Big Man

I went to a fund raiser the other night that required that I wear denim. I haven’t owned a pair of jeans since I was in elementary school…literally. God didn’t make this body for denim, stretched, eased, pre-shrunk, relaxed, or otherwise. So I girded my loins and went forth to purchase a pair of blue jeans. Here is what I found.

I am classified as a “big” man. I have a 48” inch stomach, but my hips are 44” which I means I need a pair of pants with a 46” waist which allows me either hike up or pull down, whatever the situation requires. I went to Dillard’s where I usually have success in finding clothes that fit. In the Men’s Department the kind lady in rather loud voice told me I had to go to the Big Man’s section of the store. How humiliating. I could have crawled under the display case…which wouldn’t have worked because I am too big!!!

After slinking my way to the Big and Tall section of the store, I found that there wasn’t a whole lot of stuff from which to choose. It was very discouraging. I managed to find some “denim” in the waist size, but the length was two inches too long so I had to have them altered. Add another eleven bucks!

Simultaneous to my denim purchase, stories were running on the news about CVS Pharmacy which is going to begin having their employees weighed. If an employee refuses, pay would be docked. Couple that New York City’s ban on trans fats and sugary drinks, I have come to the conclusion that “big” people are THE new classification of people subjected to discrimination. We are one group that can be denigrated and made fun of and discriminated against with impunity. We are modern society’s social outcasts (sob).

The overweight are subjected to these indignties in the name of health care costs. Folks will rattle off statistics showing this and that. But truth be told our whole society is living longer which is the primary cause of increased burdens on the health care system. Old age causes heath issues. You don’t hear the do-gooders and anointed cultural gatekeepers saying kill the old people, but with Obamacare, who knows. Old people are skinny, and old people are fat.  A recent study showed that it is Alzheimer's Disease that is the primary driver of health care costs, and that is weight neutral.  Maybe we should kill Granny if she can't find her keys.

In fact, more Americans look like me than look like the skinny models and twenty-something fashion buyers that make these decisions. That’s why when it comes to sales you will find racks and racks of 32” waist slacks on sale while those in my size are sold out with folks begging for something to buy. One would think they would catch on after awhile, but perception is always easier to grasp than reality.

JC Penney’s has stopped carrying any sizes above what would be a medium all together, both on line and in their stores. There is no reason for Dillard’s to have a big and tall section. Racks with sizes going up the scale can be put next to each other. I have resorted to buying my clothes online, including my 9 ½ EEE shoes. It saves me the embarrassment of having to go to the Big and Tall section of a department store. How ignorant are these people? I know how bad it makes me feel as a man. I can only imagine how a woman would feel.

Even the manufacturers get into the act. The label on my jeans said “Big Man”. Really? A simple brand with a size label that said 46 / 30 wouldn’t be sufficient? You have to label them “Big Man”?

The latest indigntiy was in the Target on line cataglogue which labeled the same dress for sizes up to 14 as heather gray...and for those above size 14 a manatee gray.  Really?  You can't make this stuff up.  They have since apologized for the oversight, but being compared to a manatee is hard to get over!

Weight is the latest bastion of discrimination. Society always needs folks look down on. I hope that society changes its views of big people like me. I hope that retailers come to their senses and realize that there is a big market out there for big people so long as they are not made to feel inferior while shopping. Shame on stores that don’t carry larger sizes! Less shame on stores that do but segregate the sizes out, but shame nonetheless.

Big people of the world….UNITE!!!!  Let's make one size fits most mean one size fits all!!!!