Ignoring Plus Size Spending Power While Policing Bodies

Don’t sugarcoat it.

The U.S. State Department has quietly announced new visa guidelines that could deny foreign applicants based on their weight or chronic health conditions. That’s correct; obesity Now officially on the list of reasons why you are not allowed to enter the United States

Policies of this kind are not only discriminatory, they are short-sighted. It ignores science, it ignores humanity, and it completely ignores the reality of plus-size purchasing power, which drives billions in economic activity in areas like fashion, beauty, and wellness.

We’re not making this up. According to a report from fox news and KFF Health NewsVisa officers have been told to consider whether an applicant’s physical condition constitutes a “public offence”. Especially if you have obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic conditions.

Let’s pause there. Because what they’re really saying is: maybe Because it will cost us money someday. ” Subtext? If you live in a larger body. If you are managing a chronic disease. If your health doesn’t fit into the narrow mold of an able-bodied person…you are responsible.

It’s called BS

What do visa rules actually include?

In the cable, which was quietly made public, the State Department directed consular officials to consider applicants’ chronic health conditions when determining their eligibility. in particular:

“Cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, metabolic diseases (including diabetes), neurological diseases, obesity It should be considered. ”

These are not contagious or life-threatening. These are everyday conditions, many of which are shaped by genetics, environment, and structural inequalities.

However, under this rule, these conditions can be grounds for refusing someone’s visa. why? Because of possibility So that someday they may seek public assistance for medical care.

But how do we prove it?

Spoiler: You can’t.

This is not science. That’s a judgment. And it gives consular officials great power to act on bias rather than evidence.

So…will the current president be in on it?

Let’s be real. Under the new guidelines, even a sitting US president could be flagged as a risk of “public prosecution.”

He is “clinically obese” (documented during his presidency), has a history of COVID-19, is in his late 70s, and is known to have a diet of hamburgers and soda. According to the policy, these health indicators tick several boxes on the “risk” list.

But this is not one man’s story. That’s how absurd the logic becomes when you apply speculative health profiling to determine someone’s right to exist or contribute. If someone with his health profile didn’t pass, what hope would the average person have?

This is not a medical decision. That is ideological discrimination.

Let’s talk about the spending power of plus sizes

While the US government is tightening its grip on so-called problems, Fee Here’s what plus size people conveniently ignore.

We are not a burden. We are literally a billion dollar powerhouse.

It’s not a niche thing. That is market power.
It’s not a side category. It is central to the future of the fashion industry.
It’s not a “burden”. It is a cultural and economic force driven by plus-size consumers, creators, and communities.

We don’t just spend money. we set the trendmoving markets and changing the way brands build relevance.

And the conclusion is:
around and 67% of US women wear a size 14 or largerthe plus-size fashion market has already generated more than $100 billion, making plus-size consumers a major economic force. Add in Beauty, Travel, Wellness, Home, and Lifestyle to further increase your annual purchasing power. hundreds of billionsin the United States alone.

So when government policies treat plus-size people as a liability, they’re not just discriminatory; They are economically ignorant.

They ignore the purchasing power, creative influence, and cultural value that plus sizes bring to not only fashion but the consumer economy as a whole.

This is not just a visa issue. it’s about respect

The ramifications of this kind of policy are real.

It sends a message: If your body doesn’t fit, your value is conditional.
We stigmatize chronic illness and obesity as dangerous.
This justifies exclusion based on speculative costs rather than real-world contributions.

For a government that claims to champion diversity, equity and inclusion, this is a slap in the face. For a fashion and culture movement like ours, this is a rallying cry.

What we’re doing about it (and what you can do too)

At The Curvy Fashionista, we don’t just dress plus size bodies. we protect they.

Our objectives are:

• please shout out loud: This policy is sizeist, plain and simple.
• educate: The plus size economy is large and growing. We are not a burden. We are a business case.
• activation: We will continue to share more information on our platform to raise awareness, amplify voices, and partner with organizations working at the intersection of migration and bodily liberation.

Let’s be clear: policies like this are why we need a platform that champions plus-size visibility, culture, and power. This is why we exist.

Because plus-size people are not second-class citizens. We are not a “risk”.
We are visionaries, workers, innovators, artists, caregivers, and thinkers. yesshoppers.
we shape the world. And we’re not asking for permission to be here.

Would you like to take action?

• Please share this article with your audience.
• If this is familiar to you, please post your story.
• Support advocacy groups like NAAFA that champion the end of sizeism in the workplace.
• Please send an email to the person in charge. Please tell me that exclusion is not a policy, but a prejudice.
• Let’s get this conversation loud by tagging us on social.

Last word?

In an era of Ozempic obsession, the demise of BMI as a reliable science, and the quiet erasure of the plus-size models they helped diversify from the runways, one thing is clear: this brand of sizeism is not rooted in health, policy, or economics. It is ignorance disguised as governance, and classism disguised as bureaucracy.

If decision makers really cared about public health, economic growth, and cultural relevance, they wouldn’t close the door to larger organizations. They will be chasing the money. And what about money? Loud, loyal, and living in curves. Plus-size spending power isn’t just real. It is a path to glory for those brave enough to embrace it. I.J.S.

The only thing that increases here is the magnitude of the bias of this rule. And we’re here to burst that bubble with facts, fashion, and fierce advocacy.

Because we know the truth.
Plus size people are not a burden. We are the blueprint.