The ‘Chubby’ Filter Trend: A Return to Fatphobia?
Every day in 2025 seems to bring a new wave of questionable trends. The latest, a TikTok phenomenon, involves — believe it or not — conventionally attractive individuals using an AI filter to make themselves look larger. Over a slowed-down version of Doechii’s “Anxiety,” people are employing the “Chubby” filter on the CapCut video editing app. That’s it. That’s the entire ‘joke’: skinny people using a filter to appear bigger.
While not hugely popular on TikTok, the trend caught wider attention online when writer Rebecca Shaw shared one of the TikToks using the filter on X. She observed sarcastically, “It’s sooooooo funny and we definitely aren’t spiraling back down to pro ana death to fats era that damages every young woman.”
This trend isn’t entirely new. It echoes previous trends like the Photoshopping of celebrities to make them appear bigger, similar to artist David Lopera’s 2015 project. However, unlike Lopera’s project, which aimed to highlight the pressure on women to be thin, the “Chubby” filter lacks such a goal.
The trend arises amidst a resurgence of early aughts-era body image standards. Images of celebrities like Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, and the Olsen twins are recirculating as “thin inspiration” on social media. Simultaneously, platforms such as X have seen a reemergence of pro-ana content.
TikTok, too, has grappled with harmful content. Although it prohibits explicitly pro-ana videos, loopholes exist, as evidenced by the “Chubby” filter trend.
A TikTok representative stated the platform was reviewing the videos and restricting them from under-18-year-old accounts. A search for “#chubbyfilter” now redirects to a message promoting self-acceptance and providing eating-disorder support resources.
Despite safety measures, researchers have found that TikTok still promotes damaging ideas about body image. A 2024 study showed that viewing pro-ana content on the platform had an immediate negative impact on women’s body image, even after brief exposure. TikTok’s highly specific algorithm exacerbates this problem by feeding pro-ED content to users who may be predisposed to eating disorders. Many users have criticized the trend, with some comments highlighting the trend’s exclusionary nature.
Nonetheless, the fact that the filter has gained traction suggests that fatphobia, like other harmful values, may be resurfacing.
In the U.S., the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline can be reached at 866-662-1235.
This post has been updated.
