Carly, 32, is used to strangers judging her because of her size. When she flies, she usually buys two seats—not for luxury, but so she can travel comfortably without worrying about disturbing another passenger. On a recent work trip, she paid an extra $176 for a second seat and settled into her window and middle seats, hoping for a quiet flight. But a couple stopped at her row and sat in the seats she had paid for.

“Excuse me,” Carly said politely. “I bought both of those seats.” The man laughed and questioned why she needed two seats. His girlfriend then insulted her, saying, “It’s not a big deal. You’re being a fat jerk.” Hurt but determined not to argue, Carly simply replied, “Fine. Keep the seat.” Instead of shrinking herself, she decided to remain comfortable in the space she had purchased.

During the flight, the man complained to a flight attendant because Carly’s body and seating position were bothering him. The attendant checked the seating records and confirmed that Carly had purchased both seats. “Sir, your assigned seat is 22C,” she said firmly. “You’ll need to return to it.” He eventually left, while his girlfriend continued insulting Carly. Carly reported the harassment to the crew, who filed a report.

A few days later, the airline emailed Carly and told her the couple had been flagged in its system. She also received 10,000 bonus miles as compensation. But the experience gave her something more important than miles: confidence. Carly realized she did not need to apologize for taking up space she had paid for.

“I don’t have to earn the right to be treated with basic respect.”