Facebook Removes 'Feeling Fat' Emoji After Petition Declares 'Fat Isnât a Feeling'
Feeling fat? Not anymore. Among the 100 or so âfeelingâ emoticons that Facebook users could choose from to express how they felt during any certain status update was the option âfeeling fat,â accompanied by an emoticon with puffy red cheeks and a double chin. Itâs no longer an option, and probably for the best.  Catherine Weingarten, a grad student at Ohio State, and Endangered Bodies, a non-profit group set up to âchallenge the current toxic culture that promotes negative body imagesâ teamed up to petition Facebook to remove the emoji because âFat Is Not a Feeling.â (Another woman, Rebecca Guzelian, below, started a similar petition in Australia.)  NEWS: Rob Kardashian calls out his haters: âYes, Iâm fat now!â Weingarten explained her reasons for starting the petition, writing, âWhen Facebook users set their status to âfeeling fat,â they are making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight, which can include many people with eating disorders. That is not OK.â âFat is not a feeling,â she continued. âFat is a natural part of our bodies, no matter their weight. And all bodies deserve to be respected and cared for.â The movement went viral with the hashtag #FatIsNotaFeeling and, in just one month, over 16,000 people signed her petition. With that kind of support, Facebook had to take notice.  NEWS: Walmart apologizes for section of âFat Girlâ Halloween costumes And they did. Facebook responded to the petition, saying, âWeâve heard from our community that listing âfeeling fatâ as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders.â âWeâre going to remove âfeeling fatâ from the list of options,â the agreed. âWeâll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook.â Youâll have to explore your emotions a little bit more now. âThis success shows us that people together can challenge the cultural messages that are so damaging to our ability to love ourselves and live comfortably in our bodies,â Weingarten wrote in a âVictory!â update. âAs someone who struggled with body image, I feel so happy that Iâve helped eliminate one form of body shaming hatred on the Internet.â Now watch how Kelly Clarkson responded to a fat-shaming journalist: