An Iowa woman is drawing sympathy online after sharing an experience she says left her embarrassed and hurt during a night out at a bar. What initially appeared to be a friendly interaction allegedly turned into something far more upsetting, prompting her to open up about what she describes as the reality of “being plus-sized in 2026.”
Emmy (@diaryofemmym) says being the “big girl in a friend group” is sometimes very difficult. She says she recently went out with her friends to a bar for her birthday. She was feeling good about herself because she lost a little over 40 pounds recently. Emmy said there was a table of young men next to them and it was obvious they were talking about Emmy and her friends.
When the young men noticed Emmy and her friends heard them, one of them got up. He approached Emmy’s table and allegedly put his hand on her shoulder. He started talking her up. The man eventually asked her, “Can I get your number?” Emmy hesitated. She says things like that “don’t happen” to her often. Her friends urged her to give her number to him. She started giving it to him, when he took her by surprise. The young man immediately stopped and turned to his table. He said to the other men at his table, “You guys owe me $50.”
Suddenly, the table of young men burst out laughing at Emmy’s expense. It turns out, this was all a set-up where they bet him to talk to Emmy. The man went back to his table. Emmy heard one of his friends state loudly to him, “I told you fat [expletive] are easy.” Immediately, Emmy felt hurt by the interaction, as anyone in that situation would. Emmy asks on her video, “Who’s raising these men?”
Commenters flocked to Emmy’s video to condemn the men’s actions and show her unwavering support. Many shared a variety of reactions, horrified by her experience. Some commenters wondered why her friends seemingly said nothing when all of this happened. One commenter mentioned, “NEW FRIENDS. IMMEDIATELY.” Another replied, “Right?! The way none of them care to defend her?! WTF.”
Other commenters shared that they’ve experienced these same hurtful actions. One commenter shared, “Reminds me of when in middle school I would get fake asked out multiple times a year to the point where still today I have trouble figuring out if it’s real or fake.” Another stated, “When I was in the 4th grade I ‘liked’ the most popular boy in our grade. One day I found a note in my locker saying how much he liked me, how pretty and sweet I was. Come to find out, it wasn’t from him. Two other boys did it as a joke. I’m 54 now. You never forget trauma like that.”
People don’t always realize that these words and actions stick with you forever. As the story spreads online, many viewers say it serves as a reminder that what might seem like a joke to one person can become a lasting memory for someone else, and that a little empathy can go a long way.
