I am Fat: I’m 5’5″ tall and weigh 218, and nobody would think otherwise. But not that long ago I was Super Fat. I’m not sure exactly where the line is, but I know I’ve crossed it.
What does it mean to be Super Fat? It means that most seats (ball park, movie theater, restaurant, airplane, dining room) don’t fit you. It means that you need a seat belt extender on an airplane. It means that finding clothes, even at the “plus size” stores, is difficult because very little is in your size, and when it is, it’s ugly and shapeless. You don’t fit in medical equipment like MRI machines. And worst of all, you get stared at on the street, commented on by strangers, and cruelly taunted on the street, usually by young men. You are constantly under attack.
How is life different when you move from Super Fat to Fat? Seats may be uncomfortable but you can fit without feeling like you’re stuffed in or have arms or edges poking you. You can find clothes at many stores, You can have most medical tests. You become more invisible on the street. While life may be hard because you’re still Fat, your day-to-day existence is so much less stressful.
I resent that, now that I’m Fat, not Super Fat, life is easier. It should have been easier before.