Typically I'm not one to write about Instagram posts and celebrity drama, but this past week, comedian Amy Schumer posted something that I haven't been able to get off of my mind. While scrolling through my feed, iPhone in my right hand and a grande iced mocha in my left, I saw this post:
My first reaction: "you go girl!" But then I had to stop and think. There is a much deeper issue here.
My thoughts, Amy, are that you are correct. You are not plus size, and anyone classifying you as plus size is simply factually incorrect. By insinuating that it would be harmful for young girls to classify your body type as plus size, though, is interesting. If I had to guess, I would say it could be harmful to view your perfectly healthy looking body as plus size because, to so many, being plus size is viewed as being lesser than. And no one wants to be lesser than. No one wants to be the "fat chick."
In our society, being overweight or extra curvy carries several negative stigmas. About 30 million Americans suffer from eating disorders, including 25 percent of college women who binge and purge as a form of weight loss. At the early age of 10 years old, 81 percent of kids are afraid of being fat. I'd say I'm not alone in thinking we could all use a bit more body positivity.
Adele, for example, has been quite vocal about her own self-love and acceptance. She has been quoted saying, "The first thing to do is be happy with yourself and appreciate your body-- only then should you try to change things about yourself." This should not be discounted. Whether you're a size 2 or 22, changing your body will only give you happiness for a season. It will come and go, leaving something else "wrong" with your body in its place. There is so much more to love about a person than the shell they inhabit.
When Aidy Bryant was first hired by Saturday Night Live, she was dubbed as the "first fat female." The focus was not on her youth, her wit, her previous work, or her brilliant stage presence. No, it was much more important for media outlets to share that she had some meat on her bones.
Several comments on Amy's original post claimed that there was "no way" she was a size 6, going on to criticize her thighs or stomach fat, clearly missing the entire point she was aiming to make. Sure, she could have left out her specific size. She could have simply typed, "the size I am is not considered plus size," but the fact that so many felt the need to call her out for "lying" about her size only makes her point stronger.
I'm sure Glamour had good intentions with this "plus size only" edition, but it's ridiculous that there has to be a "plus size only" edition in the first place. It's ridiculous that society continues to make this such a huge issue for so many women. Amazingly enough, your body type has no bearing on your humor, your brilliance, or your creativity. Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Adele, despite their weight, managed to become incredibly successful. Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, and Aidy Bryant are no different story.
Bottom line, as Amy wrote in a later Instagram post, is that "we are done with these unnecessary labels." This week, let's all try to lift up the women in our lives, because apparently no one else will.
