A 19-year-old traveller has ignited a fierce debate on Reddit after sharing her experience of being accused of ‘fatphobia’ when she requested to switch aeroplane seats. The incident occurred on a flight from Las Vegas to New York, where the teen was assigned a middle seat between two ‘plus-sized’ passengers.
The anonymous Reddit user explained that due to the small size of airplane seats, neither of her neighbours could fit comfortably, leaving her with very little room. An hour and a half into the flight, she discreetly asked a flight attendant if she could move seats. Although she tried to be as discreet as possible, her actions were met with severe criticism from the plus-sized woman in the neighbouring seat.
The passenger accused the teen of ’embarrassing’ her by making it a ‘public demonstration to everyone that plus-sized passengers are an “inconvenience.”‘ The Reddit user shared her story under the subreddit ‘Am I the A**hole?’ and asked others if her actions were justified.
The post quickly went viral, receiving over 2,000 replies and 8,000 likes. While some commenters criticised her, many insisted she did nothing wrong. One defender wrote, ‘You did not make a “public demonstration” nor contribute to fatphobia in any way.’ Another person said, ‘What you did was find a solution that allowed everyone to sit comfortably and maintain dignity.’
