Kim Brittingham is New York writer who is fat. (Self-described. She once, as a stunt, made a fake book cover titled "Fat is Contagious: How Sitting Next To a Fat Person Can Make YOU Fat," and rode around on buses reading it. Heh). Anyhow, she reports that she had a meeting set up with a PR firm (5WPR, natch) to discuss her being a spokesperson for Avenue , a "plus-size" women's clothing retailer. But, at the last minute, she couldn't get her foot in the door, so to speak. Take it away, Kim:

When I arrived at 5W, I was awkwardly told by two of [Kellie Brown, VP of the fashion division's] underlings that she had been pulled into a meeting at the last minute and wouldn't be able to see me. Later, an embarrassed 5W staff member I'll call "Renee" confided in me that Ms. Brown had, in fact, seen me enter the office and decided on the spot that I wasn't "worth her time". Renee said that although Ms. Brown is "more plus" than I am, Ms. Brown felt I was too fat to be a spokeswoman for Avenue. Even though I wear their clothes. Even though I am their target customer. Let me add that I was well-groomed when I arrived at the 5W office, I didn't reek, and as always, I was gracious and very well-spoken.

Hard to believe this could happen at such a reputable firm. [Kim Writes]