Fat Beach Day” events are gaining momentum across the United States, aiming to create safe spaces for plus-size individuals to gather and enjoy beach activities. One such event took place in Far Rockaway on a recent Saturday. Event organizer Jordan Underwood, a plus-size model and artist, experienced bullying throughout her middle school years due to her weight. This personal experience led her to start a blog at age 12, documenting her experiences and beginning her journey into “fat activism.
Underwood organizes events in New York City and collaborated with Berriez, a Brooklyn-based vintage store curated for curves, to create the Fat Beach Day event at Jacob Riis Park. Emma Zack, who started Berriez in 2018, expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “I’m so self-conscious at the beach and I’m never around people that look like me.
These events are seen as a pushback against societal norms that celebrate thinness as the ideal beauty standard. Vogue Business reported that for the autumn/winter 2024 season, only 0.8% of models were plus-size, and 3.7% were mid-size—a decline from previous years. Furthermore, a KFF survey in May found that approximately one in eight adults in the US had used weight-loss drugs like Ozempic or Mounjaro, highlighting the prevalence of this societal trend.
Underwood noted parallels between the current cultural climate and the insidious fat-phobia of the 2000s, when celebrities such as Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson were labeled ‘fat’ at a size six. Similar events are planned across the US, including a Fat Friends Pool Party in Chicago on July 13th and a Bellies Out Beach Day in Los Angeles in the near future.
Recently, New York passed legislation to prohibit weight discrimination, with Mayor Eric Adams signing a bill banning weight discrimination in hiring and housing in 2023. However, hate persists both online and offline, as plus-size individuals face violence and stigmatization for their body size.
Despite the challenges faced by the plus-size community, events like Fat Beach Day offer a safe space for individuals to enjoy themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule. By fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance, these events help to challenge societal norms and promote body positivity for people of all shapes and sizes.
