Being ‘thicc’ gets you Insta followers, but being ‘fat’ gets you bullied

After babe shared a promo video for this body positive column to its Instagram, the comments it received were…mixed. Most were positive and encouraging, but others suggested I discuss the dreaded d-word (diet), and some, of course, fat-shamed.

One girl commented, "I don't think her body is all that attractive." Good, because it's not for you to be hitting this cellulicious ass from the back any damn way! She's since been blocked, but her words definitely stayed with me — and it brought to my attention how people define an "attractive" plus-size body is in this shallow society.

Most thicc girls are just socially acceptable fat people

The thing about thicc women, is that they're not considered obese or overweight, and they come in all sizes—even the single digit ones. When speaking on what constitutes a woman of thick girl stature, I'm referring to women who are "slim-thick." Meaning, she's got a body with a fat ass, thick thighs, handful of boobs, but her waist is snatched as fuck!

Plus-size model Iskra Lawrence is thicc, but not fat

Amara La Negra, Afro-Latina singer

Ashley Graham, supermodel

And now…Thickanna?

These are just some of the women who have inspired others across America to toss the size 0 aspiration into the trash, and to worship and embrace ass fat—so long as her stomach is flat.

Fat girls, though, get shamed and shunned

On the flip side, straight-up thicker women have nearly all of the same attributes as a slim-thick chick, but minus the tiny middle. While my waist is small, I still have a belly that I get insecure about. And that's where the lines between thick girl appraisal and fat-shaming blur. Because of a fucking tummy. Who would have thought that being picked last for school plays, receiving unnecessary teasing from kids, and being passed on for modeling gigs was all because I didn't have "the right look."

I always used to feel a wave of relief seeing another thick girl in the same room as me because it reassurred me that I wasn't totally out of place. But the minute she removed her jacket and revealed her rock-hard abs in a tight crop-top, I'd cover my belly with a nearby pillow so that I could quit trying to suck it all in and actually breathe normally.

While I thought we were making progress within the plus-size community, there's a huge segregation amongst slim-thick plus-size women and thick plus-size women with a stomach and other "misplaced fat."

Gabriella Lascano, Fashion Nova brand ambassador

Nicolette Mason, fashion blogger

Essie Golden, influencer

Fat-shaming may have been around for quite some time, but I'm getting fed up with constantly seeing all these so-called plus-size models rocking 6-pack abs, overpowering and misrepresenting us plus-size girls with actual love handles, back fat and a belly that you know you'll love cuddling at night. I'm not hating on my slim-thick girls, but maybe we need to redefine what thick and plus-size really mean when we're online shopping for our next one-night stand. Just saying.

@aribines