I couldn’t find a picture on DeviantArt to go with this post, so I just took one of myself… making a face at my old and long-dead fear of the plus-size section…
But thinking back, some of my feelings regarding plus size still exist and are valid. For example, it has always pissed me off how they call it “plus size” when some of those sizes are the size of the average woman in this country, so what the heck is PLUS about it? In fact, *I* am the average size of the American woman, so what’s so different about me that I should have a separate section to find my clothes where the selection often isn’t as cute or as well made as the stuff made for “normal” sizes?? Fat women have to deal with a policy of “separate but not even equal,” when often women’s plus size sections are full of clothes that seem meant for my great-grandmother. Yes, the plus size scene is improving, but I still have my valid beefs. If there has to be a plus-section spotlighting fatties as somehow abnormal, why isn’t there a “minus” section for the sizes that cater to the “underweight”? Right… underweight is “normal” and being the weight of the average North American woman or larger deserves segregation and the stamp of abnormality. But what the heck… being “underweight” IS normal for some women just like being “overweight” seems to be the norm for me. In this climate of highly charged body politics, I wish we would drop the labels all together.
What has changed is depriving myself of clothes that fit due to my anger about how clothes makers treat fat women. I would work myself like a dog finding clothes that fit in the “normal” clothes sections of stores and only buy from there… which meant that I very rarely found clothes that I liked and were also comfortable. Allowing myself to venture into the plus-sections of stores (and plus-stores in general) have allowed me to broaden my wardrobe horizon and I appreciate that.
Video games are an odd place to find wisdom, but a quote from Tali in Mass Effect 2 keeps playing in my head: “I don’t think life is about what you deserve.” When I apply this to my previous boycott of plus-sized clothes, I come to the conclusion that fat women deserve to be treated better no matter what their size – fat, obese, teh deth fatz, chubby, chunky… whatevs. However, we have to deal with reality as it is. My choice is to give the gift of clothes that fit to my body while also standing proudly for the idea that fat women (and women of all sizes) deserved to be treated like equal human beings and with dignity. Luckily for me, there are plus-sized stores with clothes that fit me, feel comfortable and also suit my sense of personal style. I don’t know if this was always the case in recent decades. As a teen, it felt like the few ventures I did allow myself to make at Lane Bryant and Famous Barr’s plus-size section were filled with horror at scary clothes that didn’t look like they were meant for anyone under the age of 70. I don’t know if this was the case nation-wide or in all plus-sections.
What do you think? Boycott stores that just don’t get it… for example, Target’s plus section in my experience isn’t as nice as their “normal” section and their advertising often perpetuates negative fat stereotypes… to boycott or no?
I still do shop at Target. There aren’t many places I can get cute jeans in my size in my neck of the woods. I get so tired of living in yoga pants…
–AngryGrayRainbows
Angry Gray Rainbows 
The Bangor, Maine Target often uses the Women’s Plus section to house their clearance. I complain EVERY. TIME.
My Target does the same thing. My Target also has no clear deliniation between plus and maternity… which can lead to some confusing shopping.
I actually regularly look in the maternity section for cute plus-sized clothes. This makes a certain amount of logical sense, given that the Target maternity clothing doesn’t actually come in plus sizes and, especially when it counted, the Maternity XL wasn’t big enough for a very pregnant me.
I shop for jeans at Old Navy – once every few months, I swing past and buy a pair of ‘The Dreamer’ jeans. Their advertising is definitely NOT fat-friendly, but it is the only place that I have found with jeans that fit my particular body type (big in the hips and thighs, a little less material in the derriere for my not-so-round white girl butt – oh, how I envy the ghetto booty!).
I have heard complaints about the 16-20 sizes not being well stocked, but I haven’t had a problem ANY time I have ever went in.
And it’s a little expensive for my budget – although, compared to the jeans at Torrid ($50+), $30 – $35 per pair is a STEAL!
