I think sexism prevents this from being a real win for fat people. I am deeply annoyed by the commercials I’ve been seeing for DXL/Destination XL, a men’s clothing store. The tone/message of the commercials is “big men are awesome and deserve awesome clothes that fit and you can find them at our store.” The commercial shows the men strutting out with confidence like professional fashion models while their wives look on in joy and amazement.

Ok. Great. Except, when’s the last time you saw a commercial for women’s plus size clothes? I have never seen a t.v. ad for Junonia, Lane Bryant, Catherine’s, Fashion Bug, Torrid…nada. zip. zilch.

Because even though men suffer from fat bigotry, on some level they are expected to be bigger. They are allowed to be “husky.” Basically, they have body autonomy and their physical appearance is not considered a commodity.

The Beauty Myth and the Male Gaze will not allow fat women’s fashion to be celebrated openly. The only time I have seen plus size women in commercials in during Dove’s highly hypocritical and problematic “real beauty” campaign, which actually does more to reinforce the beauty myth.

Thin privilege is not having a “cut-off point” for what body size is visibly acceptable in commercials and other visual media.