A petition to get Facebook to remove their ‘feeling fat’ emoji status has proven to be successful it has been announced this week.
The online petition was launched by campaigners who felt that the emoticon promoted a bad body image and that it made fun of people with eating disorders.
The petition, which was set up by Catherine Weingarten of Endangered Bodies, received over 16,500 signatures.
“Fat is not a feeling,” she stated. “Fat is a natural part of our bodies, no matter their weight. And all bodies deserve to be respected and cared for.
“I have spent years of my life consumed with negative thoughts about my body, and far too many days starving myself in an effort to lose weight,” she continued.
She added that the ‘feeling fat’ status made fun of people who think of themselves as overweight: “That is not okay.”
Facebook stated: “We’ve heard from our community that listing ‘feeling fat’ as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders.
“So we’re going to remove ‘feeling fat’ from the list of options. We’ll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook.”
