Why Don’t We Hear Fat Women’s #MeToo Stories?
Hint: It’s not because we don’t have them.
Content warning: descriptions of sexual assault
O ne hundred and twenty two men.
That’s how many prominent politicians, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and public figures have been publicly accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault since Harvey Weinstein left the Weinstein Company. In the last week alone, Junot Diaz joined that growing list, as did New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and the Nobel Prize scandal highlighted the experiences of women working with one of the world’s most prestigious literary organizations. So I suppose that brings our list to 123.
Clearly, we are far from ending this epidemic. But finally, for once, institutions are beginning to name the behavior of the men who make unwanted remarks and unwelcome ultimatums, who expose themselves, who demand our bodies. For once, we’re learning to believe women.
The women coming forward are undeniably courageous: young and old, rich and poor, famous and unknown. And overwhelmingly, they’re thin.
But 67% of American women are plus size. So where are the fat women?
I was 15 years old, and a size 18, the first time a man told me he’d fantasized about raping me.
