a bad thing. I’m just saying it’s a thing.
So if that’s the image of “female traveler,” the question becomes: Where do the rest of us fit in? What about those who are no longer in their 20s, who spend their lives traveling the world and writing about it online? Or those who are in their 20s, but maybe aren’t quite as fit as their peers? How do those women get recognized as talented, traveling women, without being judged on the size of their asses?
I’m a size 14 in Australia, which is a 10 in the United States, and I honestly consider myself average in size. Of course a few extra sit-ups wouldn’t hurt, but in truth, I’m just a curvy gal: a normal, everyday woman. So why do people zone in on my weight rather than my travel achievements?
Meagen chilling in Antarctica in 2009. (Photo: Meagen Collins/Five Dollar Traveller)
Plus: Why does it matter? Why are we so hung up on fat vs. skinny, white vs. tanned, young vs. old anyway? Why?
People can blame the media and Hollywood. But I would beg to differ. It’s people like you, Comment Lady. Your negative comments aren’t helping the situation; they’re enabling it. How can women ever have a positive body image if we (and by “we” I mean other women) continue putting each other down whenever we get the chance?
My weight does not define who I am, nor what I am capable of achieving. For example, when it comes to my profession as a travel blogger/podcaster, my experiences and my knowledge combined make me a very experienced and in-the-know traveler. I am good at travel—it’s what I love, and it’s what I do. But put my picture in a newspaper, and suddenly, it’s, “Oh, isn’t she a little chunky to be a full-time traveler? Aren’t you supposed to lose weight when you travel?”
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Here’s a question for you: When was the last time you went on vacation and lost weight? Most people come back from a trip with a few extra pounds, right? You get excited about a new place with new sights and smells. Naturally, you want to try the food, experience the culture, drink the wine…and then more wine.
Well, this is my life, and I do these things almost daily. As I said, it’s what I love to do, and it’s what I get paid to do. None of this, of course, helps my waistline, but I’m happy being me. Life is good.
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Hello my name is Meg, and I looooove food! (Photo: Meagen Collins/Five Dollar Traveller)
We keep talking about promoting better body images for women, but who’s actually doing anything about it? I personally adore the resurgence of the pinup and rockabilly scene. These people embrace women and men of all shapes and sizes, and teach them that you can be beautiful and sexy no matter what you weigh.
And the fashion! It’s divine. It’s funky, feminine, flattering, and often comes in sizes ranging from small to 3XL—sizes for everyone and every shape. Clothing lines like Sourpuss, Hell Bunny , Lindy Bop, Collectif Clothing, and more are on a mission to prove that you deserve to look your best, no matter what size you are. We need more fashion labels to get on this bandwagon. This is the message we need to send across the entire universe: If you are healthy, who cares what shape you are!
I really want the world to have a less negative, healthier, non-photoshopped outlook toward women and their bodies. But it really has to start with us: the women of the world in all of our shapes and sizes, with all of our beautiful flaws and imperfections.
The only way we can change peoples’ perceptions is by taking a stand and saying: “I’m healthy, I’m happy, I travel—and I also happen to have some killer curves. Deal with it.”
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