When Elisabeth, a 34-year-old lawyer, initially joined OkCupid in May 2014, she wasn’t particularly optimistic about her prospects. Online dating can be challenging for anyone, and for overweight women, it’s often even more daunting. However, when one of her law school friends, who was re-entering the dating scene after a divorce, encouraged Elisabeth and two other former bridesmaids to join as a show of support, she decided to create what she called “the single most obnoxious version” of herself for her profile.
Having dabbled in online dating over the years, meticulously presenting her most polished self, Elisabeth hadn’t experienced much success. So, her “obnoxious version” of her profile featured prominently her photos with her cat, and she was candid about her imperfections and preferences.
She also didn’t shy away from acknowledging her body size, stating that she wore between an XL and a 2XL in dresses and between a size 16 and 20 in pants.
In an interview in December, Elisabeth explained the challenges she faced as a plus-sized woman in online dating. She described a mental struggle with presenting herself in photos, as the right angle, lighting, makeup, and clothing could seemingly erase some of her weight. However, she recognized that these factors wouldn’t hide her true self when meeting someone face-to-face for the first time.
