The Negative Stigma Outcomes

The adverse demands on the stigmatized described in the previous sections generate many negative experiences when it comes to interacting with the environment, and the marketplace.

These negative interactions result in adopting avoidance, withdrawal and disengagement strategies. Schmader et al. (2001) discuss that psychological disengagement happens when the stigma experience results in incompetence in a specific domain. Tesser (1988) posits that psychological disengagement occurs in instances where performance is at risk. Crocker et al.

(1998) explain how these negative outcomes often result in psychological disengagement and disidentification whereby people not only disengage their self-esteem from the underlying domain, but may even remove their personal identity from it. Our results reflect these withdrawal strategies from the marketplace. Many of our members report disengaging their identity from stigma related domains. For example, many report giving up on their goal of achieving a feminine and attractive identity through the use of the fashion industry. Others report withdrawal strategies whereby they avoid, or limit their marketplace interactions.

- Marketplace Failure

Failure is often experienced when trying to use the marketplace to achieve a desired identity. Several of our members report experiencing negative emotions such as feeling depressed when they fail to find clothing items that fit their body. Many of them explain that these feelings are enhanced by going through the experience of trying many items without finding the appropriate one. They report this experience to be tough on them, and explain that it discourages them from exploring their consumption options. Trying many items that are too small for the body reinforces the integration of the stereotypes related to being fat. Ange describes how not finding boots her size makes her feel huge and disproportionate.

I have spent the afternoon looking for shoes/boots for my new job tomorrow, and it’s a total flop. I went through tons of stores, among which is the famous Halle aux chaussures, where I was apparently supposed to find my dream boots for big calves, but I found nothing! I don’t know if I am particularly picky but we are talking about shoes here. They should not be as difficult to find as clothes. Every time I tried a new pair, my mood dropped. I started feeling huge and disproportionate compared to all these too thin and too tight shoes.

When I found low boots where I was able to stick my pants, I felt that my thigh looked even bigger with the tight ankle.

Anyway, I feel very bad, I am just looking for regular shoes, and I do not understand why it’s this hard!

Stereotype integration also contributes to feelings of failure as the members fail to perceive their success in the marketplace. This can result in avoidance of the underlying domain. Lucy explains how her failure at positive self-evaluation makes her avoid consumption experiences that bring forward her condition. Instead she adopts a hiding strategy and avoids pursuing her social goals of shopping with her friends and her identity goals of being fashionable. Her coping strategies cannot be termed successful as they result in negative feelings.

I am unable to convince myself that a guy may like me with my shapes while there are so many cute thin girls around me.

When I meet a big girl in the street, I do not find this ugly, but on me, I find it horrible!”

It has become an obsession.

I never wear a dress nor a skirt because I am ashamed of my fat thighs. I never wear a tank top because I do not like my arms. So I hide behind pants that are too large so that so that nobody sees my curves…

…. I am shy when I am with others, I never put myself forward. When I am with a big group of people, I try to go unnoticed. I am under the impression that I am wasting my youth. I never go to the swimming pool. When I am on vacation I never wear a bathing suit… and I am fed up of this situation”

I don’t even dare go shopping with my new friends because I would be too ashamed to purchase a size 42 whereas most of them wear size 36… I also tell myself that it is useless to follow fashion because it will not look good on me.”

Similarly Camille reports how she withdrew from wearing the desired dresses because she integrated the stereotype of “fat is not attractive.”

I loved reading you, I understand what you say for the simple and good reason that I also went through the stage of “ I love this dress”

but I never took the step of wearing it because I thought that a fat girl could not be sexy. So I did not wear a dress until I was 24 years old!!!

Failure to pursue the marketplace is enhanced by the marketplace rejection of these consumers. When consumers face many negative experiences to search for the desired item, many of them give up on the consumption of this item. Laurie explains how she gave up on skiing because she could not find boots that fit her legs.

My problem with skiing was not the clothes but the ski shoes…I could not fit in any boots. I gave up skiing because of this… It was

impossible to close the shoes because of my calves… Anyways, I practiced ski for a long time but I had an issue with the shoes!!! I can no longer wear ski shoes they hurt too much after 5 minutes and I have cramps!!!

Failure is also experienced when the members use the marketplace to try to conform to societal norms of achieving the slim body. Some of them report failed attempts at weight loss through plastic surgery. They discuss how they have undergone plastic surgery and it did not yield positive outcomes. This caused them to regret the procedure. Sandra describes how under the pressure of a spouse for example, she has undergone plastic surgery that ended up being a failure.

I am moved by your message because you are 19 years old. At this age I weighted 100 kilos and measured 1m70. I suffered from a

husband that criticized me non stop and from others’ attitudes… I will always remember the day where in the mall I was ordering a

sandwich and got pushed by a slim girl (this happened despite the fact that it was not crowded) I nicely told her that she could apologize.

She answers “ Hey fat girl shut up!”.

