What it's really like to be judged as 'that fat person' on a plane

Your Fat Friend, a body-positive blogger, external, has posted an honest account of what it’s actually like to fly "as a very fat person".

Her account of boarding a plane is so revealing that the series of twitter posts, external- over 40 in total - have all gone viral.

The story offers an uncompromising insight into an experience that people face every time they step on a plane.

In fact, the barriers to flying become apparent even before boarding a flight.

First up, both financial burdens and physical threats have to be taken into consideration.

Your Fat Friend writes that the first class ticket on this particular trip cost around $900 (£694) more than an economy ticket - but that was still cheaper than buying two seats.

The blogger says, "I bought a first class tickets bc they're a bit wider, but mostly because there are partitions between seats. So complaints are less likely."

But the financial burden and lack of guaranteed travel are only the first of a host of obstacles to flying.

Your Fat Friend estimates that over the last two years, 50% of the passengers in her row have complained about her. She writes, "my body is regularly discussed in my presence w/o my input."

She then goes into detail about the lengths she takes to avoid inconveniencing neighbouring passengers.

But none of this guarantees that she will be able to fly without being harassed and dehumanised, let alone that she might be able to travel simply on her own terms.

Preempting critics and Twitter trolls, Your Fat Friend highlights that the issue is not insecurity or undue sensitivity.

She says that for some people, these experiences are the reality of flying.

For more stories of flying as a fat person, check out this video created by Stacy Bias.

Artwork and animation by Stacy Bias