Cork plus-sized model has this message for women after being fat-shamed at birthday party
A popular plus-sized model and blogger, Katie Higgins, has revealed how she has been left very upset and shaken after being verbally abused and "fat-shamed" by a man yesterday.
Ms Higgins, from Cork, was celebrating her 26th birthday with friends in Liverpool at the weekend when a man started making comments about her size.
She spoke to the Neil Prendeville Show earlier today on Cork’s RedFM and described the incident in her blog.
She told RedFM: "So this afternoon I met up with a friend and housemate I had in Australia along with my two best friends. We had dinner and giggled at stories shared.
"During the catch-up the booth next to us was filled with two intoxicated people 1 male 1 female. The male out loud said 'check out the fat bird' along with other comments which were ignored and I didn't alert my companions to it either.
"The male continued to get louder as he shouted 'nobody likes a fat bird' continuously, the girl with him roared with laughter."
Katie said that her friends were ignoring the jibes.
She said: "I did say 'do ye hear what he is saying' just in case I was paranoid and they assured me they did, every word, but didn't want to upset me.
"I did let it get to me. I have a gorgeous group of friends to which I I have ALWAYS been the big girl but never felt left out.
"I dress well I present myself well I have an amazing support of friends."
Katie then said that normally she is the life and soul of the party, but this time she felt that she had been a soft touch.
She said: "For once I felt let down by myself. I left kicked in the face. I did nothing wrong but be myself yet why was I upset?
"People commend me constantly for being confident yet I'm not. Yes I'm just me but I'm not confident.
"An insignificant creature had decided to pick me as his target to which I didn't react but yet felt like I was nothing."
Katie gets messages every day telling her she is an inspiration and how she instills people with confidence.
She said: "Yet I get assaulted verbally on a regular basis. Because you are big, small, short, tall NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO DISRESPECT OR ABUSE YOU.
"I'm extremely lucky to have parents, grandparent, friends who accept me for me and love me for me. I'm me - love it or hate it - it will never change.
"I'm lucky I'm comfortable with who I am, another person may not be so lucky and may be pushed to the edge.
"Be you be proud be wonderful. It's not a pity post it's a post to make people aware that even I get abuse regularly and have to plough through people (who) will always be like this unfortunately, so chin up and be you."
