Kris Schultz

Through a lot of focus, hard-work, and determination, I've lost almost 70 lbs since February. It's the hardest thing I've ever done - harder than running a Governor's race, harder than graduating college a year early, and harder than surviving a New Hampshire blizzard. One of the things I was looking forward to doing when I lost my weight was shopping at "normal stores."

See, for those of you who are of "normal" size, you probably take it for granted that you have a wide array of store choices. I did too, until I gained those 70 lbs.

It was mortifying for me to realize I needed to switch to the plus sizes. I will never forget the day I had to buy bigger clothing 10 years ago. I was in Louisville standing in Bacon's "Woman's" Department - the code word for fat chicks in many stores - and I just started to cry. I couldn't believe I was a size 18. I eventually grew to my largest size 24.

It was embarrassing to stand there that day and know things had changed for me. I will never forget the shame I felt. It wasn't until years later that I learned that it was due to a medication I took that ruined my metabolism. I was at the time a vegan, and eating a whole foods diet. I was exercising. But my body had changed due to the medicine, and to reverse that - now off the medicine - has taken a strict eating program and exercise. No surprises there. There is definitely something to be said about metabolism that has nothing to do with will-power or caring for oneself. It just happened, and it has taken a lot of attention for me to reverse it.

So, my size 18 jeans are now loose after dropping almost all of those 70 lbs., and I know I need a new wardrobe again. I am at the magic weight I'd hoped to reach when I could go to the "normal" stores again. A size 16 was always at stores like the Limited (now Express), where I spent the majority of my clothing budget.

Today, however, not so, just a big disappointment. Today I feel the same sense of embarrassment I felt 10 years ago when I was ghettoized to the fat chick department when I entered the Express store at Union Station to learn that the largest size they now carried was a 12! That is the size I'll be when I finally reach my goal weight, but what happened to sizes 14 and 16 they used to carry?

So I did something I've wanted to do for the last 10 years since gaining that weight - I asked for the Express corporate customer service number to complain. It's 1-877-415-4551, if you'd also like to call, or email them. I told them I used to spend all my clothing money at this store, and about my weight loss, and wanted to know if they carried any bigger sizes. They said no. I asked for an explanation of why they chose to eliminate sizes 14 and 16, and they said they would send me a formal letter. I promise to reprint it here if it comes.

It will be interesting to find out how they try to justify this. The average size of a woman in America is a size 14. I am tall for a woman at 5ft 8 inches, and am a German descendant (and all the brawnyness that comes with that.) I am looking more fit and better looking than I have in years, and am deeply proud of my weight loss.

But I strongly believe Express is wrong to exclude these sizes.

I think Express - and all women's stores - should sell at least to a size 18, if not larger. They are loosing money by this choice, so it doesn't make any sense - and at a time when women are growing larger, not smaller.

Now, you may say it is the store's way of sending a message to women that they should loose weight. Give me a break - stores aren't fitness centers or intro preaching morality, they are into taking our money. By that logic, it's an unwise financial decision. These stores have lost money from me for years.

God bless Lane Bryant for changing their styles, becoming hip, and dumping the moo moos, because they've kept me clothed for years. But this isn't about Lane Bryant, they'll be getting my money for a bit longer, it seems. It's about arbitrary beauty discrimination.

What is beautiful, after all? Do they not want woman of "size" shopping or being seen in their stores? If so, shouldn't they do a beauty-check at the door to make sure teeth are white and straight, hair is well-coiffed, and faces fit a certain level of beauty too? Wouldn't want all ugly chicks to be seen in your stores, right?

I am angry because it is wrong of Express to eliminate these sizes. It is embarrassing to me personally - and an affront to the majority of women in America - who are size 14 or larger.

I urge you to join me to complain about their downsize-ism by calling 1-877-415-4551 or emailing today to tell them they are wrong to choose arbitrary beauty limits over free market choices, and are loosing money because of it.