The fat-phobia myth has officially gotten out of hand as there is now a petition going around that is attempting to force airline companies to dole out extra seats to plus-size passengers.
Self-described as a “plus-size traveler,” Jae’lynn Chaney formed a petition back in April calling for the Federal Aviation Administration to “require all airlines to implement a clear customer-of-size policy.” The petition, which already has over 17,000 signatures, demands that all plus-size travelers “should be provided with an extra free seat, or even multiple seats, to accommodate their needs and ensure their comfort and safety, as well as those around them, during the flight.” Basically, this woman wants to get a full row to herself just because she’s fat.
Chaney, who looks exactly like you would expect, says that she has had trouble flying ever since she was 12 years old and had to hide the seatbelt under her stomach as she couldn’t get it to close. Now, at age 26, Chaney is trying to completely rearrange the airplane business and prioritize “plus-size travel.”
In her petition, Chaney calls current airline practices “discriminatory” as normal passengers only need to pay for one ticket while those who require two seats to fit in both of their ass cheeks must spend double. She has even since come out and said that she doesn’t think she is looking for special treatment and argues she is just “asking for the same dignity and respect from an airline that someone in a smaller body gets.”
Chaney also points out that Canada has a similar policy to the one she suggests which is entitled the “One Person, One Fare Policy,” and allows people with medically diagnosed obesity to be awarded an extra seat on planes at no additional cost. In this policy, which was passed in 2008, passengers eligible to receive an extra seat must be declared “functionally disabled by obesity.”
So while I’m pretty confident that 17,000 signatures won’t change American policy, this is still pretty frustrating. As a former fatty who has lost over 60 pounds (not a flex, I’ve put about half of it back on), this is extremely aggravating. I understand that in some instances people cannot control their weight. Those are not the people that want to pass this outlandish rule.
You don’t get to be a 6XL (Chaney’s real size) from merely “poor genes.” There have been years and years of Big Macs, entire pizzas for lunch, and daily two-liters of soda that have led you to this point. You don’t deserve extra seats just because you’re addicted to sugar and can’t walk down a flight of stairs. Your actions have consequences.
Seriously, if this passes I’m probably going to get fat as shit again. I mean why not, right? If being unhealthy and getting to eat anything I want is going to get me free stuff, it would be stupid to keep eating vegetables. If anyone reading this wants to call me fat-phobic or whatever the term is, go ahead. I am far from a workout and diet crazy gym bro who uses steroids and creatine like they’re the cure to cancer, but I also refuse to believe that being fat is “not a choice.” Working out is hard and dieting sucks, I get it. Yet that doesn’t give people the right to claim that they’re life is so much harder than everyone else. The amount of people who play the victim in this generation is disgusting. Take responsibility for yourself and try to improve, don’t just blame someone else for your misfortunes.
Sorry this got so real towards the end, I’m just kinda pissed I lost weight only for Lizzo to be deemed the “ideal body” of 2023. If this petition does somehow pass, look for me in the Taco Bell drive-thru where I’ll be stuffing taco 12-packs down my throat hoping to get three free tickets to Hawaii.