During that time, to be liked by my tyrant man (ah love sometimes makes us blind) I had a breast reduction (that is a failure because I lost many Kilograms and now I have sagging breasts, which makes them look interesting) my skin is flabby (I did not exercise and to tell you the truth, I did not even know I had to do it to limit this big

skirt ( thighs rubbed against each other) “ before I could not find my size because I was fat. Now I am thin but I am unable to wear a low neck nor a skirt”…

Several of our members also provide accounts of their failure to conform to societal standards through weight loss. Many of them report their unsuccessful attempts to diet that have not been sustainable and that led them to regaining most of the weight and sometimes even more. Many of them blame dieting for their obesity. They describe it as being “a psychological torture” “hurtful”, “self abusive” “self torture” experience that resulted in compulsive behaviors such as obsession with the scale. This has led to feelings of anxiety regarding eating, acute fear of regaining weight and emotional ups and downs. They report that the accumulation of frustration resulting from dieting leads to alternating what they describe as infernal phases of bulimia and self-restriction. Others explain how dieting failed at making them achieve the “thin is beautiful” stereotype despite their weight loss. Alison reports how weight loss made her feel ugly.

I know this… and to please others, when I was your age I lost 45 kg to finally feel ugly, have a depression and gain back my kilos… so the answer is: you annoy me with my weight…

This attempt to conform can be self-induced but may also come from environmental and marketplace pressure. For instance, Christelle reports that her desire for dieting comes from the challenge she faced finding clothing items that helped her achieve her desired identity of being fashionable. She was frustrated that at bigger size she did not have a wide variety of clothes.

Despite everything, sometimes I told myself that I must lose a bit of weight… This was because at the time (end of 90s) I lived in a small village and it was difficult to find beautiful big size clothes that did not look like my grandma’s. I was frustrated to have a limited

clothing choice. I wanted to be fashionable and to find myself cute in my clothes.

These failed attempts at interacting with the marketplace can lead to disengagement.

Aline describes how failing to lose weight made her stop trying. Yet, this strategy did not succeed in generating positive feelings as she still suffers from other’s comments.

Honestly, I do not really self accept. I have gone through many diets, got good results during the program, but as soon as I stopped, I gained even more weight, due to being deprived!!! It was tough and I got fed up, and now I am the way I am and basta! However sometimes others make remarks damn it!!!

Others report how their stigma prohibits them from pursing their desire to freely experiment with clothing. They describe dressing as a very complex venture which makes them give up on their fashion objectives and settle with what fits and the “less ugly” option.

Honestly I am not there. I still find it hard to dress in size 50… I feel like I am wearing what fits me “ the least worst” (and that is suitable for my work) but I am not freely experimenting with clothes with no bad feelings.

Giving up consumption preferences cannot be considered as an adaptive coping strategy as it results in negative emotions. Camellia reports how being fat pushes her to give up on wearing dresses which makes her feel depressed.

I am shattered! I have gained 5-6 kilos in one year. Yesterday I wore a long dress, and at the end of the day I was mutilated between the legs because they rubbed against each other when I walked. Well I have a burn and two huge bruises.

I weight 80 kilos and I am 1m67 high (BMI 29). This means that it’s over for me, I am doomed to only wear pants even in the hot weather days?

I am depressed!

Failure related withdrawal can in some cases become very adverse in instances where it goes beyond the marketplace and include social goals in general. Indeed, many members report resorting to societal withdrawal whereby they stop going out of their homes. Falling in this category is our member Lucie, who explains how stereotype integration led her to self-rejection. She did not manage losing her excess weight and ended up isolating herself from family and friends.

Due to several reasons, I have gained a lot of weight in a short period of time (1 year).

Obviously, the change in body shape was such that I did not accept myself. I started avoiding meeting people I knew. I isolated myself from friends and family, waiting to lose the weight that I had gained.

Since then, 5 years have gone by, I have isolated myself from others, I do not go out as often as before.

- Poor Marketplace Performance

The stigma of fat, coupled with the resulting marketplace structural rejection can lead to poor marketplace performance. This adds to the cost of consuming as it frustrates

consumers, and leads them to avoid, or limit their marketplace interaction. Performing poorly in the marketplace is experienced because consumers are forced to settle with suboptimal consumption options. Clara discusses the frustrating experience of finding out that the bra she just ordered online does not provide the results she expected in terms of looks and how it does not fit her body.

When I realize that the bra I had just ordered does not look as expected on my breasts (My breast tissue extends outside the bra), also when I go to H&M’s big size isle and I cannot find the amazing sweater with a cowl neck that is available in smaller sizes….

Sandra reports a similar experience of going through the discomfort of wearing tight boots.

The times when “nothing fits”, when shoes strain my legs, I will not be able to wear these for more than a minute.” I think that we all have experienced this

Other members report that some clothing items such as boots for example are “hell”

and an “ordeal”. Consumers experience such a high challenge to find clothes that fit their bodies that many of them become attached to their clothes. Hence, the products that fit them start having such a high importance that when they tear off because of usage it causes them a lot of pain. This is especially the case when the item is discontinued and is no longer sold in the store.

