For Facebook users, “feeling fat” is no longer an option. At least, not with an official emoticon to match.
The social media giant has disabled an option that displayed a rosy cheeked, double chin-sporting emoticon when a user selected “fat” under the status question “How are you feeling?” The move was made Tuesday after online backlash that included a petition signed by more than 16,000 people asking Facebook to get rid of the option.
“We’ve heard from our community that listing ‘feeling fat’ as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly with people struggling with eating disorders,” the company wrote in a message to the Change.org petitioners. “We’re going to remove ‘feeling fat’ from the list of options.”
The decision was praised by Catherine Weingarten, the Philadelphia woman who authored the petition asking for the option’s removal. Her message was bolstered with the Twitter hashtag #FatIsNotAFeeling.
“I’m thrilled that FB decided to remove the ‘feeling fat’ emoji,” Weingarten wrote on Tuesday. “As someone who struggled with body image, I feel so happy that I’ve helped eliminate one form of body shaming hatred on the internet.”
The petition collected 16,771 signatures on Change.org before being closed.
The emoticon that was previously associated with “feeling fat” is now paired with “feeling stuffed” on Facebook.
This screenshot shows the 'feeling fat' emoticon now paired with 'feeling stuffed.'
Clint Davis is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
