Nike has plus size mannequins and some people are mad about it

Nike has put some plus size mannequins in one of their stores, and it’s making some people mad. This basically happens any time there is a positive story about fat people doing anything anywhere. Even when that fat person is a mannequin. Yep, you guessed it, I have a lot of feelings about this. Grab a drink and pull up a chair.

PLUS SIZE MANNEQUINS FOR A PLUS SIZE RANGE. MAKES SENSE.

You might remember that Nike launched their plus size range back in 2017 (you can buy it from a number of places, including ASOS). This was a pretty big move for them, and it was exciting to hear a mainstream brand take the step to not only offer their apparel in plus sizes, but also showcase it on plus size people like Grace Victory and Danielle Vanier. They continue to work with plus size people to showcase their clothing –  just recently, UK blogger Chloe Elliott won the Blogosphere Fitness Influencer Brand Campaign of the Year for her work with VeryUK and Nike.

 

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A post shared by Chloe Elliott (@chloeincurve_) on Mar 14, 2019 at 12:31pm PDT

Plus size people like to run and dance and cycle, they like to lift weights and do yoga and all manner of other active things that straight size people like to do. I mean, not everyone does, but my point is that there are fat people out there who are active and thus want to have access to activewear.

To me, it makes sense that Nike would use plus size mannequins to show their plus size range in store. In fact, I think that all plus size retailers should be doing this. It shouldn’t be a big deal that makes news headlines, it should be stock standard. The bare minimum. If you sell plus size clothes, you should be showing them on appropriately sized mannequins. Just like you should be using actual plus size models, not padding smaller models and pinning clothes on them to make them fit. But that’s a rant for another day.

THE SAME FATPHOBIC NONSENSE

Anyway, a lot of people have said various shitty things about Nike’s new mannequins. Most of them probably won’t surprise you because it’s the same old nonsense. One that has drawn the most attention is an article in The Telegraph titled “Obese mannequins are selling women a dangerous lie”. Obviously I’m not going to link to it – that fatphobic nonsense doesn’t deserve any more clicks. The commentary included things like, “The new mannequin is obese, and she is not readying herself for a run in her shiny Nike gear. She cannot run. She is, more likely, pre-diabetic and on her way to a hip replacement.” You can imagine the rest. Actually you’ll have to, because the article sits behind a pay-wall so you can’t freely access it without subscribing. Personally I’d rather spend my money on chips.

It’s taken me a little while to respond to this because quite honestly I’m tired. I’m tired of having the same argument. The one where I have to try and convince people that I as a fat person deserve to be treated like a human being. That I deserve to exist without harassment. It’s the one where people go on about fat people being unhealthy. By now I feel like I need to have this on a tape recorder that just plays on a loop (do tape recorders still exist? Am I showing my age? Surely there is a digital version of what I just said but I’d probably have to get my teenager to sort it out for me because I have no bloody idea).

Yes, some fat people are unhealthy, so are some people who aren’t fat. Just the same as other people of varying body sizes are healthy. Body size does not determine health. Let me say that again: body size does not determine health. And even more importantly than that, neither your size nor your health status determines your worth as a human being. No matter what size you are, whether you are sick or well, how much you weigh, you are still entitled to respect.

IT WAS NEVER ABOUT HEALTH

A lot of the responses I’ve seen from the plus size community include people showing themselves working out and talking about how perfect their health is. But you know what? You don’t need to prove that you’re a “good fatty” who exercises or has perfect bloodwork. Because someone who doesn’t work out or has diabetes or only works out sometimes or has a chronic illness is still worthy of respect.

The same people who get mad about plus size mannequins being used to show plus size activewear are the ones who verbally and physically abuse us while we are out exercising. They are the ones who video us at the gym. Who take photos of us at the beach. They tell us to exercise while at the same time getting up in arms about us having access to activewear in our size. They bully us online. They leave comments like “I’m all for body positivity, but this isn’t healthy…”.

It’s not about health. It was never about health. Not the outrage over the mannequins, not the concern trolling online, none of it. It comes down to fatphobia, plain and simple. People get mad when fat people are visible and happy. They get mad when we are not relegated to the shadows. They get mad when we are not compliant, when we don’t pursue thinness, when we dare to exist in these very bodies.

To the bad ass babe who is in the gym lifting weights while people leave nasty comments on her Instagram – I see you. To the rad fat person currently training to run a half marathon – I see you. To the mama who likes to wear leggings because it makes playing with her kids that much easier – I see you. To the amazing human who has recently had a joint replacement and is beginning the daunting task of rehab – I see you. To the rad fatty who likes to walk in the park because she sees lots of dogs and that is amazing for her mental health – I see you. To the people who wear activewear because it’s comfy AF – I see you. To the babes laughing until they cry at aqua aerobics – I see you. To the kickass queen who bought a pair of leggings to exercise in but actually only ever wears them out to grab a coffee on a Sunday morning – I see you. Whatever reason you have for wanting to wear activewear, whether it is Nike or not, I SEE YOU. You are valid, and you do not owe explanations or justifications for your body or your existence to anyone else.

Obviously I’m the rad fatty who likes to walk in the park because she sees lots of dogs (duh) – what do you like to do in your activewear? I really hope someone says “eat chips”, I might have to take some time to do that in my activewear this week.