Last week, Reddit was ground zero for the latest battle royale in the war on fat. It’s bad enough that society has such a low tolerance for heavy women on television and the big screen, but now we can’t even stomach the sight of heavy mannequins in our stores. When a user posted a photo of a larger-than-average mannequin along with the comment, "Anyone else horrified that they make obese mannequins too now?" the Internet responded with hatred.
People were actually angry about the mannequins, and many commented on their size. The whole thing ignited a heated debate on whether or not overweight people can ever be healthy and whether or not overweight mannequins can in some way promote an "obese lifestyle."
Why does it bother people so much that mannequins are made to reflect the size of the people wearing the clothes? It's kind of ridiculous and sheer fantasy when you go into a plus-sized shop and all the clothes are pinned to smaller-sized mannequins. It doesn't give an accurate idea of what the clothes will look like on. Are we just a society in denial? Would we prefer that we all go through life Photoshopped, and if we can’t be molded to fit the impossible standards, we should be locked away like Quasimodo in a tower?
We cannot keep lying to ourselves about obesity. It is real, and the sooner we face it and try to get healthy, the sooner we will all be better off. Getting mad because mannequins are fat is not the answer. Heavyset mannequins are not the problem. They are only a symptom of the problem.
We need to get mad and motivated that we are becoming unhealthier as a nation and do something proactive about it. It’s like the old saying, "Hate the sin, not the sinner." I say, hate the unhealthy lifestyle, not the plus-sized mannequin that's just a reflection of what so many Americans look like today.
Do overweight mannequins offend you?
Image via ReddityDoopity/Reddit
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Comments 73
I think plus sizes should be able to see what the clothes look like on. If they are on a small mannequin, how do they know that (with out trying them on)?
Completely agree with zach. While it is harsh it's the truth. I just never understood how morbidly obese people can live with themselves knowing they are slowly killing themselves. I'm offended by that.
@zach & @fleurdelys - personally, i'm offended by people who assume ALL obese people are that way due to overeating and lack of self control. while it may be a majority, it is not all. there are plenty of people (who will now come out and defend it, nice work!) who are overweight for medical reasons such as thyroid disorders.
are there fat people who overeat, practice no self control and don't care about themselves? yes. but are there also fat people who have done everything short of surgery and cannot lose weight naturally? yes. everything is not always just so black and white.
@dirtiekittie, you may be right about some people having metabolic issues that precludes easy weight loss, but it's a tiny minority. Most people in this country eat too much, don't exercise enough, and eat junk food. I grew up in the 60's and 70's and there were no obese people and very few who were even a little overweight. What has changed?
@kittie -- I knew someone would retaliate with that. Regardless of the reason why someone is overweight, there is almost always something you can do to manage it successfuly. (Almost, not always). Both my uncle and my best friend have thyroid issues and they keep themselves on strict diets and take medications to ensure that they stay a healthy weight. From what I've seen, a lot of overweight people do not have qualms about being overweight because society is beginning to cater to them as it is becoming the new norm. Being morbidly obese is just as offending as being morbidly thin.
The peanut sized head on that mannequin s scary! lol