"Fatkinis"

I actually kinda love the galaxy print fatkini. I've got no problem with more plus size options (and maybe more options in smaller sizes, too?). General body positivity is great and shouldn't be conflated with HAES and the more extreme fat acceptance movement, which I definitely don't agree with.

If you say thiis is truly about health related issues then...

Overweight (not obese) live longer than thin people...

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1555137

You dont necessarily have to fit this ideal lean body type to be healthy and live a long life. In fact moderate exercise can improve all over health indicators regardless of size.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/body/head-to-toe/fat-but-fit/

The fact that your obejection is about fat in particular to how it relates to clothing choices completely invalidates your case against the health issues of body fat. If you really cared about the health then any activewear clothing that makes a person feel confident enough to go out and exercise (swimming is a fantastic low impact exercise) should be at the top of your "this is awesome" list.

Signed,

A fat person who has a hard time going outside or to a gym to exercise because I am embarrassed because all the active wear available is unflattering, uncomfortable and overall ugly. A fat person who hasn't worn a swimming suit in 20 YEARS because I couldnt ever find anything I was comfortable in. A fat person who stayed inactive because it was easier to hide inside.

That study was found to be flawed because it didn't account for the chronically ill, elderly, smokers, etc., who are thinner because they were already unhealthy.

If you say thiis is truly about health related issues then...

Overweight (not obese) live longer than thin people...

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1555137

You dont necessarily have to fit this ideal lean body type to be healthy and live a long life. In fact moderate exercise can improve all over health indicators regardless of size.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/body/head-to-toe/fat-but-fit/

The fact that your obejection is about fat in particular to how it relates to clothing choices completely invalidates your case against the health issues of body fat. If you really cared about the health then any activewear clothing that makes a person feel confident enough to go out and exercise (swimming is a fantastic low impact exercise) should be at the top of your "this is awesome" list.

Signed,

A fat person who has a hard time going outside or to a gym to exercise because I am embarrassed because all the active wear available is unflattering, uncomfortable and overall ugly. A fat person who hasn't worn a swimming suit in 20 YEARS because I couldnt ever find anything I was comfortable in. A fat person who stayed inactive because it was easier to hide inside.

That study was found to be flawed because it didn't account for the chronically ill, elderly, smokers, etc., who are thinner because they were already unhealthy.

Thank you for calling attention to that. I did however make a point that it is not invalidated and that is simply that in order to be active we need comfortable active wear for any size.

If you say thiis is truly about health related issues then...

Overweight (not obese) live longer than thin people...

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1555137

You dont necessarily have to fit this ideal lean body type to be healthy and live a long life. In fact moderate exercise can improve all over health indicators regardless of size.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/body/head-to-toe/fat-but-fit/

The fact that your obejection is about fat in particular to how it relates to clothing choices completely invalidates your case against the health issues of body fat. If you really cared about the health then any activewear clothing that makes a person feel confident enough to go out and exercise (swimming is a fantastic low impact exercise) should be at the top of your "this is awesome" list.

Signed,

A fat person who has a hard time going outside or to a gym to exercise because I am embarrassed because all the active wear available is unflattering, uncomfortable and overall ugly. A fat person who hasn't worn a swimming suit in 20 YEARS because I couldnt ever find anything I was comfortable in. A fat person who stayed inactive because it was easier to hide inside.

That study was found to be flawed because it didn't account for the chronically ill, elderly, smokers, etc., who are thinner because they were already unhealthy.

Thank you for calling attention to that. I did however make a point that it is not invalidated and that is simply that in order to be active we need comfortable active wear for any size.

Naw, I agree with that.

....who cares if the models are a 14 or a 24? They are showing a realistic image of the bikinis on a body so someone like me, shopping online, can estimate how it might look on me.

I may need to regain the 30+ pounds I've lost recently so I can wear one of these! So flattering!


There OP...see how silly that was?

It's a stupid name, and that's the only thing you said that I agree with.

I think that everyone needs clothing whatever size they are. Providing people with properly fitting clothing is not the cause or contribution to obesity.

I think the name Fatkinis is unfortunate. Why not just sell larger sized bikinis? Why name them that? I think they will lose business because of the name.

