Facebook fat emoticon is upsetting the feminist (Fat is not a feeling!)

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An online petition urging Facebook to remove its “feeling fat” emoticon has received more than 15,000 signatures.

Endangered Bodies, an international nonprofit feminist group that promotes positive body image, has started a “Fat is not a feeling” campaign against the Facebook emoticon.

“When Facebook users set their status to ‘feeling fat,’ they are making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight, which can include many people with eating disorders,” writes Catherine Weingarten, an Endangered Bodies member.

“Fat is not a feeling. Fat is a natural part of our bodies, no matter their weight. And all bodies deserve to be respected and cared for,” she continues, asking Facebook to “stop endorsing self-destructive thoughts through seemingly harmless emojis.”

A Facebook spokesperson defended the emoticon to People magazine: “People use Facebook to share their feelings with friends and support each other … One option we give people to express themselves is to add a feeling to their posts. You can choose from over 100 feelings we offer based on people’s input or create your own.”

While there are no immediate plans to remove the “fat” emoticon from Facebook, Ms. Weingarten remains optimistic.

“Just the fact that people have been talking about this so much, it’s clear that it’s struck a chord with a lot of people,’ she told People.

Nearly 15,600 people had signed the petition by Monday afternoon — less than two weeks after the petition was created.

“As someone who overcame an eating disorder, I too find this offensive,” wrote one signee.

“I have an eating disorder (for the past 40 years). I don’t think it’s funny or fun and is targeted toward women, who often ‘feel fat’ when they are not,” wrote another.

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