22 “Travel Difficulties For Plus Sizes” That Skinny People Don’t Have To Worry About When Traveling

Jae’s incredible personality and powerful statements may have garnered millions of views, but they also resonate deeply with people struggling with a society obsessed with seemingly perfect looks and unrealistic beauty standards. It shows how absurd and flawed the travel industry is in failing to realize “the average woman is no longer a size 14”, as Jae said in an interview with BuzzFeed. “They’re now a size 18 and beyond. Yet as we’ve grown, things like airplane seats, clothes, and everything else have gotten smaller or stayed exactly the same.”

To better understand the struggles plus-size travelers face on their travels, we reached out to the host, illustrator, and body positivity activist Stacy’s bias aimed at amplifying marginalized voices. “To run the Fly while big Facebook group over the past few years, I’ve witnessed thousands of concerns and learned that there are experiences that are shared across the size spectrum,” she said. bored panda.

Be the creator of research Animation documentary Flying While Fat, it helps travelers make their voices heard by allowing them to share their experiences. And she was more than happy to discuss the infuriating, annoying and stressful challenges tall people face.

According to Bias, anticipatory anxiety is a huge factor that affects people’s emotional well-being when they’re flying — or even considering it. “What individuals anxiously anticipate varies, but common themes are ‘doesn’t fit’ and/or being relocated or asked to disembark, needing to request a seat belt extender and fearing potential humiliation from a potentially insensitive flight crew, or not having an extender available, making them dangerous.”

Bias continued that the need to use the airline lavatory can also cause fear: “Being afraid of not going through narrow doorways or not having enough space to properly engage in bathroom practices. hygiene once inside.” Additionally, other passengers also seem to be a source of anxiety as travelers may fear bumping into or disturbing them “when crossing the aisles or sitting next to someone who is hostile to them”. .

“For some at the smaller end of the size spectrum (in fat activism, the relevant categories are ‘small fat’ or ‘medium fat’) these fears sometimes or even often prove unfounded. “, continued Bias. “For those at the higher end of the size spectrum (“big,” “super,” or “infinite” fats), these anxieties are more often realized and also come with physical barriers to accessing and to security.”

The fear of “not fitting” causes a lot of stress for tall people, as they often feel pressured to make decisions that would ensure a smooth experience. But unfortunately they come at a cost, be it financial, social or welfare related.

“Some are forced to buy two seats or navigate uncertainty using inconsistently enforced size customer policies. And some, in fact, 25% of my research participants, intentionally dehydrate before riding. on airplanes to avoid having to use the lavatory and/or get up and disturb seat neighbors or other passengers in the aisle, and dehydration and lack of movement are risk factors for developing DVT [deep vein thrombosis]“, explained Bias.

The idea that tall people should enjoy the same respect and opportunity as everyone else is not new. But the overwhelming response to Jae’s video series has you wondering why this important conversation is so rarely discussed. When we asked Bias to share her thoughts on the matter, she told us that this topic comes up every once in a while with a new person going viral with their experiences.

But sadly, “the cultural conversation around who suffering is legitimate and what space people are entitled to when that space is highly commodified is once again being held on the backs of the big guys with no meaningful change in the end.”

“It tends to lead to haranguing abuse on one side and supportive comments on the other, but overall there has been no measurable movement in creating safer and fairer travel for people. passengers of all sizes and abilities,” added the activist.

When asked what kind of change is needed in the travel industry to make it more friendly to organizations of all sizes, Bias said, “I think the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] must mandate an increase in minimum seat width and recline and require aircraft safety testing and cabin design to include a realistic distribution of sizes, ages and abilities. »

But it is important to note that people can also seek change. “The FAA is currently accepting public comment on setting minimum seat widths and I strongly encourage people to voice their opinion.”

Bias knows the FAA isn’t interested in the comfort of people in larger bodies, but it needs to pay attention to concerns about safety. “If a body does not have enough room or leverage to stand up quickly, if a body does not have enough room to brace for the impact position, if a body does not have enough space to pass a neighbor or walk down an aisle that may not be cleared of debris, then the plane is not safe for anyone,” she said. “Current aircraft configurations pose a risk to the welfare of all passengers and this must be rectified.”

To anyone struggling with travel anxiety and concerned that the industry isn’t meeting their needs, Bias offered a few words of encouragement. “Find a community. Ask questions. And don’t put yourself in danger to avoid embarrassing others.”

“Understand that capitalism is the driving force in creating the medians on which built space is built, and that very large, very tall, very small, and disabled bodies are excluded from the processes of determining these medians. Bodies have always been and always will be diverse and for various reasons. You deserve a home,” Bias concluded.