Story time:

I went to a carnival with my little cousin (she’s 8 years old, as of my typing this). I could get on every ride there (I could have even get on the rides for little kids if I wanted, because I’m short, but those are just for itty bitty kids). I could get on every single ride there without giving it another thought.

One of the rides, the thing that spins so fast the riders get pinned to the sides because of the gravity seemingly going away, a guy got on with some people he knew. He was smaller-fat (most would just call him chubby instead of simply fat), but also had a belly. He got into a space, but the white belt thing wouldn’t fit all the way around his stomach to be secured on the other side. The people with him started laughing (he did too, but I wonder if he was also feeling embarrassed). The guy running the ride simply directed the man to a space on the other side of his group, where there was a blue belt that easily went across him and secured tightly on the other side.

Lots of the rides had signs posted, saying that larger people (the words used were ‘exceptionally large’) might not be able to ride due to something about the structure of the rides. Even the spacious ferris wheel had such a sign.

I remember wondering many times ‘Why don’t they just make the rides to accommodate more body sizes?’

Then it hit me. That’s thin privilege. Being able to go to a carnival and get on any of the rides without a thought. Not seeing signs posted saying someone of a larger size might not be able to ride at all. I have to wonder what would have happened if one of the people described in the signs had tried to ride, even on the ferris wheel. Would they have been let on, or would they have been turned away?

I don’t even remember seeing any really big people riding rides (the fat people that did ride were smaller-fat); maybe they were when I just wasn’t looking.

It’s amazing how much thin privilege is in things most people don’t even think about.