“Fatkini” Movement Goes Viral: Blogger Promotes Body Diversity for Summer

As a rule, most women go on a diet (or at least start thinking about it) in the first days of January, which, in theory, would allow them to have the “perfect bikini body” for summer. We're missing the point with this approach, a blog post that has gone viral says.

Gabi is a size 18 and she's a style and fashion blogger, and collaborator to Xo Jane. In her latest post, she speaks of women's need to embrace their bodies by not letting such worries ruin their vacation.

Because actions are always louder than words, she back hers up with photos: a gallery of plus-size girls (herself included) in two-piece swimsuits.

Gabi's post has gone viral, with thousands of women and men praising her for finally calling it like it is: some women have curves, are healthy and gorgeous and there's no reason they should hide their bodies at the beach, most of them say.

“As a size 18, my swimwear posts tend to gain way more traffic than my regular outfit posts. I attribute this to the fact that our culture is so obsessed with having a 'beach ready bod,' that the mere idea of someone my size in a swimsuit, let alone a bikini, is shocking to most,” Gabi writes.

So what is a plus-size girl to do? She must embrace her curves and rock them proudly, Gabi advises.

“I know first-hand how inspiring it can be to see people with bodies that look similar to my own feeling confident and happy on the beach in something other than a Hawaiian-print skirted one piece,” she says.

Plus-size girls and women too can rock a fatkini (which is her preferred term for a two-piece for plus-size) and, at the same time, look good and be fashionable.

Gabi also addresses some of the criticism she's been getting online after her post went viral, about how she's more of a plus-size model than a plus-size girl, the difference being of major significance for other women of the same weight.

“A lot of the comments were along the lines of 'Of course she has confidence! She's a toned, hourglass-shaped plus size woman! I could never wear a bikini! I'm so flabby!' My initial reaction was defensive: Yes, it's soooo easy being confident and showing off your body on the internet as a 220 pound [99.7 kg] woman of color in our society, amirite?” Gabi writes.

“However, I do acknowledge that I have some level of body privilege (but um, for the record: I totally have flab, stretch marks and cellulite, you just can't see it in the photos I posted due to the high waisted bottoms and the distance of the shots),” she adds.

“Hopefully this gallery, which features lots of body diversity, proves that it's not only 'toned' fat girls who can feel confident hitting the beach in a two piece,” Gabi concludes.

The response to her post and gallery has been amazing so far. See here for more.