CREDIT: WALMART.COM
A sizeable mistake? Walmart's labelling of 'fat girl costumes' sparked a Twitter storm and a slew of angry comments rained on the retail giant.

Why is “fat” still a derogatory label?

If you were to search the term “plus size costume” on Walmart’s website last week, you would have been met with the category “fat girl costumes” rather than “plus size.”

Many women were outraged and took their opinions to Twitter.

Walmart’s mistake caused such uproar that #fatgirlcostumes became a trending topic on the social media site.

Although “fat girl costumes” seems like a shocking name choice for the category, Walmart’s blunder raises an issue that needs to be addressed. Why is “fat” still a derogatory term?

“Fat” is just a three letter word, used to describe a type of body. Those three letters seem to be supercharged, and they have the power to incite a stream of negative responses.

“Fat” is still an insult, because we as a society are perpetuating the idea that fat is a bad word.

People often use the words “you’re fat” as a means of insult, with the intent to hurt and degrade. Tyler McCall from fashionista.com says, “It’s not okay, regardless of the source, because there are worse things to be than fat – like ignorant and mean. And until we stop using fat as an insult, women will continue to distance themselves from the term, no matter how many efforts we make to ‘reclaim’ it as a simple definition of size.”

Gracie Ionarose, a blogger, has experienced firsthand the stigma of the word “fat.”

After an incident in which a club owner went to great links to make amends with her because the club bouncer had called her “fat,” she was left with confusion. She hadn’t been insulted by the word.

“I blame the media,” she said. “And the people who allow it to shape their attitudes. For as long as this intense sphere of influence has existed, we have been contained to a certain image. Too fat, too skinny, hair’s not blonde, straight or shiny. Must be X, Y, and Z, and if you’re not we will draw a circle of shame around your cellulite, love handles, or spots.”

Despite Walmart’s blunder and despite the many women who refuse to shop at Walmart ever again, Walmart hasn’t lost my business. To say that Walmart has insulted their customers with the term “fat girl costumes” is to perpetuate that idea that “fat” is an insult. “Fat” is not an insult, and Walmart has not insulted me.
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