The Meaning of BBW

What Does BBW Mean

The meaning of BBW is Big Beautiful Women also known as plus size, full-figured or bigger ladies. Similarly, you have BHM meaning Big Handsome Men the chubby or barrel chest gentlemen. Now, how about some history on the term BBW and its origin where together we will discover it's not a bad word.

How The Term BBW Got Started

It all began in 1979 with Carole Shaw starting up a fashion magazine named BBW Magazine for everyday plus size women. Back then there was not a positive term for these ladies therefore, she coined the acronym BBW meaning Big Beautiful Woman. After all, every woman is beautiful.

What BBW Meant To Women

Firstly, it was the only magazine of its kind at the time. A true pioneer. It was a unique resource embraced by Plus Size Women in all walks of life. As a few decades past and the internet became of age they themselves, BBW Magazine was surprised by the acceptance of the term BBW.

Plus size women began using the term on their personal websites, usernames and yes even their email accounts. They had truly given the everyday woman what she was looking for. A resource just for them. Somebody finally got it right and they loved Carole Shaw for it.

But, like so many beautiful stories there is an ugly side too.

What Went Wrong?

Acronym Abuse!

The adult industry took it and ran with it. Totally trashing the intent of a beautiful thing. Size acceptance in its infancy was decimated before it even had a chance of survival. How dare they!

The BBW fashion industry (better known today as plus size fashion or curvy fashion) saw its demise with the birth of the internet. Thus, numbering its days causing a paralyzing backlash purely because of the misuse of the term BBW by the adult biz.

Ladies began shying away from the term due to the fact they resented being viewed as a fetish.

The erotica industry turned the very women this acronym was designed for against the use of the term BBW. The industry had essentially stripped them of the satisfaction of empowerment that they so richly deserve.

The term was used by the unmentionable industry for pure profit with blatant disregard for the beautiful people that had so dearly embraced it.

Political Correctness In Place

But, does it need to be in every place?

Before political correctness came to popularity what alternatives did we have? Short answer... Fat. The most common answer. Overweight and chubby were next in line.

However, as being accurately descriptive as it may be. It is nowhere near flattering. After all, flattery will get you everywhere. Well, almost everywhere.

We also had words like voluptuous, rubenesque, buxom, thick, or bigger lady but, if you think about the people that were using these words think about who they were.

That's right!

Mostly designers and the fashion industry as a whole. Now mind you, a lot of those words are old and we're going back into history a bit further but, you really need to hand it to Carole Shaw. This lady called it like it is.

Big beautiful people that happen to be women.

Now, don't get me wrong I like the term Plus Size but there's nothing wrong with BBW either.

Reclaim BBW As A Positive Term

Big Beautiful Women are simply beautiful people. These ladies just happen to be living and functioning in life in a bigger way than most care to perceive.

If people can't accept that... Forget Em!

Clearly, those people have not educated themselves about body positivity nor size acceptance. Society has managed to accept a lot of things but can't seem to get past judging another fellow human being.

That's sad!

No one has the right to judge another. If you're living well, happily and not hurting anyone then you're on the right path. The people judging are doing all the harm.

Let's live life and laugh together.

The term BBW is not something to get upset about.

Fat is not a bad word just like BBW is not a bad word.

In fact, it's just an acronym.

Maybe now with some history, we all can be the bigger person together.

Now you know what BBW means. Along with the positive impact the acronym and the beautiful people have had in our society.