In the latest ‘how is this a real thing?’ trend to grace our FYP, there’s a new AI-generated fat filter making the rounds and it’s giving some serious mean girl energy. And yup, it’s as problematic as it sounds.
In case your algorithm’s spared you from this madness, users are able to upload an image of themselves to an online tool and the ‘chubby filter’ digitally alters their appearance to add some weight to their face and body.
According to some of the people who’ve posted it recently, it’s meant to be a form of fitness motivation or a joke about putting on a few pounds, with one user stating she was “humbled” by the filter.
Another captioned her video ‘how I felt after being on holiday for a week’. Because gaining weight after a break is the worst thing that could happen to a person, right?
Thankfully, the rest of TikTok seems to be on the same page — the fatphobia oozing from this trend is pretty hard to deny.
“It’s not funny or lighthearted,” explained UK influencer Saff Michaelis in a video that’s been viewed more than 75,000 times so far.
She took aim at the creators defending the trend, suggesting they must be naive to its offensive notions and the fact it praises being a smaller size.
“Or they have used the filter for their page and are playing dumb to the comments because it might have given them a few new followers or likes on their profile. Sick. Stop doing it,” she said.
Others pointed out this really isn’t harmless fun, with these jokes perpetuating a bizarre idea that being chubby is something to be feared or avoided. And even more concerning is the fact it’s about shaming a specific body type, certainly not about encouraging healthy choices.
It takes us ten steps back in terms of self-love and acceptance and I’ll just say it — it’s giving ‘thin girl’ aesthetic I could’ve sworn we’d left behind in the early 2000’s.
TikTok creator Jess King echoed the frustration, pointing out that the ‘chubby filter’ is just a thinly veiled way to mock a body type that doesn’t fit into society’s beauty standards.
“This ‘chubby filter’ trend is wild because some of the captions and comments make it seem like the worst thing in the world you can be is fat. Making fun of people for the way they look doesn’t make you cool or funny or sexy, just so you know,” she remarked.
Another TikTok user echoed the sentiment, adding: “All these people using the AI chubby trend and laughing at themselves if they were ‘fat’, do you not see that as hugely fatphobic and problematic? Aren’t we supposed to be promoting body positivity and not putting people down who maybe aren’t to your body standards?
“Keep your fat-shaming, body-shaming thoughts to yourself and maybe get some help if you think the worst thing you can be is chubby.”
Plenty of users also reflected on the harmful effects on people who might’ve gone through pregnancy or serious health conditions that are affecting their weight, or those recovering from body dysmorphia or eating disorders.
“This trend is damaging and can cause [eating disorders]. The mortality rate for these illnesses is dangerously high. Stop supporting this,” one user wrote.
Look, we’ve all seen some variation of “funny” filters over the years, like making us look older or younger or even throwing on some dog ears. But this one’s just not it, and in a world where we’re constantly bombarded with unrealistic beauty standards, it’s worth questioning if this is the kind of content anyone should amplify.
Now brb as I try to find a new trend that won’t make me want to quit the internet.
Lead image: TikTok
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