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Meet Jae'lynn Chaney, a 25-year-old travel blogger, body positivity advocate, and content creator out on a mission to help society unlearn harmful biases. She believes that all bodies can be travel bodies and that everyone deserves to travel comfortably. By covering anything from her wanderlust moments to the hurdles she encounters on the way, Jae has captured the internet’s heart.

With over 108,000 followers on TikTok, Jae recently went viral with her 'Plus-Size Travel Struggles' series where she lists the things "plus-size travelers hate" and highlights the issues in an industry still hostile to all bodies, sizes, and shapes.

In the videos, which amassed more than 16 million views on the platform, the TikToker evaluates her experiences and sheds light on how airlines, hotels, and other businesses consistently fail to accommodate larger-bodied globetrotters. Below, we gathered some illuminating examples Jae shared with her audience, from towels that don’t fit to tray tables that wouldn’t come down. So continue scrolling, upvote as you go, and be sure to share your own stories in the comments below, we’d love to hear all about them.

Body positivity advocate Jae'lynn Chaney recently went viral for sharing "things plus-size travelers hate" that highlight how the travel industry is still hostile to bodies of all sizes

Image credits: jaebaeofficial

You can watch Jae’s "Things Plus-Size Travelers Hate" series, which amassed over 16 million views, right below

@jaebaeofficial These are some of the struggles that plus size travelers face. Travel is possible for everyBODY, but it definitely comes with challenges and should be more accessible!! What travel challenges have you faced? #plussizetravel #plussizetravelblogger #flyingwhilefat #travellingwhilefat #travelingwhilefat #traveltok #plussize #plussizeedition #fyp ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Here are some of the obstacles Jae faces when traveling

#1

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Turnstiles and worrying you'll get stuck.

jaebaeofficial , Karen Foto Report

#2

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling People staring all the time.

jaebaeofficial , Keira Burton Report

Jae’s incredible personality and powerful statements may have racked up millions of views, but they also deeply resonate with people struggling in a society obsessed with seemingly perfect looks and unrealistic beauty standards. This just goes to show just how absurd and flawed the travel industry is by failing "to realize that the average woman is no longer a size 14," as Jae said in an interview with BuzzFeed. "They are now a size 18 and beyond. Yet as we’ve gotten bigger, things like airplane seats, clothing, and everything else has gotten smaller or stayed the exact same."

To gain more insight into the struggles larger-bodied travelers face on their journeys, we reached out to animator, illustrator, and body positivity activist Stacy Bias aiming to amplify marginalized voices. "From running the Flying While Fat Facebook group for the last several years, I've witnessed thousands of concerns and I've learned that there are some experiences that are shared across the size spectrum," she told Bored Panda.

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#3

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Not being able to find clothes your size anywhere.

jaebaeofficial , William Matt Report

#4

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Chairs with armrests.

jaebaeofficial , Christopher Woo Report

Being the creator of the research-led Flying While Fat documentary animation, she helps travelers make their voices heard by allowing them to share their experiences. And she was more than happy to chat about the infuriating, annoying, and stressful challenges plus-size people face.

According to Bias, anticipatory anxiety is a huge factor that affects folks' emotional well-being when flying — or even considering it. "What individuals anxiously anticipate does vary, but common themes are 'not fitting' and/or being re-seated or asked to deplane, needing to ask for a seatbelt extender and fearing potential humiliation at the hands of a potentially insensitive flight crew, or not having an extender available, rendering them unsafe."

Bias continued that needing to use the airline toilet can also cause dread: "Being afraid of not fitting through the narrow doors or having insufficient space to adequately engage in hygiene practices once inside." Moreover, fellow passengers seems to also be a source of anxiety as travelers may fear bumping or disrupting them "when traversing the aisles, or being seated next to someone who is hostile."