The Targets near Portland, OR use to have a great plus section, much better than what was in catalogs or Lane Bryant or the like. Then all of a sudden a number of years ago it went to hell. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this change happened about the same time that Target’s advertising changed, trying to “remake” their image as trendy/hip. I’ve pretty much boycotted them since.
AGR- my daughter looked over my shoulder when she heard me laughing. I showed her your pic and she couldn’t stop laughing!
Yes, I have a talent for making absurd expressions. I have one that hubby calls my “badger face” that involves me snarling and exposing my teeth and scrunching my nose up… 😉 Tee heee….
Well said! I hate shopping in department stores where the “plus size” section is relegated to an undesirable section of the store! If they want you to spend money, they’re not making you feel welcome at all. I think Lane Bryant has improved their designs tremendously over the years, thankfully. Also, in the last several years many great designers that cater to us plus size ladies have popped up and it’s no surprise that 99% of them are plus size women who launched their lines out of their own frustration….Monif C., Anna Scholz, Igigi, Kiyonna, etc.
My local Target never had a good plus section. It was crammed next to maternity and in a small corner of the back of the store. Last time I was in there, I didn’t even see it being advertised. My local Wal-Mart has decreased their plus section too.
I understand that in this day and age, you’ve got to attract shoppers to your store, but ignoring a major population is not the way to do it. Fatties need to buy clothes, they have to go out and make purchases just like everyone else, so why treat us like we’re not even on this planet? Money is money, no matter who’s spending it.
Post your badger face oh please, oh please.
To be honest, I have never had a problem with plus size as a phrase. Plus size to me has always meant, this is where the interesting women hang out.
As a guy though, we don’t have plus size stuff, we have XXXL. That too doesnt bother me. I keep thinking back to all those movies in the 70’s with all the X’s on the ratings.
If I’m really truthful, the only thing that does bother me is the fact that underneath my “Plus”, I’m probably someone who can have sex for more than 10 mins without an inhaler.
Cato has a pretty decent selection of fat girl stuff that actually mirrors most of their “regular” sizes, but I agree with the Target rage. What I don’t understand is how companies can put their fingers in their ears and refuse to understand how much money they would make by selling beautiful, hip, well-made clothes that a fat girl wouldn’t have to sell a kidney to afford. We are a huge market – get it, huge – and it amazes me that fat prejudice can even get in the way of capitalism.
I love your blog; thanks for sharing it!
I was visiting family in Sacramento, CA recently when My cousin and I took a trip to Arden Mall. We decided to go shopping at Macy’s. I noticed there was no plus size department in the enite 3 story store. I asked a clerk where the plus size section was and she sighed and said to go out to the main entrance and to the left. IT WAS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE STORE!! Not attatched to the main store at all. It was about the size of a walk in closet, had a horrible selection and My non plus size cousins had to follow me in with nothing for them to do. So I ended up buying a dress but had to make a trip back into the “For Skinny Girls Only” store to buy some shoes and jewelry! Had to make 2 seperate transactions. Are they serious?! There is no room in any one of the three stories for a plus size section? It has to be completely dissociated from the main store?! Give me a break!
I just stumbled across this blog because I was searching for proof that I wasnt the only plus size woman feeling the hatred from Target. Obviously i am not. My experience is about the amount of clothing available. When I went into the Target in Macon, GA I was excited to see what kind of clothing they would have for the plus size woman. I looked eagerly about for the area they would have them and when I spotted it I walked over excitedly. To my surprise 90% of the already small section they a lot us overweight people for clothes was taken up with clearance and not clearance of plus size clothing. I had to ask someone to point me in the direction of where they were hiding the plus size clothes. There was maybe 3 different types of shirts and 2 different types of pants literally hanging on the walls and that was it. I called the corporate number and complained but I doubt they will do anything.
I got the same surprise when I walked into the local K-Mart as well.
The only place I buy plus size clothing now is Cato’s and Walmart.