A social media creator who identifies as a plus-size American woman has sparked debate after posting a video criticizing Amsterdam’s infrastructure as unwelcoming to larger-bodied travelers.
The content creator, who had been living abroad in the Netherlands before recently returning to the United States, shared three specific complaints about the Dutch city’s design. In the Instagram video, she explains her frustrations with what she describes as accessibility issues throughout Amsterdam.
“All the doors are insanely narrow, making many houses, restaurants and bakeries inaccessible for the horizontally challenged,” she states in the clip, using a euphemism for plus-size individuals.
Her second grievance focused on the city’s distinctive architecture. “All the houses are only accessible through steep stairs. Is this not inconvenient? Why don’t they build the doors on ground level?” she questions, apparently unaware that many of Amsterdam’s historic canal houses date back centuries to when different building standards existed.
The creator’s final complaint targeted the city’s public transportation infrastructure. “I’m also super annoyed by how skinny all the escalators are in Amsterdam,” she remarks.
The video, which has garnered millions of views, drew sharp criticism from commentators who suggested that the issue might not be with Amsterdam’s centuries-old architecture.
Several pointed out that the city’s buildings were constructed long before modern accessibility standards, and that its narrow structures are part of its historic charm and UNESCO World Heritage designation.
Others were less diplomatic in their responses, with some suggesting that increased physical activity might help address the compatibility issues between the visitor and the visited location.
Amsterdam’s distinctive narrow houses were actually built intentionally slim due to historical property taxes that were based on frontage width rather than total area. The steep staircases are a direct result of this architectural necessity, maximizing interior space in buildings that are often only a few meters wide.