It's not something that many people consider on a daily basis. The idea of "privilege" — whether by virtue of sex or race — inevitably stirs up strong feelings and causes heated debates between well-meaning folks who are just trying to make their point and understand the other side of the argument.
But a now-viral thread discussing "thin privilege" — the idea that the world is an easier place for those who aren't plus-sized — might have just blown up harder than anyone expected. While the original series of tweets is well-thought-out and eloquent, it predictably has led to a firestorm in the comments, with seemingly everyone jumping in to share their opinion — and not always doing so in the calmest manner possible.
If you've never considered the idea that people could be privileged based solely on their size — or if you just want to see a good old-fashioned Twitter brawl — keep scrolling…
Blogger Cora Harrington is the one who got the conversation started.
The argument isn't about body positivity; it's about the things people of a certain size can take for granted.
The simple luxury of knowing that most stores will be able to accommodate you is something not everyone enjoys.
It's obviously a sensation that Cora knows she gets to enjoy, and she's not oblivious to the subtle advantages it affords her.
Here's where she brings the argument home.
By virtue of not having to consider such things, you're experiencing privilege. In Cora's mind, at least.
The subject is clearly a close one to her heart, considering she works as a fashion blogger.
It's not the most revolutionary concept ever, but it is one that might challenge people's perceptions of self.
And when has anyone ever fought back against their worldview being challenged?
That was sarcasm. The answer is, always. People always get riled up when their perceptions are questioned and thrown into doubt.
As you can imagine, the responses to Cora's thread are passionate.
Some saw it as a call to arms and wanted to take it a step farther, stretching the inclusiveness to people on the other end of the weight spectrum.
But more often than not, the replies deteriorated into tit-for-tat arguments. This conversation was one of the most favored in the thread:
This argument — debating feelings versus access — is not unique in the comments under Cora's original tweets.
It seems like the idea of "thin privilege" is upsetting, for a variety of reasons, to the naturally or especially thin segment of the population.
But you have to wonder, when you consider these transportation concerns in particular, do the thin really have it easier than the heavy?
Maybe the best response to Cora's thread was this strong reply:
If you've never been on the heavier side of things, maybe you've never considered this point of view.
Although this is definitely a statement about feelings — different from the original privilege argument — it's still valid. There might not be any simple answer to the debate, but just being open-minded and trying to see things from a different perspective can go a long way!
