Do I Have A Civil Right To Shirts In My Size?

As I gradually pass 190 pounds, downward from my more than ample 310+, I am coming to the realization that my options for purchasing clothing are now much more plentiful than before. But in my usual brand loyalist fashion, I have decided to continue to do business with the stores that were willing to clothe me when I ranged from a 2X to a 4X and continue to not shop at the stores that obviously didn’t want anything to do with me when I was that size because they simply did not sell clothes in those “big” sizes.

But then, that got me thinking...do I not have the same rights as a person who wears a small, medium or large? Should I not be able to shop at the same stores as that group of people? I mean, sure, they don’t stock big sizes, but shouldn’t they have to order the stuff they offer in-store to skinnier people for me in my size? Shouldn’t clothing manufacturers be forced to make their designs in sizes that go well beyond what they believe to be normal sizes, or beyond the sizes worn by the majority of the population? Shouldn’t I be able to wear that same exact shirt as someone who wears a small, but in my once-needed 4X size?

Yet, what I discovered when I asked time and time again was that stores either could not or simply would not try to get me the shirt I wanted in that size, and manufactures frequently either made sizes Small to XL, or XXL to 4X, but seldom, if ever, seemed to make a single shirt in the gamut of sizes from Small on up to and past 4X.

Now indulge me for a second and replace me in this story with a gay man and the clothing retailer with a bakery who doesn’t want to order me a cake-topper with two grooms, or perhaps doesn’t deal with a supplier who makes one. See how your view on my story about getting the same exact shirt in a bigger size may have just changed?

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