Big Girls Can do everything!

Please help me prove it!

What can we do?
We can be beautiful!
We can be successful!
We can overcome challenges!
We can do whatever thin girls can!
We can be so much more than just our weight!

My personal goals in summary and why I need your help:

• Getting fit again after a longterm illness!
• Swimming in the sea even when the weather is against it!
• Working on regaining strength and flexibility!
• Fighting the fatigue and constant exhaustion!
• Defying body images and restrictions for my size!
• Challenge throwbacks of my illnesses and fight back!

I've always been big since I had an accident as a child that prevented me from partaking in sports & activities. I found ways around this and was happy. Then last year I got ill, which has completely thrown me out of life and I want to fight back! From being reasonably fit and enjoying my life, I went to not being able to move easily, having constant pain in every single muscle and fatigue that left me too tired to function.

I don't just accept my situation, but challenge it every day and want to improve. But I will need your help to win this fight.

Having physical disabilities can often lead to obesity. While this is not always great and I in no way want to advertise being big as an ideal to strive for, some of us simply ARE big. And even better: some of us are ok with being big. Get over it.

So, all is well then, seeing that I am ok with my weight, right? Well, not quite. For some reason, the world around me seems to not always be ok with my weight.

Let me give you an example.

I love to swim in the sea. Being in the water is one of the very few ways that allows me to be active and it helps me to keep fit, but it also provides relief for my muscle pain. Sadly cold temperatures are a no go with my health conditions. Here in England the temperatures are sometimes a challenge though.

When I started looking for a wetsuit to wear during cooler seasons (I am a UK ladies size 20/22!), I soon realised that the retailers didn't stock my size. Even when searching online, a size XXL (isn't that supposed to be eXtra eXtra Large?) was translated in the sizing tables to be a size 12-14. The average dress size for women in the UK is size 16. So what about us bigger ladies? Are we not supposed to present our bodies in tight wetsuits to the world?

Mens clothes would be an alternative, because they do come in all sorts of sizes. If you are fat and male, you can still buy a wetsuit. Funny that! Now, while I don't really care about labels and would be happy to wear something that is supposed to be for the opposite gender, I do have boobs. And mens clothes often don't accomodate them, trust me: I tried! The extra tight squished look is just not comfortable enough to wear or yet alone move around in.

But I want to swim! Especially after a recent spell of bad health I need to try and get more active again. So, alternatives? Buy a custom made to measure wet suit. That takes time and will cost a fortune. Import one from abroad. Again, time, cost and should this really be necessary? I am big, yes. But why does that mean I am not supposed to be able to wear a wetsuit and go for a swim?

And that is just one example. The media displays an ideal of a slim pretty woman. Shops use dress-manequins that are thinner than anorexic. Models are usually tiny. Toys display an unrealistic shape of women. Again and again, all we get to see and accept as "normal" is something extremely slim, when in real life, most of us are not.

Discrimination is illigal, but fat-shaming is still big, even if it is hidden away in things like bigger sizes not being available. Let's set an end to this.

I would love the manufacturers to rethink their strategy. They sell more small sizes? Well, if it's hard or impossible to get bigger sizes, then that's no surprise. On top of that, the image needs to change. Big Girls Can! Don't tell them otherwise.

I want to be seen as a person first and foremost. Yes, I am big and yes, I might sometimes walk funny or have to sit down to take a break because I am exhausted from walking a few steps. But in the end, this shouldn't matter. If I want to go swimming and wear a wetsuit, why shouldn't I be able to do so? Life is hard enough already and small changes could help make it a lot easier. Don't tell me I shouldn't because I am big. And give me the opportunity to make my own decisions if I want to do something or not. My size should never be the deciding factor.


Help me and show the world that there are all sorts of shapes and forms out there.

You are big, but beautiful & like yourself the way you are? #BigGirlsCan
You found a stunning new outfit, that fits your curves perfectly? #BigGirlsCan
You worked hard and achieved a milestone? #BigGirlsCan
People told you that you can't do something, because you are too big, but you did it anyway? #BigGirlsCan
Spread the word and show the world what #BigGirlsCan!

Why girls and not boys?

Well, first of all: I am female! And sadly it is still a fact, that females are much more likely to be judged for and discriminated because of their weight than males. This is not to say that boys can't though! Maybe I should add an "...and boys, too!"?

Let me know in the comments below what you think!

Are you big, like big girls, know someone who is or just dislike the hidden discrimination out there?

Then please support me!

I still haven't found my wetsuit that will fit. But I am not giving up hope.

I want to swim!

And who knows, maybe one day I will be able to swim a challenge!

Here is the thing:

I moved down to the sea a few years ago and absolutely love it. Because of my deteriorating health though I haven't been able to do as many things as I'd like. And I really want to change this. Swimming helps me and my body can tolerate it, so that's a win win, but I need the proper equipment for it. I'd also love to get a kayak to be able to paddle which is very good exercise, but I need your help to fulfill my dreams!

Can you help me?

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