Alex Buscemi
It’s a harsh reality, but people with bigger bodies are treated differently than thinner people. Heavier folks are often looked down on and treated as lazy because of their weight. Every day becomes a struggle to fight against the stigma.
This disparity in how people act toward bigger people and skinnier people is just one of many “thin privileges.”
Fitness coach Amber Clemens (@amber_c_fitness) recently posted TikTok showcasing an example of thin privilege that’s taking the internet by surprise.
Clemens, who underwent an incredible weight-loss journey, says she can wear an outfit with her thinner body that she wouldn’t have dreamed of wearing 160 pounds ago: baggy clothes.
Amber Clemens is shining a light on her newfound “thin privilege” after losing 160 pounds
“If I would have worn the same exact thing in my bigger body, I would have been called lazy, a slob, not put together, unflattering,” she says in the video, which has racked up over 45K hearts on TikTok.
“Now, I can wear this, and no one says anything. People would be like, ‘Oh, yeah, she’s just [in] athleisure,’ right, like, ‘That’s the style’.
“I never, never would have gone out of the house wearing this in my bigger body, never.”
One of the thin privileges Amber now enjoys took the internet by surprise: wearing baggy sweats
Netizens praised Amber for her honest and illuminating video.
“I agree with this!! Sad but so true,” said one commenter.
Another wrote: “THIS, my fiance always gets annoyed that I take a long time to get ready just to go to the store, but he doesn’t understand that I HAVE to look okay to get treated like a human.”
Watch the full video here
@amber_c_fitness I used to put so much effort into my outfits just to do simple things because the unwritten rule as a fat person is “you always have to dress to impress” 🙃 #thinprivilege #fatphobia #growingupfat #weightloss #ootd #weightlossstruggle #beforeandafterweightloss
Amber says that when she was heavier, she would have been shamed and considered lazy for wearing sweatpants. As a thin person, it’s just athleisure
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, thin privilege refers to the societal advantages afforded to individuals who are perceived to have a body size that conforms to cultural norms of thinness.
This privilege manifests in various ways, including easier access to healthcare, better job opportunities, and more positive media representation.
Individuals with thin privilege are less likely to face discrimination or judgment based on their size, and their body type is often considered the “default” or “ideal” in many cultures.
Healthcare professionals may exhibit bias, assuming thinner patients are healthier, which can lead to misdiagnosis or inadequate care for those in larger bodies.
In the workplace, thin individuals might be more likely to be hired, promoted, or paid higher wages, as societal standards often equate thinness with discipline and competence.
Media portrayals further reinforce this privilege by predominantly featuring thin bodies as desirable and worthy of attention.
The concept of thin privilege highlights the systemic inequities that marginalized individuals face due to their body size. By recognizing and addressing these disparities, society can move towards a more inclusive and equitable treatment of all body types.
Here’s what the internet had to say
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