I love my thin privilege

You can have it too.

Recently there’s been a massive tide of body positivity all over social media, pushing for self-love and acceptance of the ideal that all bodies are beautiful. This, in and of itself, isn’t harmful (though there are absolutely bodies that are not beautiful). But actually, this movement mostly involves glorifying obesity and shaming thin women for our “privilege.”

Welcome to the insane world of the body positive movement. Well, thin women can love our bodies too! Without further ado, here’s why I love my body.

Clothes

In pants, I’m usually a zero or a 2. In tops I’m XS or S. I can usually wear stuff from one-size-fits-all stores like Brandy Melville. Granted, I’m pretty tall (5'8") so at times it’s difficult to find something that’s long enough — for instance, a cute short dress on a 5'4" girl will just expose my butt to the world when I bend over! But luckily, jeans and pants are usually made for taller girls anyway. See, there’s a reason why fashion designers usually use thin women as models — the clothes hang off us nicely because we have fewer curves and rolls. Our clothes don’t have to be tailored quite so accurately.

Legs

Long legs are generally considered elegant and classy. When you’re slim, your legs automatically look longer. High heels accentuate that feature even more.

Activities

I don’t do a lot of sports and exercise, but when I do, it’s not overly difficult for me. I hate running but in the fall I had been going to the gym regularly and doing 20-minute runs — sure, it’s exhausting, but I’m capable of it without any training and without really building up to it in any way. I’ve got long legs and not a lot of weight to carry around, so that makes it less tiring for me. I definitely couldn’t do the same if I were carrying 20 or 30 extra pounds on my frame (which would still be considered a healthy weight for my height, according to BMI). It’s just nice to know that I can go on hikes, walk across town, and do physical activities without having to worry about whether or not I can make it.

Transportation

Fat activists often consider airplanes to be a battleground for fat rights, but I’ve got no problem fitting into an airplane seat, bus seat, taxi, etc. It’s not a lot to ask, actually. You just have to be somewhat close to the size of an average person to be able to fit into those places. I’ve got plenty of room on both sides so no worries there.

General cuteness

My boyfriend can pick me up, carry me around, give me piggyback rides… Girls, that’s something to consider if you weigh more than your boyfriend. Either he’s thin as a rail and needs to start eating more, or well, you might want to start making some healthier choices.

Health

Am I in perfect shape? Nah. Do I have a far lower risk of developing diabetes, stroke, cancer, or heart disease! Yeah!! That’s awesome! Ever noticed how you don’t see a lot of obese seniors? Fat people don’t usually live that long. I have no idea how long I’ll live, but I’d like to minimize health risks as much as possible.

Confidence

I don’t need a body positivity movement to make me feel included. I don’t need to post a selfie every day or value myself based on how many likes it gets. I don’t need to fight for fat acceptance or try to change men’s natural preferences. I don’t need to deny scientific fact and accuse doctors of fatshaming when they are legitimately concerned about health. I’m just myself, living life in a normal body, hardly ever thinking about my size or weight. I try to look good and present myself well towards the rest of the world.

Here’s an idea: instead of complaining that you’re oppressed and I’m privileged, why don’t you try to put yourself in my situation so you can benefit from that privilege? You weren’t born fat. It’s possible to lose weight and become an average-sized healthy person. You might say that “diets don’t work” but it’s a simple numbers game — all you have to do is burn more calories than you ingest. Deep down, of course you’d rather have a healthy, functional body that fits into airplane seats and can run, jump, dance, and swim… but you’ve already given up because you believe you can never achieve that. And so instead you try to change society around you while ignoring science and trying desperately to rationalize your choices. It’s honestly sad.

See, if you really do love your body, you won’t mistreat it. Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in developed countries, and it is directly related to higher incidence of strokes, heart disease, joint problems, diabetes, and cancer. If you claim to love yourself but continue to harm yourself, then you have an abusive relationship with your own body. The body positivity/fat acceptance movement promotes a lifestyle which tells you to live for the present moment and disregard the future. That’s a recipe for an early death.

Yes, I have thin privilege. Being thin or average-sized is quite obviously better than being fat. It’s a good thing, then, that anyone can have this privilege if they have the will and the self-discipline to consume fewer calories than they burn.