A retail chain in Taiwan (RT-Market) was called to task for some size descriptions for women’s clothing.

They designated size XL as Rotten.

They designated size XXL as Extra Rotten.

And they designated size XXXL as Rotten to the Core.

The chain claims this happened in only one store and has apologized – one of those, sorry if you were offended apologies – rather than a more appropriate, we fucked up and we’re sorry apologies.

The chain has also not explained how or why this happened. 

Part of me is really annoyed.

It makes me angry to have anyone claim being fat somehow is equivalent to being rotten.

Rotten things are not round and juicy. 

Rotten things tend to be shriveled up and dry or leaky.

Trust me – I have witnessed many examples of the varying stages of rotten when I decide to clean out my refrigerator.

Another part of me (a very dark and scary part of me), thinks this is so stupid that it’s fucking hilarious.

Because somebody thought calling larger bodies varying degrees of “rotten” was somehow the most horrible thing they could say about fatties.

Uh-huh.

I wish I was the Cyrano for fat people; because I could fill pages with all the clever and truly horrifying things that could (and have been) said about fat bodies.

Also, if you think XXXL is the full extent of people’s ability to be fat – let me introduce myself. 

You have not met a lot of fatter than XXXL people who would be happy to prove to you just how much you underestimate fat people by believing XXXL is “Rotten to the Core”. 

Many people underestimate fatties.

They think we’re jolly and weak.

We may be jolly (or not), and some may be weak (if you had to deal with shit like the above on a day-to-day basis just because people object to you being in the body you are in, you might be a little worn and weary yourself); but at our core, are people who have survived being vilified by a fat hating society and dared to not only survive but thrive.

Fat people are extra; and you can’t measure that by the Xs on the labels of our clothing.