A woman acknowledged what she called her newfound “thin privilege” after shedding 160 pounds (73 kilograms). Taking to her TikTok page on May 21, fitness coach Amber Clemens filmed herself wearing loose sweatpants and a large hoodie, highlighting that she would’ve been judged for wearing the same outfit as a heavier person.
In a viral clip, which has amassed over 743,000 views, Amber showcased her casual ensemble as an example of “thin privilege that most people wouldn’t even think about.”
“As someone who grew up in a bigger body, if you know, you know,” the Wisconsin, USA native said.
She continued: “I can wear this now after losing 160 pounds, people won’t even bat an eye, right, people wouldn’t even think about it.
Amber Clemens acknowledged what she called her newfound “thin privilege” after shedding 160 pounds (73 kilograms)
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
“If I would have worn the same exact thing in my bigger body, I would have been called lazy, a slob, not put together, unflattering.
“Now, I can wear this, and no one says anything. People would be like, ‘Oh, yeah, she’s just [in] athleisure,’ right, like, ‘That’s the style’.
“I never, never would have gone out of the house wearing this in my bigger body, never.”
In the caption, Amber claimed that there was an “unwritten rule” for “fat” people that they should always “dress to impress.”
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
Taking to her TikTok page on May 21, the fitness coach filmed herself wearing loose sweatpants and a large hoodie
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
People resonated with Amber’s take on thin privilege, as a person commented: “Not to mention it’s impossible to get the baggy look to begin with.”
A TikTok user wrote: “THIS, my fiance always gets annoyed that I take a long time to get ready just to go to the store, but he doesn’t understand that I HAVE to look okay to get treated like a human.”
“I agree with this!! Sad but so true,” a netizen added.
Someone confessed: “I’m always so self-conscious of every little [thing] I wear on my plus-sized body because of what other people would think.
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
Amber highlighted that she would’ve been judged for wearing the same outfit as a heavier person
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
“Even down to the size of my handbag compared to the size of my body.”
An observer recalled: “I had a coworker tell me to stop hiding behind hoodies because I look great, but she’s never said that to the skinny women who also wore hoodies.”
“As a skinny person, I never thought of this. I never get dressed up to go to the store etc,” a commenter admitted.
A separate individual chimed in: “I agree, I always make a point to be dressed ‘nice’ in public b/c I don’t want to be viewed badly b/c of my dress and weight.”
Image credits: amber_c_fitness
Thin privilege is a set of social advantages that thin people have due to prejudice against heavier or less lean people
According to Danielle Kelvas, a medical doctor with expertise in eating disorders, thin privilege is a set of social advantages that thin people have due to prejudice against heavier or less lean people.
For instance, because society values thinness, people with smaller bodies may experience social benefits, like making friends more easily and accessing certain advantages such as finding well-fitting clothes in more stores and having appropriately sized seats on public transportation.
Arizona State University’s Project Humanities shared a “thin privilege checklist,” which was originally curated by feminist writer Sharon Ridgway.
Some of the privileges cited include: “You’re not assumed to be unhealthy just because of your size,” “Your size is probably not the first thing people notice about you,” and “Your health insurance rates are not higher than everyone else’s.”
Amber's viral video continued to draw debates about thin privilege
