This Viral Twitter Thread About “Thin Privilege” is a Must-Read
"Thinness isn’t a feeling. If other people perceive you as thin, you are thin."
You wander into a store and pick up a few items to try on. When you look at yourself in the dressing room mirror, do you feel thin? You might not — but if, without second thought, you expect to find something in your size, there’s a good chance you experience “thin privilege.”
What is thin privilege and who gets to have it? Cora Harrington, founder of the inclusive lingerie blog, The Lingerie Addict, took to Twitter to share her thoughts. In a now-viral thread, Harrington defines the societal advantages of being a certain weight: as a “thin” woman, she can buy clothing with ease, eat a cookie without judgement and sit on a bus without fear of eye-rolls from her seat mate. This, in Harrington’s view, gives her a head start in life. Here’s the thread:
Hey, you don’t have to “feel thin” to have thin privilege.
Thinness isn’t a feeling. If other people perceive you as thin, you are thin. If you are able to walk into any clothing store and expect to see a wide range of options in your size, you are thin.
— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) July 22, 2018
No one looks at a photo of me online and tells me I need to lose weight or sees me out and about eating a cookie or an ice cream cone and sneers at me in disgust.
— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) July 22, 2018
And this is something that I really need “body positive” influencers and fashion bloggers to understand.
If you are getting gigs AT ALL, it’s because you closely align with fashion industry ideals. And it is what it is, I guess.
What’s not okay is pretending that you don’t.
— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) July 22, 2018
It doesn’t mean your life is easy or that no one ever made fun of your appearance or that you can find everything you want in your local Target. It means societal discrimination and prejudice does not target you for being thin. It means your weight/body type are seen as “normal.”
— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) July 22, 2018
The definition of “thin” is, of course, socially constructed. Harrington’s thread sparked a thoughtful and intelligent conversation, but it isn’t free of criticism. (This is Twitter, after all.) “Peoples lives are not easy because they are thin,” user Kristal Garcia wrote in a reply, reflecting the opinions shared in many of the other responses to the thread, “Body positivity MUST be inclusive of thin women and men. There is intense shaming placed on thin people. Should there be more clothing options for heavy people? Absolutely. However that does not mean it’s easier in life to be thin.”
I think that, like race, gender, and sexuality, “thin privilege” is something that fits in somewhere with intersectionality. Body-image is something that’s incredibly gendered, complex and personal. So here’s something I think we all can agree on: size is something that must be treated with sensitivity. We should continue to preach self-love and self-acceptance, but at the same time strive to teach size-inclusiveness.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://fashionmagazine.com/style/thin-privilege-twitter/&title=This Viral Twitter Thread About “Thin Privilege” is a Must-Read&picture=https://fashionmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iStock-936932468-800x306.jpg&description=You wander into a store and pick up a few items to try on. When you look at yourself in the dressing room mirror, do you feel thin? You might not — but if, without second thought, you expect to find something in your size, there's a good chance you experience "thin privilege."
What is thin privilege and who gets to have it? Cora Harrington, founder of the inclusive lingerie blog, The Lingerie Addict, took to Twitter to share her thoughts. In a now-viral thread, Harrington defines the societal advantages of being a certain weight: as a "thin" woman, she can buy clothing with ease, eat a cookie without judgement and sit on a bus without fear of eye-rolls from her seat mate. This, in Harrington's view, gives her a head start in life. Here's the thread:
https://twitter.com/lingerie_addict/status/1021051090354229248
https://twitter.com/lingerie_addict/status/1021051811183112192
https://twitter.com/lingerie_addict/status/1021053228774043648
https://twitter.com/lingerie_addict/status/1021078417670901760
The definition of "thin" is, of course, socially constructed. Harrington's thread sparked a thoughtful and intelligent conversation, but it isn't free of criticism. (This is Twitter, after all.) "Peoples lives are not easy because they are thin," user Kristal Garcia wrote in a reply, reflecting the opinions shared in many of the other responses to the thread, "Body positivity MUST be inclusive of thin women and men. There is intense shaming placed on thin people. Should there be more clothing options for heavy people? Absolutely. However that does not mean it’s easier in life to be thin."
I think that, like race, gender, and sexuality, "thin privilege" is something that fits in somewhere with intersectionality. Body-image is something that's incredibly gendered, complex and personal. So here's something I think we all can agree on: size is something that must be treated with sensitivity. We should continue to preach self-love and self-acceptance, but at the same time strive to teach size-inclusiveness.){kind=link}