Plus Size Women Essay

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67 percent of American women report to be plus-size, a size 14 and above, and yet they are only represented in 1-2 percent of images in american. These gaping statistics inspired women’s media brand Refinery 29 to start the 67 project. The project is an attempt to make the seeing of plus size women in media as normal as seeing plus size women in real life, by literally having plus sized women represented in 67 percent of their photos. While this is a small piece of the larger fat acceptance movement, the implications of this lack of recognition is significant because it leads societal normalization, and pressure to attain, a body that to a large extent is unattainable. When Refinery 29 set their goal to change the way plus size women were …show more content…

So much so that it can affect their life chances. It has also been found that doctors have an unconscious bias against over weight people and are less likely to take them on as clients as a result. While being heavy was once though of as a sign of wealth and status, the connotation now is widely that overweight people are lazy and sloppy. As a result, over-weight people struggle to receive the same treatment in the workplace, and may be less likely than a thing person to receive a job they are qualified for. Again, this fact hold with both men and women however, as evident by the fact that 50 percent of male CEOs are overweight where approximately 5 percent of female CEOs are, it is clear are gender expectations for women are more rigid in regards to this. This discrimination can be political as well. It has been seen that men are more likely to believe overweight women are guilty in court and currently, there are no laws against discriminating against a person for their weight. The bias against plus size women is an a unconscious one but nonetheless a very real one. The consequence are significant, and projects like the 67 project are increasingly necessary as pressure to conform to the hegemonic beauty standards become more

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