Settling with suboptimal consumption options results in a negative consumption experience since consumers’ needs are not being fulfilled. Many members report that even this poor performance is not easy to achieve; and still requires the acquisition and leveraging

of extra resources such as knowledge and skills. This is illustrated by Sara, who shares how the simple task of taking the subway requires from her a predefined strategic approach in order to minimize the stereotyping she may face from others. Yet, these extra efforts do not yield a good performance as she still ends up uncomfortably sitting in a small chair. She also describes similar strategies she has to put in place when traveling by train or plane such as holding hands not to bother the neighbors with her body size. Once more, these strategies result in poor performance as she cannot escape this inconvenience while using public

transportation. She also explains how her poor performance in terms of finding clothes that fit her body, makes her avoid a high interaction with stores. She resorts to limiting her shopping to twice a year, which makes her spend less on this domain.

The everyday things that I find difficult:

having to seat half my bottom in the subway, train, everyday morning and evening ( this is when you tell me… you should just stand)

When this train, subway or bus is packed, getting unfriendly looks because we are bigger and larger than others and because well…. We take more space.

Having to strategically pick a seat: this one looks ok, I can use some of the isle space… not this one, it’s too tight…

Going crazy when I take the fast train or the plane… especially when I ride them 2-4 times a week, because I know that I take more space and disturb the neighbor that I have to contain my arms for 1-2-3 hours.

I quickly get done with shopping twice a year… during sales. I see whether I fit in a garment, which rarely happens, but online shopping is easier. So I do not spend a lot on clothing for sure.

Not finding pantyhose… never! I will order them from the United States, they will be expensive, but at least…. I will be equipped.

Not finding pants because my body is shaped like an inverted pyramid… which means that it’s tight in the tummy and too large in the hips, it looks decent …right!

Boots bring the opposite issue, my calf is thin, they usually look too big and very ugly on me.

Many of our members report how achieving marketplace success requires extra

knowledge about their body, which they lack. They explain how the fat body is more complex than the thin body in terms of dressing. Several of our members, who gained weight state that several clothing styles that used to fit no longer enhance their looks. Sandy explains that despite being aware of potential solutions, she lacks knowledge about dressing solutions and

I know that there are many solutions, new stores with beautiful stuff etc. But I don’t specifically know about them, and even if I know that all girls face a situation where some items fit better than others. It’s true that going to stores, trying many things and finding out that NOTHING fits… kills me, it’s beyond my control.

When it comes to online shopping, she reports being deceived, as the clothes she receives do not correspond to her impression in terms of cut, look, fabric and fit. Not finding clothes her size discourages her from acquiring the necessary knowledge and seeking to perform in the marketplace. Amanda reports the challenge of picking marketplace offerings that best suit her body. This creates poor outcomes in terms of wearing pants.

I find it hard to be realistic on our self- image…

It’s clear that I do not know how to pick pants. So I look like a chubby Lucky Luck that walks in a non confident way. I suppose!

Poor performance is also a result of the marketplace integration of the stereotypes associated with being fat. Many of our members report how the clothing industry contributes to their poor performance as it is structurally set up to marginalize them. Many discuss how the marketplace is designed to provide them with suboptimal and very costly consumption experience especially when it comes to the fashion industry. They explain that they not only have a hard time to find their size, but also that in some instances the big sizes isle is

positioned in the rear of the store. Others explain how the marketplace offers them clothes that are not fashionable in terms of color and cut. Many members discuss how online

shopping provides more options in terms of styles and sizes than going to the store. Yet, this alternative to in store shopping often results in poor performance as it is associated with extra costs. It has extra financial costs since the customers need to pay shipping and sometimes customs and duties. It also has time costs as the items that do not fit need to be returned by mail. Also, the Internet shopping experience comes with the frustration of not experiencing the fabric, cut or size, which sometimes leads to deception upon delivery of the order.

Shopping is even more complex for consumers that live remotely from big cities where they have less stores to choose from. This is added to the security related fear pertaining to purchasing online. Many of the members explain the inconvenience of online shopping that

results in a majority of misses as most of the clothes end up not fitting and require to be returned. Samantha explains this extra inconvenience related to Internet shopping.

Going to the store makes me avoid having to pick up my package during specific hours during my work time. Unpacking, realizing that nothing fits, repacking it, taking it to the store during their hours of operation when I usually have to work (and sometimes having to pay the return fees)… having to spend 2 hours on this and for clothes that

Going to the store makes me avoid having to pick up my package during specific hours during my work time. Unpacking, realizing that nothing fits, repacking it, taking it to the store during their hours of operation when I usually have to work (and sometimes having to pay the return fees)… having to spend 2 hours on this and for clothes that