I was just looking at the photo below that has been floating around the Internet for the last few years and the question came to my mind, would an ad like this make it today or would there be a negative blowback for any company using “chubby” versus one of the other terms we are familiar with today like “plus size” or “full figured”
What are your thoughts on the ad and what are your thoughts on how far the plus community has come from what I assume is a late 60′s early 70′s mentality in terms of fashion for larger sizes and what we see and hear today?
I can’t believe this ad and I have never seen anything like it before. The word “chubby” is derogatory. Being called plus size by some may be offensive. I have to admit that from time to time I don’t even like being referred to as plus size. The question is, what should we call it? Plus Size is definitely better than fat, huge, gigantic, and certainly chubby! There are some fashion companies that are making strides to include plus size women. Forever 21 with their launch of 21+ tells me that companies are aware that plus size women are fashionable and want to be like everyone else. I believe other regular size stores will soon follow suit. I still hope for the day when I won’t have to embrace words that describe my size and I will be able to walk into any store and just find a pant in a 20!
Allison,
I am assuming from the photo this ad is at least 30 years old. I am with you it will be nice to see the day that terms will not have to be used to describe size.
Hey there! Yup even “Plus” is not a fun term. We sell from 14-26, and only use the term “plus” to show up in searches. We’d rather not have to use it either.
I believe that it’s the use of words that have changed, I certainly don’t think Lane Bryant who catered to plus meant anything at all by it then.
In the Philippines the use of the word chubby is not at all offensive and many actually mean it as a compliment of being well to do.
But in a politically correct society who tends to divide people with labels it’s no longer acceptable to use the word chubby. IMHO
I am not sure if I am remembering this right, I think it was Delta Burke’s character on Designing Women referring to herself as ‘Fat and Sassy as a Christmas Chicken!’ or was it Turkey? Well words to that effect, you get the idea.
It uses the word fat, but so what, the statement’s got some Zing to it! Not sting.
Or the Bob Fosse character in All That Jazz saying his mom was ‘Jolly, Chubby, Sexy’
and
To me, before I heard that line in that movie, the word Chubby was always a word used regarding some children, usually babies and toddlers at that.
For me, words have to be taken in context, and in the spirit the comment is intended + they often have personal connotations as well.
So to me the ad meant well.
The expressions plus size or full figure mean for some size 14 or more
for others size 10 or more
and for the anorexic, who knows…Obviously not me.
Writing to a general public is harder than writing to someone you know well.
Which word to use, or not…
I think we have to go with context verbally
and aim for compassion, fun and good health daily!
Fat, huge, gigantic, and chubby etc. are just descriptive terms (like skinny, rail-thin etc) unless used with a certain tone. None of them bother me as much as the medical term of “obese” or “morbidly obese”. To me those are more derogatory.
I’m fat, I’m huge, but I’m not chubby. When I think chubby, I think of babies. I’m a wee bit bigger than a baby.
I personally embrace the term “fat”… no not phat… FAT! my grandmother used to call me her “fat and fine” baby even after I was an adult… and I once heard a dude talk about how he needed some fat marbled into his steak… the fat brought the flavor in his assessment…
I know people of size take offense to the term FAT… I believe that its all in the way its used. Chubby… maybe when I was a kid… but now… I am FAT and FULL of FLAVOR!!