I just got curious. I did individual interviews with 3 men who are in a relationship with plus size women. Here are the main points that I think are the most valuable.
Note: Identities have been changed as per request of the interview people. Interview has also been edited for brevity. They are all my friends actually. Ha!
#1 Some men are not as shallow as society would like us to think.
When I interviewed my friend, Greg, an architect here in Manila, why he suddenly had a plus size girlfriend, when he was a serial modelizer (aka must look like a model). He told me that what attracted him to his plus size girlfriend at that time was how she was very witty and sociable.
"She didn't even have to try. People just gravitated towards her and I was among the people that got pulled. To be honest, I didn't even fully observed she was plus size until all the laughter and kulitan died in the party. And at that point --- who cares? This woman is actually interesting. She got me hooked beyond the physical. It made me want to know more."
Greg and his girlfriend has been together for 2 years now.
"To be honest, at the point, she didn't know how to dress up. It was only when we got together that she started to think about grooming her hair and planning her style. It started when I was about to introduce her to my mom. She went to a salon just to get ready. After that, she just kept on. I told her that she doesn't need to do it for me. But she told me that she was not just doing it for herself, which is way better."
I asked him if the changes bothered him. Greg said, "She's happy. That's all that I care about. It also makes present shopping easier. Now that she is into fashion, I can just buy her things that I know she would wear. (Laughs)"
#2 Love knows no size really.
"When I met her she was thin. We were in highschool. When she got work, then she started getting bigger. Of course, I have noticed. Everyone did. She got sad about it. She was a cheerleader back then and was in perfect shape. Now she can barely fit in her old clothes." Paul, my friend who is a call center agent, told me.
"But it's not like I still had my abs in highschool. I wasn't a jock. I was just very thin. College came. Beer games happened. I had a beer belly. I don't hear her complaining about it --- so why should I? And besides, at that point we have been together for 7 years. She was more than just a girl I show off to people now. We are practically married. I loved her when she was thin. I will love her also when she gets bigger."
Paul and his girlfriend has been together for 10 years now.
#3 Men don't really care about dress size. They don't really know the difference.
"Why are you interviewing me? My fiance is plus size?"
Julius, an entrepreneur friend of mine, actually asked me this question with a baffled look before we started. I personally knew his fiance and asked her permission if I can interview him. She gave me a go signal and that was his opening.
"I couldn't really care less about her dress size. My woman knows how to dress her curves. In fact, I think that's the least of her problems. She has a work, career and other obligations. That's enough to pre-occupy her mind. Health is important, but her beauty is never in question."
Cheers!
Erzullie is a fierce plus size fashion designer brand from the Philippines dedicated to serving the style of the empowered Erzulliesta. Shop online: www.erzullie.com
