[Lauren]

@londonmag 28080 wrote:

It’s too easy to be biased on this on as much as it hurts me too 🙁 if underweight you fit in a seat and it is no issue – even though much smaller now, I still prefer sitting next to my 10 year old son as you get more space ! 🙂
it is one of the few areas it is not ridiculously discriminatory to penalise large people – sadly. That said I am still 20st and still get looked at, just less so!
If you don’t fit and , importantly, impact others it is extra on a plane; would you get on a thundering roller coaster in a harness that didn’t fit and feel safe?
And before anyone raises the issue – NO, I haven’t gone all skinny in my points of view 🙂

I’m in agreement with you on this. It was a safety issue that made the air steward move me to another seat – I may have blocked the exit had I fallen in an emergency as there was no way I could have got up again. It’s a fact of life that we have to accept unfortunately. As for people not wanting to sit next to me when I was big – that IS discrimination. I expect they thought I would be invading their ‘personal bubble’ and indeed, I probably would have to some degree. However, because I know how that feels. I often chose to sit beside a large person (circumstances allowing) to prove to them and everyone else that discrimination because of size is wrong. Maybe I’m wrong to do that but I remember how it felt to be shunned and judged because of my size.

I would not expect to be allowed on a ride if I did not meet the height restriction (only just make it by the skin of my teeth haha) so a weight restriction on a plane for safety reasons is the same.

Doodah x

ps I think this one could go on and on as it is such a contentious subject…..