On April 5, 2016, Amy Schumer took to social media to tell Glamour Magazine that she did not appreciate being include in a list of inspiring plus size women because she does not fit the “plus size” standard. For her, according to a post she made on Instagram, what bothered her the most about her inclusion on the list is the fact that it would make young girls question their own size. The incident has caused her to begin a campaign against the plus size label, insisting that people do not like being classified as plus size. When Schumer posted to Twitter asking about the public’s thoughts on the term, it was met with mixed views.
There were many that agreed with Schumer about eliminating the term. Twitter users described ‘plus size’ being a rather dividing term, that separated people based on physical appearance. Others went on to add that it singled women out, which was “not glamours at all.” Mercury News pointed out that the term is not accepted by most body-positive activist because they see it as judgmental and demeaning. Slate author Christina Cauterucci pointed out the Schumer’s campaign highlighted a glaring issue in Hollywood’s warped ideas of body images: to them, if you are over a size two, then you are not the “ideal” women. They can see the way that it can hurt the way young girls see their own bodies, especially when the idea of what constitutes as plus size continues to get more and more extreme. Still, though, not everyone agrees.
Many people do not see why Schumer took it so far; the article in Glamour was not meant to be insulting. Twitter Users felt that she overreacted about the situation, which is a major cause of the polarization. Glamour responded the same day to Schumer’s anger by saying she was included for the fact that she has promoted body positive thinking in the past. But, with the way she reacted, people are calling Schumer hypocritical, especially because she has called herself fat before. More so, some Twitter users admitted that they felt insulted with how she reacted so negatively to such a label. There is also the school of thought that Schumer’s campaign is not so much about eliminating the plus size level, but gaining more publicity. Beyond that, plus size women have called Schumer out for essentially building a career on being “bigger” without truly understanding the negative association that many plus size women are faced with on a daily basis.
Amy Schumer has caused a divide among many with how they feel regarding the plus size label. While there are some that agree with her about eliminating the label and just promoting body positivity, there are others that do not like Schumer’s approach to the problem. Especially considering how vehemently she opposed the label to begin with. With the way times are changing, where do you stand on the label debate? How do you feel about Schumer’s campaign and what she has said regarding the situation?
See Also:
Big Beautiful Women, Plus Size Celebrity Rebel Wilson’s Love Life
Stone-Cold Fox Tess Holliday Stresses Her Opinion on “Plus-size” Label Again
