Vandals Target San Jose Boutique For Plus-Size Women, Owner Thinks Crooks Are Fat Shaming
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- Vandals have been taking aim at a plus-size lingerie store in San Jose. The owner believes the crooks aren't there to steal, but to shame.
The owner of the Curvy Girl boutique on Meridian Avenue said she thought the attacks were random at first. But her store has been attacked three times and no other store in the complex has been targeted.
"Are we being targeted? Is it because I sell stuff for fat, beautiful women?" store owner Chrystal Bougon told KPIX 5.
The Curvy Girl boutique has been vandalized three times in the last two months. In the most recent attack on Thursday, the vandal simply shattered her windows and took off without stealing a thing. That made Bougon wonder if the criminal is what she calls a "fat shamer."
"These fat shamers and fat haters and 'concern trolls' create entire websites just dedicated to talking about how disgusting they think we are," Bougon said. "We are victims of fat hate online."
Bougon received national attention over a year ago when a woman known as Sacramento's "Fit Mom" felt the storeowner and her customers were glorifying obesity. And then that's when the fat haters started to come out.
The store owner said it's given a lot of curvy women the motivation to stand up tall and proud and show off their curves.
"It's a waste of your time," said Gia Garcia. "It's not going to change the fact that I love being in my body."
"Fat shamers and haters, they are my motivators," Bougon said.
A lot of positives have come out of this, as well. Bougon said a lot of her customers have stopped by to say hi, see how they can help and she said she made a lot of new customers, as well.
Surveillance cameras didn't get a good look at the vandals. Bougon said they always hit in the early morning.
