Woman speaks out about size-shaming experience at retail store

A Gold Coast woman has opened up about a humiliating experience while shopping in a fashion store.

Vanessa Spano was trying on clothes when she popped her head out of the fitting room to ask a sales assistant for a different size.

She said the sales assistant looked her up and down and interjected, “A bigger size I’m guessing?”

Ms Spano told 7Life she was so shocked by the response that she simply replied politely and then continued.

“So the girl asks me what size I was wearing and I said, ‘I’m wearing a large so can I please have an extra large?’” Ms Spano said.

“And in the meanest possible tone of voice, she turned to me and said, ‘We don’t carry your size here’.

“Honestly, her words hurt.”

Ms Spano said she was aware that not all retailers cater to all sizes but said that there was a much more respectful way for the assistant to go about saying that.

“It made me feel like I don’t matter because of my size and that I don’t deserve the same level of service as a smaller sized woman”

“It’s a bit annoying but it’s the fact that she had the audacity to say it in that tone of voice.”

Ms Spano said she got changed quickly and left the store immediately.

“Then I went back to the car and had a little bit of a cry”

“Honestly, if she had just said to me, ‘I’m really sorry but unfortunately, we don’t have the dress in an XL,’ I would have been so fine.

“But she was so rude to me in that moment and embarrassed me in front of everyone”

“I had to speak up, not only for me, but for all of the other curvy girls out there who get treated this way.”