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#5

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Getting ridiculous comments about being a fat traveler.

jaebaeofficial Report

#6

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Always wondering if you're going to "fit" (airplane seats, public transportation, etc).

jaebaeofficial , SuperJet International Report

#7

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Tiny airplane bathrooms.

jaebaeofficial , Kārlis Dambrāns Report

"For some at the smaller end of the size spectrum (within fat activism, the relevant categories are 'small fats' or 'medium fats'), these fears sometimes or even often prove unfounded," Bias continued. "For those at the higher end of the size spectrum ('large', 'super' or 'infini' fats), those anxieties are more often realized and are accompanied by physical barriers to access and safety as well."

The fear of "not fitting" causes a great deal of stress for plus-size people, as they often feel pressured to make decisions that would ensure a smooth experience. But sadly, they don’t come without a cost, whether it be financial, social, or wellness-related.

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"Some are forced to purchase two seats or to navigate uncertainty in using inconsistently applied Customer of Size policies. And some, in fact, 25% of my research participants, intentionally dehydrate themselves before getting on planes to avoid having to use the restroom and/or stand up and disrupt seatmates or other passengers in the aisle, and both dehydration and lack of movement are risk factors in developing DVT [deep vein thrombosis]," Bias explained.

#8

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Worrying you're going to break the toilet.

jaebaeofficial , Eric Lumsden Report

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#9

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Worrying about asking for a seatbelt extender.

jaebaeofficial Report

#10

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling When the tray table can't come down.

jaebaeofficial Report

The idea that larger-bodied people should be granted the same respect and opportunities as anyone else isn’t new. But the overwhelming response to Jae’s video series makes you wonder why this important conversation is so rarely touched upon. When we asked Bias to share her opinion on the matter, she told us this topic pops its head up once every now and then with a new person going viral with their experiences.

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But unfortunately, "the cultural conversation around whose suffering is legitimate and what space people are entitled to when that space is highly commodified is once again held on the backs of fat people with no meaningful change at the end."

"It tends to bring on haranguing abuse from one side and supportive comments from the other, but on balance, there's been no measurable movement in creating safer and more equitable travel for passengers of all sizes and abilities," the activist added.

#11

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Restaurants that don’t have seating options for plus-size people.

jaebaeofficial , Hotel du Vin & Bistro Report

#12

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Bunk beds.

jaebaeofficial , Taber Andrew Bain Report

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#13

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Getting stuck with two twin mattresses instead of a king.

jaebaeofficial , Kim Report

When asked about what kind of change is needed in the travel industry to make it more supportive of bodies of all sizes, Bias said, "I think the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] needs to mandate an increase in minimum seat width and pitch and require that airplane safety testing and cabin design include a realistic distribution of body sizes, ages, and abilities."

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#14

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Towels that don't fit.

jaebaeofficial Report

#15

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Boat ladders, pool ladders, all ladders.

jaebaeofficial , Wonderlane Report

#16

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Having little to no room to move.

jaebaeofficial Report

But it’s important to note that people can also seek change. "The FAA is currently accepting public comment on setting minimum seat widths and I would highly encourage people to voice their opinions."

Bias knows the FAA is not interested in the comfort of people in larger bodies, but they must pay attention to concerns regarding safety. "If a body does not have sufficient space or leverage to rise quickly, if a body has insufficient space to adopt a brace for impact position, if a body has insufficient space to overstep a neighbor or travel an aisle that may not be cleared of debris, then the plane is not safe for anyone," she said. "Current airplane configurations present a risk to wellness for all passengers and this must be rectified."

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#17

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Very limited poolside seating/lounging options for plus-size people.

jaebaeofficial Report

#18

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Getting pat down because you're fat.

jaebaeofficial , Oregon Department of Transportation Report

#19

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Narrow aisles and bulkhead seats.

jaebaeofficial , Matthew Hurst Report

To anyone struggling with travel anxiety and fearing the industry will fail to cater to their needs, Bias offered some words of encouragement. "Find community. Ask questions. And don't put yourself in harm's way to avoid inconveniencing others."

