Inside 'Fat Con' where plus-size people celebrate their curves, kinks and fight against discrimination

Hundreds of plus-size Americans gathered in Seattle late last month for the second annual 'Fat Con.'. Organizers billed it as 'the biggest fat convention on the West Coast,' with the aim of 'improving the lives of fat humans through art, health, public policy and community outreach.'. Attendees can participate in variety of fun activities, from walking in fashion shows to taking a synchronized swimming class or hitting a pool party.

The event has a huge focus on plus-size fashion, with vendors from across the country congregating to sell their gigantic garments to eager shoppers. One brand, Club Chub Clothing, sells T-shirts that range from size small to a 5XL, emblazoned with slogans like 'death to diet culture,' 'fat babes are hot,' and 'PCOS girly.'. For the more adventurous attendees, there's even a 'fat positive' Japanese bondage demonstration.

Outside of all the fun and games, Fat Con features a number of politically-charged booths and workshops. One seminar, held by the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, aims to outlaw 'size discrimination' with a specific focus on making airlines accessible for larger people. Hundreds of plus-size Americans gathered in Seattle last month for the second annual  Fat Con. Fat Con was founded by burlesque performer Mx. Pucks A'Plenty, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, as well as the gender-neutral 'Mx' instead of Mr or Mrs.

'Over the years, the [body positivity] movement has kind of backed away from really uplifting the experiences of fat people and became more of a catch-all for anyone,' Mx. Pucks told The Seattle Emerald. 'You were noticing lots of white women doing yoga being the #BodyPositivity. It was getting further and further away from the discrimination that folks receive and also just the rampant fatphobia that's out there,' Mx. Pucks continued.

'This idea that a good body is a thin body is not true. You can be extremely healthy in a fat body and you can be radically unhealthy in a thin body and everything in between,' they added. Becky Wilson, the marketing director of Fat Con, told Komo News that the convention is a place 'where all fat humans are welcomed to celebrate our bodies and lives.'. 'What is fat joy? Taking joy in being fat is different for every person; but for many, fat joy is simply being unapologetically ourselves in a culture that insists we should feel shameful for existing in the body we have,' Wilson continued.

Unfortunately, Wilson also said that the very existence of Fat Con had sparked backlash online, forcing staff to increase security measures this year. 'In its first year, Fat Con 2024 attracted vitriol and hatred online as well as backlash here in Seattle,' Wilson shared. Attendees can participate in variety of fun activities, from walking in fashion shows to taking a synchronized swimming class or hitting a pool party.

Fashion is a huge focus on the convention, with guests dressing up in outlandish outfits while vendors attend to sell their gigantic garments. 'The convention hotel and board of directors had to bring in additional security to protect attendees of the convention from aggressive media and gawkers,' she continued. 'In addition, we are firmly in the age of GLP-1s where every person of every size is encouraged to get onto Ozempic or Wegovy. Simply existing in a fat body shouldn't be a rebellion, but it is.'.

Last year, popular right wing influencers including YouTuber Blaire White and The Daily Wire Matt Walsh mocked Fat Con to an online audience of hundreds of thousands of people. 'Fat Con is proof that not every bad habit needs a community,' Walsh titled his video. For adventurous attendees, there's even a 'fat positive' Japanese bondage demonstration. Outside of all the fun and games, Fat Con features a number of politically-charged booths and workshops.

Earlier this week, Wilson said that Fat Con organizers had been working for hours every day to moderate the comment sections on their social media pages due to the influx of fatphobic trolls. 'It's so important to us that our social channels do not contribute to the trauma that our fat community experiences online,' she said. 'So we block every hateful, demeaning, and dehumanizing comment,' she added.