By: Phoebe Shi

Remi Bader, an influencer with two million followers on TikTok, was recently rejected and humiliated during a visit to a horse ranch in Montauk, NY.

Not only did the venue owner laugh at her because of her weight, but they also forced her to leave while the others she arrived with were allowed to stay, Remi claims. Shortly after the incident, an employee at Deep Hollow Ranch even posted a TikTok using offensive language towards her, also because of her weight. Deep Hollow Ranch’s owners later posted an apology for the employee’s video, and how she was treated.

Bader makes it clear it’s not the weight requirements she is upset with, it’s the way she was treated. The ranch’s website states that horses can’t comfortably hold more than 20 percent of their body weight. Even if Bader has ridden horses in the past, she understands that some ranches are different than others.

“I get it, some places have weight requirements,” she said.

This discrimination against obese people can actually cause significant harm. Such stress can trigger eating disorders, such as binge-eating disorder, which causes a person to consume large amounts of food without being able to stop. Bader has struggled with this disorder in the past.

Experiences like these can seriously set a person back, discouraging them from participating in physical activities in the future. Offensive and hurtful language is the last thing obese people need. They should instead be helped, and treated with empathy.