I think they are probably made to fit well and would look lovely.

I agree. I don't like the name. Googled it and saw some of the swimsuits.....and they are not the traditional string bikinis....they are two piece suits...no one's stomach was hanging out, and they had fashionable overdresses, etc. The name unsettles me. But I don't think it's promoting obeseity....not everyone can be a size six no matter how much hard work they put it. There are some skinny people (like my sister) who are in worse shape than the next overweight person!!!! I am not judging what you said-that is your opinion...but people should be able to look fashionable at any size.

I care because my mother sister and father are all in that group that are fat and laugh about it and pretend like its ok and it's not. That's the role model I grew up with and I'm 30# overweight. It's a cycle that needs to be broken. I feel sorry for these people's children bc they will likely be overweight too and the cycle continues.

As a child, yes, your weight (or more accurately: what you eat) is dictated by your parents, but as you reach the age where you can reason and think for yourself, when you can discuss and argue and verbalise and form your own opinion, your weight and fitness has nothing to do with your family. Unless your family is wholly and totally unreasonable (and I apologise if they are, but I'm speaking in general terms here for ease), there is little reason as to why asking for healthier options in the weekly food shop would have no impact, or simply eating smaller portions of unhealthy food. As for exercise -- there's nothing stopping a teenager or a young adult from working out in their room, in their garden, or going for a run down the street if they really want to.

For as long as you blame your family for your eating and/or weight problems, very little will change in the long term. You need to take responsibility for your own body. Don't BS and say that you're concerned for other people when it's clear that the root of this "concern" are your own issues. Whilst family is undoubtedly a great influence as far as role models go, no-one grows up in a vacuum in this day and age -- teachers, sports men and women, they're all there and ever present and brilliant role models for children and young adults. On Facebook, on Pinterest and on Tumblr, there are entire communities dedicated to fitness and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Now, as to the other issue: not all fat people are unhealthy and not all thin people are fit (obesity is a different issue). On the other hand, if you phrased this as an issue of fitness vs. a lack of fitness, then I'd be more likely to agree with you, but you're talking about mere aesthetics.

"Their appearance offends me" hidden behind "oh but I'm concerned!!". No, you're not. You dislike the idea that someone who is fat is happy with their body, can accept their body. I would love it if I could rock a bikini with confidence, but I can't and I'm not overweight. I weigh 126lbs and I run 5x a week. You know why I can't wear a bikini in public?

Because I hate how I look. Never once as a teenager or as a young adult have I had someone try and help me with body acceptance, with looking at my body and loving it for everything that it is, flaws included. I've suffered from an eating disorder and even now, when I am taking measures to try and love my body, to appreciate what it can do when I fuel it right, how it can and does look, I struggle.

If I had even an ounce of the confidence these women had when I was both larger and when I was smaller than I am at present, I would be a lot happier than I am now, and I would be a lot healthier in both body and mind.

Being confident =! unhealthiness. You have no idea how much weight women wearing "fatkinis" may have lost prior to busting out one of those cute as **** bikinis. For as long as the idea that a woman must be a certain weight to be accepted in a certain item of clothing is propagated, there will continue to be massive problems with health and weight, IMO. How many people here have turned to eating more food when they've become unhappy with their figure? Catch-22, man.

Body acceptance and happiness needs to be promoted because it (absolutely can) lead to healthiness. Body shaming and hating your body and the bodies of others won't.

Stop it.

I think you should take your supposed concern over people's health, and see it for what it really is, judgement over how other people look!

If someone is obese, should they not still be able to enjoy their life and wear whatever they please? it's a bit irrelevant if it offends you or not, as long as they're happy. They're not going to be deluded, and think that being obese is healthy, but they have to get on with it, and either accept that about themselves, or do something about it. In the meantime, it's not for anyone else to judge them, ever!

Take another look, what are you expecting obese men to wear at the pool? Men just get trunks, so would you rather an obese man had a wetsuit on, maybe you should design some fatty man suits? no? because you know what that is, double standards, sexism, if a man wouldn't be expected to cover up further than normal, then neither should a woman.

Women need to stop oppressing other women. Period.

I think you're beautiful no matter what you wear. Except ignorance, that's really ugly.