And while the journey isn’t limited to plus-size people, it’s specifically designed for those who want to feel confident in their bodies. Weeks before the trip, Ms Shapiro, who lives in Rome, sent participants a survey asking, among other things, what they were nervous about. That way, she can address those concerns beforehand.
On her journey – which is open to “self-identifying women and non-binary people who are comfortable in feminine spaces” – Ms Shapiro added, “I would never take anyone else’s money and say I’m the de facto voice.” for size-inclusive travel.” “Her intention, she said, is simply “to provide a more diverse experience with all the thought and intent that our travelers deserve.”
Necessity is the mother of invention, and for influencer Annette Richmond, who founded Fat Girls Traveling, not letting size conventions stop her from doing whatever she wants to do when it comes to experience and adventure is a necessity.
She recounted a trip to Indonesia where she was thrilled to experience the Tegalalang Rice Terrace Swing, an endorphin-rich attraction that sees participants fly over beautiful rice fields. Ms. Richmond recalls trudging through the mud: “I’m skinned, I come to the swing, ready for my debut, and I buckle the belt around my waist, but it doesn’t click. I was like, ‘Dude, why can’t they just get a bigger harness?’” The result? The swing operators apologized and suggested a competitor, Real Bali Swing, which offered larger straps.
Now, Ms. Richmond runs trips and retreats for other people who are tired of being left out: “My fat camps, which are like my retreats, are for fat femmes and non-binary people,” she said. If she opened her retreats to everyone, she said, “there is a risk of losing the magic.” From August 25-28, she is hosting Fat Camp UK in Brighton, England ($2,000), where it will feature fat-positive discussions alongside summer camp-style games and pub crawls. Ms. Richmond is also taking a size inclusive trip to Cuba ($2,750) Sept. 1-5 — without the planned awareness retreats, just for fun — and hopes to next plan a group tour in Mexico, her home base since 2020 . (Unlike her retreats, her trips are open to all genders.)