Hand sanitizer, N95 masks, and ventilators. News coverage and social media-driven discussions about coronavirus focus on what we are lacking in the fight against COVID-19. In popular discourse, memes and Instagram stories have added another item to the list: self-control. Our apparent inability to socially distance ourselves from our refrigerators is causing Americans to sound the alarm against “Quarantine 15,” the idea that the average person will gain weight from stress-eating, boredom, and gym closures induced by the coronavirus. Why is it that in the midst of a global pandemic, we remain obsessed with how we look and what we weigh, especially when our appearance matters less than ever? 

Mandatory shelter-in-place orders mean American society is more sedentary than ever before. For the majority of us, the most steps we get a day are from moving from bed to couch, couch to fridge, with an occasional walk of the dog outside. With gyms, parks, and hiking trails closed, there are few options left to move around and be active. Yet, gaining a little weight during quarantine has quickly become a cruel joke –both something to simultaneously laugh at and fear– with some saying the “Quarantine 15” is just as worrisome as coronavirus. The cultural messaging behind this idea, spread by memes and humorous Internet comments, is that bodies who deviate from the Barbie-sized norm are somehow shameful.

If you have the privilege of a full fridge and are able to stay at home, the Quarantine 15 folks tell us, coronavirus is a lesser evil than imminent weight gain. Given the global pandemic, this obsession with weight and appearance is unseemly, to say the least. Healthcare workers aren’t worrying about whether or not to eat another slice of homemade banana bread; they are struggling to find pauses in their day to get a sip of water or use the bathroom. Households dealing with food insecurity aren’t concerned whether their pre-pandemic jeans still fit but instead are fighting to put food on the table. Those who wrestle with disordered eating are having their worst fears turn into the butt of a joke, all while trying not to fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms caused by this disruptive change in routine. In depicting weight gain as the enemy, “Quarantine 15” minimizes the challenges faced by all of these individuals.

With change dominating our daily lives during this pandemic, watching what we eat may represent a way to exercise some control in our lives. But in a time of crisis, shaming and making fun of those who lack this “self-control” reveals the darkly destructive American obsession with body image. Diet culture and ideas of thinness are so deeply ingrained in our cultural mindset that even in the midst of self-isolation and social distancing, we are measuring our self-worth based on how we look. As we’ve seen, coronavirus doesn’t care about numbers on a scale; weighing 110, 235, or 312 pounds has no effect on whether you fall victim to the virus. How we look and the number on a scale should be the last thing on our minds with the hyper-contagious, potentially fatal virus knocking on our doors. Our culture’s fixation on weight gain and loss before monumental events, from the dreaded “Freshman 15” to pre-wedding diets, takes its most ridiculous form in “Quarantine 15”. This pandemic calls for some perspective on body image: life changes, so does our body weight. 

What fatphobic “Quarantine 15” memes miss is that in times of crisis and social isolation, food can be a great source of joy. Food is not the enemy; it can be the vehicle of love. Cooking, baking, and bartending represent important chances to connect with others. Through sharing recipes, figuring out what a bread-starter is, and bingeing on Bon Appétit videos, you experience a sense of fellowship related to eating. The simple enjoyment of food and sharing it with people you love should not be understated or obscured in the panic of “Quarantine 15”. You don’t need to keep six feet away from your fridge, pandemic or not.