This Woman Shared “Things Plus-Size Travelers Hate," And The Examples Are Specific And Eye-Opening
BuzzFeed
2 min read
This is Jae'lynn Chaney. She's 25 years old, and she's a content creator on TikTok, where she's amassed more than 103,000 followers.
Jaelynn Chaney
In her recent series, "Plus-Size Travel Struggles," Jae listed "things that plus-size travelers hate," and it went viral with more than 15 million views.
Jaelynn Chaney
"I decided to start documenting and sharing the struggles that plus-size people face when traveling because a lot of plus-size people can relate to these struggles, yet they are rarely talked about, especially by someone my size," Jaelynn told BuzzFeed.
Jaelynn Chaney
Here's what Jae says she hates when it comes to flying:
1."Having little to no room to move."
Jaelynn Chaney
2."Narrow aisles and bulkhead seats."
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3."When the tray table can't come down."
Jaelynn Chaney
4."Worrying about asking for a seatbelt extender."
Jaelynn Chaney
5."Tiny airplane bathrooms."
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6."Worrying you're going to break the toilet when traveling somewhere."
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7."Not being able to find accessible path and hiking trails."
Jaelynn Chaney
8."Getting patted down because you're fat."
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9."Tiny airport chairs with armrests."
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10."Boat ladders, pool ladders, all ladders."
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11."Always wondering if you're going to fit — public transportation, airplane seats, etc."
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12."Very limited poolside seating/lounging options for plus-size people."
Jaelynn Chaney
13."Restaurants that don’t have seating options for plus-size people."
Jaelynn Chaney
14."Towels that don’t fit."
Jaelynn Chaney
15."Not being able to find clothes your size anywhere."
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16."Turnstiles and worrying you'll get stuck."
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And finally:
17."Getting ridiculous comments about being a fat traveler."
Jaelynn Chaney
When asked about what the travel industry can do to better support bodies of all sizes, Jae said, "The industry needs to realize that the average woman is no longer a size 14. They are now a size 18 and beyond. Yet as we’ve gotten bigger, things like airplane seats, clothing, and everything else has gotten smaller or stayed the exact same."
Jaelynn Chaney
"To see a true change, the industry needs to stop ignoring the needs of plus-size individuals and start expanding to meet our needs and become truly inclusive," Jae continued. "People of all colors, sizes, and abilities exist, and we deserve to have access to things that others have had for years."
Jaelynn Chaney
Jae added, "As an advocate for people of all sizes and abilities I wanted to share that while there are many obstacles when traveling as a plus-size person, it’s still totally worth it."
Jaelynn Chaney