I’ve been fat my whole life and I think other fat people know what I mean when I say it is uncomfortable as hell to ride on an airplane. Not just because the airliners make us purchase an extra seat but because of the fear in other peoples’ eyes when they see us getting aboard the airplane. They all think we will sit next to them. But really, why would I want to sit next to someone who judges me by the way I look anyways? I would rather sit on the floor than sit by them. So this makes the holidays that much more stressful: the travel, hustling and trying to navigate around the airport all the while trying to keep my spirits high when everyone else is trying to get me down. The past several months have been exceptionally difficult since I am experiencing decreased mobility and having to use a rollator due to an injury I sustained from hiking.



However bad the airport is, it doesn’t get any better when arriving to see family for the week. I have to mentally prepare and convince myself to actually go, and every year it’s the same: feeling judged when serving food and trying to hide while I eat to avoid sneers and dirty looks by people who think they know what’s best for me when it comes to my plate of food. Now if my plate had only a small piece of turkey and a serving of green beans on it, I wouldn’t hear the end about how I must be on a diet and how great for my health it is. As if they truly care about my well-being, because if they did then they’d know weight is not a reflection of health. Aside from my injury I have never felt healthier, and even my physician was surprised to see I am not diabetic. I know, shocking right? Because all fat people have to be diabetic apparently. As if we are all interchangeable, amorphous blobs with no individuality.



To make eating worse, I have one of those drunk uncles who likes to joke around and doesn’t think about how offensive some of his comments might be. While eating he jested about how if he ate any more he will need to borrow some of my pants. Of course the comments after everyone is done with food is not much better considering they are moaning about how full they are and someone never fails to state something along the lines of starving themselves the next few days to avoid gaining holiday weight. When uncomfortable topics for me come up, I change the subject to politics. In this case to the politics and the dark history of Thanksgiving. It usually shuts them up considering most of my family is of the more conservative variety. The rest of the time there I just sat and was on my phone the entire time until it was time to leave, all the while deciding that I will never go back again for the holidays. It’s just not worth the judgement and hassle of dealing with rude family and strangers. Good riddance.



Thin privilege is being able to enjoy food during the holidays without people judging every bite of food you put in your mouth. Thin privilege is also not having people on airplanes pray to whatever deity they worship in hopes that you don’t sit by them.