A woman has shared how she called a fellow plane passenger out for writing a mean text about her weight.
In a video posted to her TikTok, Mika, @ohmikayousofine, shared footage of herself and the woman next to her sitting on the plane. As the woman could be seen looking down, Mika went to explain the incident where she noticed the passenger sending a mean message.
“To my in-flight seat buddy Cathy who decided to text her friends about ‘sitting next to a fat a**’ omg’ on my BHM-ORD flight: make sure you turn your brightness and font size down next time,” Mika wrote in the text over the video.
In a follow-up clip, Mika went on to detail the situation and noted that she spoke to Cathy about the text message.
“Cathy sent this text message and I immediately just went: ‘If you’re going to call someone fat sitting right next to you, you could at least turn your brightness down,’” she recalled. “And she looked at me and said: ‘You weren’t supposed to see that.’ And I was like: ‘Well you didn’t make it very un-obvious.’”
Speaking to The Independent, Mika revealed how her content has helped bring the different kinds of insecurities and discrimination that plus-sized people face to light.
“Eating disorders, body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, and so many other factors can be at play in someone’s life that you have no idea about,” she said. “What Cathy didn’t know was that I’ve recently lost 30+ pounds, and continue to do so, but she only saw a version of me she wanted to see and felt the need to point it out.”
In her video, Mika also explained that after she’d asked the flight attendant for a seatbelt extender, there was some miscommunication between the two of them.
“The flight attendant came around and said: ‘Did you think I was calling you fat?’” she continued. “I guess she thought I was talking to her. But I said: ‘No, the lady next to me did though. And she just went: ‘I am so sorry.’ And I said: ‘Some people just have the audacity.’”
The TikTok user went on to share that the flight attendant then offered her a different seat to sit in. Mika said she declined the seat change.
“I said: ‘No, ma’am. I’m fine. I’m going to sit right here, for the rest of this flight,’” Mika concluded. “Maybe Cathy won’t do that again.”
To The Independent, Mika explained why she didn’t switch seats and how that decision reflected a deeper meaning.
“I opted to stay seated because I felt like I was representing every plus size person who’s ever been made to feel uncomfortable about their body by someone else in a situation they can do nothing about in the moment,” she said. “I’m very confident in my own skin, but the next person Cathy insults might not be, so that’s the lesson for Cathy.”
As of 6 December, the two videos have more than 3.5m views, with TikTok users in the comments praising Mika for how she handled the situation.
“This would have hurt my feelings immensely, one wrote. “The way you handled it is a lesson is pure class. You are my hero.”
“Good for you!!! Make her sit there in the discomfort of knowing she messed up!” another wrote.
A third person said: “Wow awesome!!! How lucky is Cathy to be able to grow and hopefully learn from this experience!! Your confidence is amazing and inspiring!!!”
Other viewers went on to applaud Mika’s confidence during the incident, one of which wrote: “Lmao this made me smile, your attitude is the best!!! I’m so happy you didn’t move.”
Although Mika told The Independent that Cathy never apologised for her remark, the TikTok user said she hopes that “Cathy learned a valuable lesson that day, and next time chooses kindness”.
