Dean From ‘MAFS’ Has Attacked A Plus-Size Market For Not Being “Inclusive”
Former MAFS star Dean Wells has piped up on social media and spouted some nonsense comments about a lack of “inclusivity” at a plus-sized clothing market. Guys, it’s 2023. We don’t need this energy in our life.
The ABC shared a fun segment on Instagram about Radically Soft, Sydney’s first plus-sized fashion market in Marrickville. The reality star asked where the “inclusivity” was for “non-plus sized people” in the comments, and it’s giving All Lives Matter.
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After arguing back and forth with the admins, with Dean saying Radically Soft was excluding customers “based on their body type”, and saying he was simply “holding this market accountable for its discrimination”, the comments were turned off.
Punkee reached out to Mx Tess Royale Clancy, the co-founder of Radically Soft and Fat Muses, to see what they thought about the situation.
Unsurprisingly, Tess wasn’t impressed by Dean’s messy behaviour, saying: “He does not care to educate himself on the fact that it is extremely hard to find clothing in plus sizes both in-store and online. He says the markets are not an ‘inclusive’ space because we do not have straight sizes. I’d like to turn that back on him and ask why he doesn’t message brands that don’t go past a size 14?”
“This guy’s comments are very annoying because the whole world is catered to cis white skinny people and not every space needs to have them in it, especially when they make anti-fat comments towards us.”
Dean Wells and Tracey Jewel on MAFS. Image credit: Channel 9, MAFS
Why are markets like Radically Soft so important?
Straight-sized Australians – meaning they fit clothing sized 4-16 – may not realise how difficult it is for plus-sized people to buy clothing. It’s hard to find stores that stock clothing past a size 22, and straight-sized people often purchase plus-sized clothing items from thrift stores and tailor them to fit. This boils down to there not being much choice for plus-sized people, so finding ways to express personality through fashion isn’t easy.
These markets allow the community to get together and purchase fashionable clothing in person. Plus, it’s kind to the environment as well – what’s not to love?
“We have lived most of our lives without access to clothing, and the clothing that we do have access to is often floral prints, very baggy and it wasn’t until recent years that we had access to clothing that is more fashionable for us,” Tess added. “Why should we not have access to clothing in the same way that straight-sized people do, and have access to historically?”
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If you take a quick look at Radically Soft’s Instagram, you’ll see that the response has been overwhelmingly positive. There’s no question that the intended customers have welcomed the market with open arms.
“No other day could have put a bigger smile on my face and given me such an exciting buzz. Thank you so much for the community you’ve built,” one person commented.
“Thank you for all your hard work creating this joyful space,” another added.
“Well done! Such a good day! I love my bargains and it’s so amazing to be able to buy stuff in my size! Can’t wait for the next one!” a third said.
Radically Soft co-founders Tess Royale Clancy and Christine ‘Cribbs’ Aukusitino. Image credit: Instagram/@radically_soft
Dean Wells’ comments bring attention to the fact there’s not enough diversity in reality TV.
Dean’s comments highlight another glaring problem with reality TV. Aside from the fact that contestants are often fed to the wolves with ‘villain’ edits, there’s also barely any diversity in casting.
Producers have started to sprinkle in a few POCs here and there, but in general, the beauty standards are very typical of the Western world.
Caitlin McConville and Shannon Adams from MAFS Season 10. Image credit: Channel 9, MAFS
“You will be very hard-pressed to find a reality TV show that actually has inclusive casting… anti-fat bias is so encouraged, it’s so ingrained, and it affects fat people quite heavily, but it doesn’t only affect us, it affects straight-sized people that live their whole life believing that they have to be skinny and being afraid of fatness,” Tess told Punkee.
“With MAFS especially, they are only casting very tiny straight-sized men and women, and most of the time they do fit a certain mould which is usually straight, skinny and white.”
Australia has a long way to go when it comes to diversity and representation on TV, and it’s low-key embarrassing. Tess floated the idea of a queer and inclusive dating show, which I’m down for. Does anybody know how to get in touch with Channel 9?
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Image credits: Channel 9, MAFS, Instagram/@radically_soft, @deanwells