"Understand that capitalism is the driving force in creating the medians upon which built space is constructed, and that very fat, very tall, very short, and disabled bodies are excluded from the processes of determining those medians. Bodies have always been and will always be diverse, and for a diversity of reasons. You are worth accommodation," Bias concluded.

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#20

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Chub rub

jaebaeofficial , Su Casa Panamá Report

#21

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Souvenir shops that don't have your size.

jaebaeofficial , Grand Canyon National Park Report

#22

22 "Plus-Size Travel Struggles" Skinny People Don't Have To Worry About When Traveling Not being able to find accessible path and hiking trails.

jaebaeofficial Report

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Susan S
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You have to bring your heavy oxygen machine with you, and you're wearing open toe sandels. Why would you want to hike?

Susan Reid Smith
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So a stroll along a beach path or going on a nature trail with lots of signs isn't okay? I can do those, or I can sit around hiding from people who don't think I can do things when I'm out and doing what I can.

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Altea
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe this is an unpopular opinon, but I don't agree with this. Nature should not be modified to accomodate people. I can't climb the Everest which doesn't mean I want an elevator to get to the top.

Joybug
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

100% agree with you, the paved paths are the accessible ones, use those to get fitter and work your way up. I wouldn't expect to run 20km up hill on my first day of training for a marathon.

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Susan Reid Smith
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It doesn't have to be paved. Level dirt is fine. We don't expect every trail to be this way.

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Well-Dressed Wolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Due to the medical conditions that develop with obesity (no one is "totally healthy even though they're obese"), I think there would be a worry that obese people would not be able to last long on paths/hiking trails and would then have to be medevac/rescued. In the picture above, OP literally has a portable oxygen tank. I would fear that she would not be able to handle a even an "accessible" hiking trail.

Lee
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm starting to feel like you're a troll. You've been going off on this lady for her weight every post, now you're worried about her needing to be air lifted out, so she shouldn't be allowed to enjoy nature? Dude, she either is a sad sack of whale leavings with no hope or she can try to walk a light trail and possibly lose weight if she does more of it. You don't care that she's unhealthy, you just want her to live in her room until she has to live in bed, then pass on. I know you say that most obese people don't have medical conditions, but constantly hearing that you're too fat and unattractive to have a right to a normal life is mentally draining and if someone hears it too often they'll believe it and give up.

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kitteh floof lover
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

seriously, this whole thing is ridiculous, she's nitpicking everything, even those things that someone her size wouldn't be able to do.

Catpawsarethebest
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Down vote me if you want but do you actually want nature to accomedate to your obese body??? Like NATURE?

YaMaOnToast
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With very young children and an elderly dog we often look for such trails and have never struggled to find specific ones or tailor our walks by applying common sense.

Wayne Sharpe
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If someone needs an oxygen machine with them all the time surely hiking trails, with often difficult terrain and limited access, are not sensible options.

Almarako94
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're trying to hike wearing a dress and sandals? Do you even know what hiking is?

Olexandr Vereshchaga
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which accessible path we are talking about? Its a mountain - not a flat escalator)

Elaine Morinelli
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sorry but why are you "hiking" in flip flops and a dress? I'm a larger person and I know the value of a good, supportive shoe.

Albert Finney
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Sara Khan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But ffs... Stay at home if you can't even take a walk without an oxygen tank. This is one of the dumbest post I've ever seen. Is it a joke?

Superninjatiger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a hard time going hiking and finding accessible paths due to my disease that causes chronic pain, my joints aren't working as they should and I'm hypermobile in my whole body and sometimes its really hard to even walk because of it. I have orthotics for my feet, knees, wrists, fingers, elbows and one shoulder. I accept that there isn't hiking trails that works for me. And others should too. They are made for the majority of people and I don't fit there.

