It's the height of bikini season, and instead of hiding under cover-ups, many overweight or obese women are proudly flaunting their figures in two-piece swimwear as part of a social media campaign.
According to an article in the New York Post, women have posted proud images of themselves on Instagram and Twitter under the hashtag #fatkini.
It seems businesses are finally realizing that women come in all manner of shapes and sizes, and one fashion retailer has found its niche market in plus-size bikinis.
“It’s been about five years since my company started designing bikinis for plus-size women, and it’s amazing to see women [who] previously hid in the shadows feel good enough about themselves to post their picture on the Internet,” said Monif Clarke, a CEO of an unnamed plus-size brand.
Indeed, as evidenced by the backlash against this recent Gap ad, not all thin women are unhealthy, nor are all overweight women.
“Lose hate, not weight” is the slogan of Nique, whose #fatkini image garnered more than 100 'likes.'
If obesity poses known health risks, isn't this kind of body pride misguided? Shouldn't we be striving for #fitkini instead, regardless of size?
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