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“If You Know, You Know”: Woman Points Out Example Of “Thin Privilege,” And Everyone Agrees
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“If You Know, You Know”: Woman Points Out Example Of “Thin Privilege,” And Everyone Agrees

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A woman acknowledged what she called her newfound “thin privilege” after shedding 160 pounds (73 kilograms). Taking to her TikTok page on May 21, fitness coach Amber Clemens filmed herself wearing loose sweatpants and a large hoodie, highlighting that she would’ve been judged for wearing the same outfit as a heavier person.

In a viral clip, which has amassed over 743,000 views, Amber showcased her casual ensemble as an example of “thin privilege that most people wouldn’t even think about.”

“As someone who grew up in a bigger body, if you know, you know,” the Wisconsin, USA native said.

She continued: “I can wear this now after losing 160 pounds, people won’t even bat an eye, right, people wouldn’t even think about it.

Amber Clemens acknowledged what she called her newfound “thin privilege” after shedding 160 pounds (73 kilograms)

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Image credits: amber_c_fitness

“If I would have worn the same exact thing in my bigger body, I would have been called lazy, a slob, not put together, unflattering.

“Now, I can wear this, and no one says anything. People would be like, ‘Oh, yeah, she’s just [in] athleisure,’ right, like, ‘That’s the style’.

“I never, never would have gone out of the house wearing this in my bigger body, never.”

In the caption, Amber claimed that there was an “unwritten rule” for “fat” people that they should always “dress to impress.”

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Image credits: amber_c_fitness

Image credits: amber_c_fitness

Taking to her TikTok page on May 21, the fitness coach filmed herself wearing loose sweatpants and a large hoodie

Image credits: amber_c_fitness

People resonated with Amber’s take on thin privilege, as a person commented: “Not to mention it’s impossible to get the baggy look to begin with.”

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A TikTok user wrote: “THIS, my fiance always gets annoyed that I take a long time to get ready just to go to the store, but he doesn’t understand that I HAVE to look okay to get treated like a human.”

“I agree with this!! Sad but so true,” a netizen added.

Someone confessed: “I’m always so self-conscious of every little [thing] I wear on my plus-sized body because of what other people would think.

Image credits: amber_c_fitness

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Amber highlighted that she would’ve been judged for wearing the same outfit as a heavier person

Image credits: amber_c_fitness

“Even down to the size of my handbag compared to the size of my body.”

An observer recalled: “I had a coworker tell me to stop hiding behind hoodies because I look great, but she’s never said that to the skinny women who also wore hoodies.”

“As a skinny person, I never thought of this. I never get dressed up to go to the store etc,” a commenter admitted.

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A separate individual chimed in: “I agree, I always make a point to be dressed ‘nice’ in public b/c I don’t want to be viewed badly b/c of my dress and weight.”

Image credits: amber_c_fitness

Thin privilege is a set of social advantages that thin people have due to prejudice against heavier or less lean people

@amber_c_fitness I used to put so much effort into my outfits just to do simple things because the unwritten rule as a fat person is “you always have to dress to impress” 🙃 #thinprivilege #fatphobia #growingupfat #weightloss #ootd #weightlossstruggle #beforeandafterweightloss ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Billie Eilish

According to Danielle Kelvas, a medical doctor with expertise in eating disorders, thin privilege is a set of social advantages that thin people have due to prejudice against heavier or less lean people.

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For instance, because society values thinness, people with smaller bodies may experience social benefits, like making friends more easily and accessing certain advantages such as finding well-fitting clothes in more stores and having appropriately sized seats on public transportation.

Arizona State University’s Project Humanities shared a “thin privilege checklist,” which was originally curated by feminist writer Sharon Ridgway.

Some of the privileges cited include: “You’re not assumed to be unhealthy just because of your size,” “Your size is probably not the first thing people notice about you,” and “Your health insurance rates are not higher than everyone else’s.”

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Amber’s viral video continued to draw debates about thin privilege

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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I’m a journalist who works for Bored Panda’s News Team. The team, which has been launched on the website fairly recently, produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”.

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

Writer, BoredPanda staff

I’m a journalist who works for Bored Panda’s News Team. The team, which has been launched on the website fairly recently, produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”.

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

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Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

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ccassady avatar
clairebear
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are just horrible to fat people. You don't know the reasons they are fat. Trauma, abuse, eating disorder, medical problem, poverty, food desert, already lost a ton of weight but not at the end of the journey, disability and can't exercise well. Just shut and mind your own business.

miss-hoodoo avatar
Petra Schaap
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you. As a fat person, let me tell the reason why people are fat. Yes, because SOMETHING IS WRONG. Either between our ears, or in our body, or whatever. There might be people who like getting fat, but by far most of us dont. Im glad you went beyond the "there might be a medical problem" hey Im overeating, thats a medical problem too, mentally!

Load More Replies...
lmm-kuiper avatar
Sanne
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's no different from pretty privilege, nice voice privilege, extrovert privilege, etc. People who look and sound pretty and love being around other people are always put a few steps ahead of the rest. It sucks, but it's reality. Even the people on the other side of this divide prefer to look at pretty people and have a manager with a good voice, etc. and these days thin is seen as prettier than fat.

chelseamckee avatar
Chelsea McKee
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you know how expensive it is to obtain "pretty privilege", or look like you do? The sheer amount of products dedicated to beauty?

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
ccassady avatar
clairebear
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are just horrible to fat people. You don't know the reasons they are fat. Trauma, abuse, eating disorder, medical problem, poverty, food desert, already lost a ton of weight but not at the end of the journey, disability and can't exercise well. Just shut and mind your own business.

miss-hoodoo avatar
Petra Schaap
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you. As a fat person, let me tell the reason why people are fat. Yes, because SOMETHING IS WRONG. Either between our ears, or in our body, or whatever. There might be people who like getting fat, but by far most of us dont. Im glad you went beyond the "there might be a medical problem" hey Im overeating, thats a medical problem too, mentally!

Load More Replies...
lmm-kuiper avatar
Sanne
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's no different from pretty privilege, nice voice privilege, extrovert privilege, etc. People who look and sound pretty and love being around other people are always put a few steps ahead of the rest. It sucks, but it's reality. Even the people on the other side of this divide prefer to look at pretty people and have a manager with a good voice, etc. and these days thin is seen as prettier than fat.

chelseamckee avatar
Chelsea McKee
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you know how expensive it is to obtain "pretty privilege", or look like you do? The sheer amount of products dedicated to beauty?

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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