‘I have been made fun of by people young and old’: Plus-size travelers face additional scrutiny at the beach
- Beaches are the most popular tourist destination, but many fat people don’t feel safe going.
- 43% of fat people have been body-shamed or harassed, such as being called a whale when wearing a swimsuit.
- Fat travelers argue that every body is a “beach body.”
As the summer months approach, travelers daydream about their vacations. Beaches beat out amusement parks, national parks and mountain towns as the leading destination. Each year, Americans take more than 400 million trips to the beach. But plus-size tourists like Phillip Nicholson often feel unwelcome at pools or beach resorts.