There has been backlash over Facebook's feeling fat emoji ,with over 16,100 signing an online petition which calls for the 'feeling fat' emoticon to be eliminated from Facebook's list of emojis
The petition, on change.org, was set up by Catherine Weingarten and the group Endangered Bodies, according to the page.
Weingarten wrote on the petition's page
'Scrolling through Facebook the other day, I saw a friend’s status set to "feeling fat," accompanied by an emoji with chubby cheeks and a double chin.
'I think it was supposed to be funny, but seeing this status made me feel angry.
'As someone who has struggled with and overcome disordered eating, I know what it’s like to "feel" fat. I have spent years of my life consumed with negative thoughts about my body, and far too many days starving myself in an effort to lose weight.
But even worse than the skipped meals and the hours spent obsessing in front of the mirror was the fear of what others thought about me and my body.
'When Facebook users set their status to "feeling fat," they are making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight, which can include many people with eating disorders.
'That is not ok. Join me in asking Facebook to remove the "fat" emoji from their status options.'
In an interview with ABC News, Weingarten said:
'I think we all need to be a little more careful about how we talk about their bodies and learn how to use a more body positive vocabulary,' she told the news outlet.
Facebook said in a statement to ABC News that 'People use Facebook to share their feelings with friends and support each other.
'One option we give people to express themselves is to add a feeling to their posts. You can choose from over 100 feelings we offer based on people’s input or create your own.'
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