Vera1
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I disagree, I use a wheelchair, possibly because of the same disease as you, but I believe that there should be accessible paths out there for wheelchair users. Sure, not all of them, but I didn’t become a robot when I started needing to use a wheelchair. I still want to be in nature. I still want to be not around people. I still deserve the numerous health benefits that nature provides. And so do you. Not all of the paths need to be accessible. And we’re not talking about a concrete pavement. But there are plenty of hikes that have wooden planks over the nature, to protect it from people. There’s no reason why that can’t be done to more paths. Mind you, not all of them. But even the Dolomites have accessible paths. Just because you became disabled or chronically ill ( I’m not quite sure what you identify with) doesn’t mean that we have to give up on our personalities.

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Janet Weston
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try walking boots instead of flip flops. And all paths start and end

Demon Child
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

why aren't there hiking trails with moving walkways so I can just stand still and go 3 miles this is unbelievable

mehoi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would it be too heavy to carry the machine in a backpack contraption? I imagine it would make hiking easier.

William Bass
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...Is she saying that the great outdoors isn't roomy enough for her?

Danny Swaanenburg
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How big do you have to be to not fit on a path or trail? Seriously, take action and stop blaming everyone else. It’s you, you have a problem, you are the problem.

Iulia Elena
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is ridiculous (not that the rest of the list isn't)....what are they supposed to do? Shave down the mountain so that fat people can breathe heavily on flat ground while being under the impression that they are hiking?

James Baker
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hiking trails? Really? by accessible paths do you mean short flat paths or are you so big that you can't walk outdoors?

Niki A
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, so this one makes me salty. I just squeeze through. Nature is more flexible.

Natasha Birt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She can't win. Exercising while fat is a sin as well as not exercising. Also her obesity isn't her main disability, her lung disease is (which may well have contributed to her weight) As someone with chronic health problems that have contributed to weight gain... Yeah having the odd flat path at a park that is good for people in wheelchairs, elderly, etc. By making things easier for one aspect of society you help others. If she was a 'healthy weight' person with a disability I dare say there wouldnt be so many negative comments.

Miss Kat O
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't really get this one... surely you just exercise to what your capable of... I wouldn't take a trail that was too hard for me, like I wouldn't go straight in a lift 200kg or enter a marathon tomorrow... If I want to do those things, I train for them... so just train for the trail you want to hike?

Tobias Reaper
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i can't swim so you know what i am not gonna do is go swimming trails aren't accessible then don't go i get the argument about airplane seats and clothes but what are we supposed to do bulldoze a hiking trail or hills flat so an obese person can use it this is just ridiculous

Anh Aline Vuo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean mountains should be flattened and paths be paved so you can "hike" wearing your flimsy sandals and impractical fancy dress, dragging your oxygen tank behind you?

Paul Richards
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you had been hiking all along you probably wouldn't be saying ignorance like this

Ivana Bašić
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Going hiking like that, hope they charge her for the helicopter ride down.

Marina Papps
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't care what size you are. It's your life, your health issues, and your business as long as I don't get stuck sitting next to you in economy class when the plane is packed - then I care a lot!! I am a frequent flyer and once I was sat next to a 400 LBS man who clearly flowed out of his seat and into me. I could do nothing. The plane was packed to the rim and they could not move him or me. It was agony for me as not only was I terribly uncomfortable, I felt such an invasion of my personal space for 10 hrs as his hot sweaty body was up against mine. It was a true nightmare. He was embarrassed but so was I. My question to him was, you know you won't fit in one seat, my advice to him was to either fly business or first or buy 2 seats to accommodate his body frame. It is sooo unfair that we have to grin and bare it.

Sunshine Daydream
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hiking is a great solution for you. Plug your weight into a “calories burned calculator” and see how many calories you burn per hour at your weight

dof huggle
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Because we already destroy enough forestry. Most hiking paths are large enough to accommodate wheelchairs. If someone is too big to walk through that....

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But in the end, the content creator says the experience makes it totally worth it

Image credits: jaebaeofficial

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