The Fat Business
It's always seemed so simple to me: there are a lot of fat people in this country, and we need the same goods and services that everyone else has. Yet the perpetual Forum threads on how x is so hard to find attests to the difficulties that we still face.
There are some online businesses, though, that may be worthy of our attention. The oldest one I know of is Amplestuff, which runs the gamut from large hospital gowns to seatbelt extenders and lots in-between. This post was prompted, though, by this Portland Business Journal article - a front-pager - focusing on Super Size World. Impressively, the article contains zero anti-fat sentiment. None. No one talking about how selling bigger bike helmets or toilets means the downfall of us all.
I find that a curious and interesting contrast to any article about Torrid in the past couple of years, which always - always - suggests that selling clothes to young fat women is this horrible thing. I wonder why this is; could it be because Amplestuff and Super Size World don't have physical storefronts? Maybe because the genre of product is different? Or is it simply because this article is in a business journal, and most Torrid pieces I've seen have been in newspapers or online mags?
In any case, the more the merrier - more options are always good. [Many BFBers sent this in - thanks!]
Fat Women Fitter Than Fat Men? | It's Called a Mirror
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| ajoyce |
July 12th, 2005 | Link |
If they do open a
If they do open a brick-and-mortar here, I'll be there! I do wish they would knock off using the "O" words, though. When are they going to understand that "fat" is a lot less offensive?
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| sdvora |
July 12th, 2005 | Link |
I'm relatively new to the
I'm relatively new to the fat empowerment movement, and so I didn't know that there have been places like AmpleStuff around for a while. In terms of Torrid, though, I do get really incensed when they are chided for "enabling" young women in feeling good about themselves.
I do think that the reason that Torrid is pounced on so much is not because they dare to sell clothes to fat girls, it's because they dare to sell SEXY clothes to fat girls.
The anti-fat world finds this abhorrent because they think that they fat should be ashamed and shunned, not sold plus-size lingerie and mini-skirts.
Fie on them.
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| bam |
July 12th, 2005 | Link |
I totally agree, svdora. I
I totally agree, svdora. I think it has less to do with whether the stores are brick and mortar or online or where the articles are printed than with the fact that Torrid clothes are sexy. Maybe there's just something terrifying about fat teenage girls saying to hell with it, I'm going to dress sexy and I don't care what anyone thinks about it. I really don't understand the uproar--I find it very bizarre. Nobody freaks out because the young men's section at Macy's sells pants with 38-inch waists. I guess as long as young fat women are buying shapeless camouflage, then we're allowed to shop. But God forbid we wear sequins, a swimming suit, or (gasp) a corset.
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| thelmarose |
July 12th, 2005 | Link |
I completely agree about the
I completely agree about the _sexy_ clothes for fat girls at Torrid.
I think one reason this article doesn't demonize fat people is that Barry is a former wrestler and weight lifter. It's manly and socially correct to be a big strong guy who gets fat. That gets the stamp of moral approval. There was a discussion on the Forums where we talked about the (morally approved and sexually desirable) athletic fat person versus the (appalling sinner) fat couch potato. I am trying to purge that particular moral judgment from my repertoire. Talk about the last acceptable prejudice.
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| singingliz |
July 12th, 2005 | Link |
I would have to say the more
I would have to say the more the better as well. Back when I had a little more money, I would buy most of my clothes from Torrid online (since there isn't a store anywhere close to me). I could find really nice, sexy clothes in their clearance section for super cheap. But then I decided to go back to school and now I can barely afford to buy food to eat!
As far as these other places getting praised and Torrid getting shunned, I think it has to do with the marketing. Torris is marketing to young women who are "supposed" (according to the majority) to be sickly thin.
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| nwhiker |
July 14th, 2005 | Link |
OK. Most of us here are fat
OK. Most of us here are fat people. So I have to ask... large bike helmets? I'm fat and I bike alot and I wear a standard size helmet. I have a normal sized head. I need large bike jerseys and shorts (for less than a kings ransom, actually. I can find larger gear it just costs alot and never goes on sale) but I'm having a hard time thinking of any fat person I've known or seen that would need a larger size bike helmet.
Anyone? Or am I missing something and being dumb about this?
Great site, btw. I see they have rain gear, but it's not GoreTex or the like, alas... oh well, I'll keep them bookmarked and keep checking back. I really want GoreTex pants.
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| Nanette |
July 14th, 2005 | Link |
"As far as these other
"As far as these other places getting praised and Torrid getting shunned, I think it has to do with the marketing. Torris is marketing to young women who are "supposed" (according to the majority) to be sickly thin.
Posted by singingliz on July 12, 2005 02:41 PM. "
Yeah. What singingliz said. Only I'd say not only "supposed" to be thin but "want to be," even "deperately strive to be" thin.
Kinda indicates a crack in the old herd mentality when some young women say "Fiddlesticks (or another word starting with "f")! I feel pretty and desirable just the way I am--and I'm gonna wear the kind of clothes that show off just what a luscious body I have." I think that's what makes a lot of commentators choke of their non-fat lattes: a clothier like Torrid is subversive in a way to the mass (advertising) culture.
What if the corruption of the currant (extremely) narrow parameter for good looks spreads? Where will it all end? What would happen if fat became not a moral failing but, but...SEXY? Fat people as sports heros? Fat people as TV anchors, or spokes-models? Fat people as the romantic leads in movies or TV shows. Fat people as the normative for health and good looks? Gad! The world turned upside down!
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| thelmarose |
July 15th, 2005 | Link |
nwhiker: Yeah, I was baffled
nwhiker: Yeah, I was baffled by the bike helmet thing, too. People have fat scalps?
OT: I assume you've tried Junonia for waterproof yet breathable pants? They don't have them on their site right now because it's summer, but usually have several kinds of athletic pants for hiking, crosscountry and downhill skiing, etc. Having lived in (and hiked near) Seattle, I know exactly why you want them.
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| Dolley |
July 15th, 2005 | Link |
Just a thought; it's
Just a thought; it's possible that the folks who are selling larger-sized helmets are selling them to folks who have larger-sized heads. Not fat people, necessarily. Since I have a substantial-sized cranium with a big thick braid which sometimes needs to get stuffed into a helmet, it's good to know there's someplace I can buy a larger-than-usual helmet, which is what I need, whether I'm fat or thin.
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| QitelRemel |
July 17th, 2005 | Link |
I've got to agree in regards
I've got to agree in regards to the "o-words." They were unnecessary and counterproductive.
-Qit
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