It is no secret that Amy Schumer was outraged with her appearance in Glamour Magazine’s Plus-Size edition last week. In typical 2016 fashion, she took to Instagram to display her bitter feelings toward the issue. For those of you who don’t know, Glamour magazine included Schumer in their plus-size edition without contacting her prior to publishing, keeping her completely out of the know and utterly surprised. She announced to her 3.9 million Insta-followers that she did not feel she fit into the category of plus-size given her current measurements and that this label advertised a distorted view of what a plus-size figure looks like.
She began her caption with a disclaimer that she feels all sizes are beautiful, which is something girls in this day and age are certainly not reminded of enough. Point one for Amy. She went on to explain that according to American measurements, plus-size garments begin at a size 16, a size she is far from. Amy was not shy to inform her instagram community that she typically sways between a size six and eight. This evidently holds girls at an unrealistic standard, as the media’s view of plus-size is drastically smaller than the actual measurement scale states. It seems absolutely absurd to think that a girl strutting what her mama gave her in a size six is considered plus-size in the eyes of the media, but apparently Glamour Magazine thought so. However, I do not entirely blame them; society has created this double standard for women and we are all conditioned to be in agreement.
To bring it down to a level we can all relate to, Amy’s predicament is similar to your high school yearbook labeling you as a plus-size girl—regardless of their “good intentions”—without your prior knowledge or permission. Of course, you would be understandably infuriated with the situation and would likely disclose your anger publicly. Here’s where the hole in this entire argument lies. If us women want to de-stigmatize body shapes and celebrate our differences, is getting offended by being labeled plus-size the antithesis of our movement?
Amy’s response portrayed her embarrassment and frustration for being labeled as plus-sized. At first, I was with her. I was annoyed at the fact that women have such difficult standards to live up to. A woman’s body is a garden for a budding child, serving as a constant source of nutrients and growth for the first nine months of a child’s conception. They nurture the embryo until it is capable of surviving the harshness of the outside world on its own. We should be thankful for that little excess cushioning around our hips, because without it, how could we bare children? There’s a reason the male and female body-fat percentage differ. As a girl who has grown up with the media shoved in my face, I resonate with Amy. I know what it’s like to feel pressure from society to look a certain way.
But suddenly that gratifying feeling of girl-power dissolved into even more frustration. Was Amy’s argument completely hypocritical? If all women’s shapes are beautiful—as stated at the beginning of her caption—should she really even care what one magazine labels her as? If she preaches that a larger figure is as beautiful as a smaller one, then why is she so thoroughly offended by Glamour Magazine? Technical foul for Amy.
It is human nature to want to be seen as attractive by one’s peers and Amy’s jerk-reaction is definitely natural. She felt her image was threatened by the label of plus-size because she did not view herself that way, nor did she want young girls to assume if they resemble her body type that they are plus-size, as well. But, if she is trying to spread the message that all body types are beautiful, why is she so offended by her alleged plus-size label?
The best way to stop a bully is to show them that their tormenting doesn’t bother you. By voicing how offended she was by Glamour Magazine’s slip up, she is only feeding the fire. Bullies live for your reaction; ignore them and they will eventually move on. The only way to de-stigmatize women’s body types is to completely eliminate the negative connotation certain body types carry. This is accomplished through our behavior and reaction to such labels. Taking offense to a plus-size label is only reinforcing the stigma.
As for Amy, her intentions were in the right place. But then again, so were Glamour’s. Be conscious of your actions, my friends.
