Photo courtesy Fat Body Hotties
Sarah Chojnacki at a Fat Body Hotties clothing swap
Sarah Chojnacki at a Fat Body Hotties clothing swap
Fat Body Hotties is a space that “creates and celebrates fat joy through community events” as their Instagram states. Founded by Sarah Chojnacki, the collective holds clothing swaps and social functions that emphasize accessibility and inclusivity. It should be noted that while the word “fat” has historically been used in an oppressive and derogatory context, Fat Body Hotties embraces reclamation of the word, identifying with it as a means of autonomy, liberation and self-determination.
Chojnacki had clothes they wanted to get rid of last summer and decided to host a clothing swap. “I didn’t want to just give everything to Goodwill,” they recall. “I am very much a community-based person so I wanted to just see what would happen. I made a flyer and sent it to a few friends who I thought would be interested, and from there, my friends sent the flyer to even more people.”
Although it was going to just be a one-time thing at first, Fat Body Hotties quickly piqued community interest. Chojnacki held the first swap in their apartment with about 13 or 14 people there. “That was huge for me because I was expecting maybe four or five people to come,” they continue. “There were also people who wanted to come but couldn’t, so they had their clothes dropped off.
Seeing the need for a sustainable space like this, Chojnacki kept it going. After being made an Instagram account, Fat Body Hotties held a second swap in November where about 25 people came. Then in March, their third swap took place at MKE LGBT Community Center with 55 people in attendance; clothes left over from the swap got donated to the center’s community closet.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
It means a great deal to Chojnacki to be in a room full of folks who look like them, as it has for others, noting, “People who came to the first swap said that they had never been in a room full of fat bodies before like that, ever. They’ve run into the same issues I have with finding clothes, plus there might be folks there experimenting with what their fashion sense is but they don’t have many options.”
Not Just Clothing
Fat Body Hotties logo
Fat Body Hotties encourages folks to bring not only clothing to the swaps but footwear, accessories and personal care items such as menstruation products and makeup wipes as well.
Chojnacki touches on obstacles they have faced when it comes to clothes, “Often when fat people go out looking for clothing, stores won’t have the sizes they need, and places like Torrid and Lane Bryant that do have larger sizes become inaccessible because their clothing is so expensive.”
Clarifying why they distinguish the terms “plus-size” and “fat”, Chojnaki says, “Specifically in the fashion industry, “plus-size” is usually used to describe models who are a size 14 or 16 when “plus-size” to me should mean sizes 18 and up. To me, I’m not plus-size, I’m fat. If you look at body liberation movements and who has led those paths, it’s not only about reclaiming the word fat, it’s about dismantling and abolishing systems and ideas that perpetuate a society where fat people are denied access and participation and are seen as unhealthy and less valuable. It’s about fat liberation, and further, it’s really about body liberation. Fat liberation cannot exist without body liberation as our society is built to elevate certain body types over others, leaving folks to navigate an inaccessible world. Fat justice is disability justice is body justice.”
Chojnacki hopes to do more than just clothing swaps with Fat Body Hotties in the future. “I want to do fashion shows, craft nights and beach parties,” they elaborate. “I also want to hold space for fat folks to talk about issues that they have living in a fat body. In order to move forward, we all have to work together.”
Fat Body Hotties currently seeks donations for more masculine sizes. “We could always use more help with organizing too,” Chojnacki laughs.
Follow Fat Body Hotties on Instagram @fatbodyhotties.
