Advertisement

Department store removes 'body shaming' plate, gets accused of pandering to snowflakes

Photo Taken In Burton Latimer, United Kingdom
Photo Taken In Burton Latimer, United Kingdom

A popular US department store chain has been criticised for its response in a row over “offensive” dinner plates.

Macy’s Inc., which owns over 750 departments stores in 44 US states, was called out for selling a plate which made reference to portion sizes.

The offending crockery featured three concentric rings of varying sizes. The smallest had the words “skinny jeans” written on it, while the largest read: “mom jeans” – ostensibly suggesting eating less helps you fit into tighter jeans.

READ MORE: Obese woman reveals reality of going to the gym as a 'fat person'

It was sold as part of the STORY at Macy’s line, a limited-edition offering sold at 36 Macy’s stores.

But the product hit a bum note with some consumers, and one woman, podcast host Alie Ward, called Macy’s out on Twitter for selling the item.

The tweet has divided opinion, with some backing Ward – saying the plates were “body shaming” and could “fuel eating disorders”.

The post even reached the attention of body positivity activist Jamella Jamil, who communicated in no uncertain terms how she felt about them.

Jamil, the founder of the “I weigh” movement, has been at the centre of a number of body-shaming rows in recent years, like calling out a tabloid publication for calling Queen Latifah a “beached whale”.

Almost exactly 12 hours later, the department store giant confirmed it had removed the plates from all STORY at Macy’s locations.

And while the move might have satisfied some people, others have since criticised the chain for its rapid response.

Some are saying they would have liked to buy the plates – defending them as “light-hearted” and “fun”.

READ MORE: Magazine editor gets called out for fat-shaming

Others have called the row an example of a “snowflake” overreaction. Snowflake is a derogatory term for someone who is “overly sensitive or as feeling entitled to special treatment or consideration”, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Earlier this year, Piers Morgan sparked a similar conversation about so-called “snowflakes”.

The outspoken ‘Good Morning Britain’ waded into a row over a GCSE Maths question which asked schoolchildren to count calories.

Exam board Pearson Edexcel was forced to defend a question featured in its paper, which candidates sat last week, after one pupil left the room while the assessment was in process – but Morgan called the situation “nonsense”.