- I do not define myself as either a “good” or a “bad” fatty. I am just fat. Fat is not a moral issue. Nor is food.
- But society does divide fat people in that manner. To some extent, a fat person can earn a ‘pass’ or at least avoid a ‘fail’ by following the ‘rules’ (wear black, be well groomed, eat only salad, exercise, blah, blah, blah) and - of course - by showing an ‘appropriate’ amount of shame and a desire to ‘rectify’ the situation. It’s bullshit, but it occurs. It’s the “I don’t think of you as a fat person” phenomenon.
- I do, myself, follow HAES - and I do, myself, advocate it as a sane, holistic approach to mental, emotional and physical health. I interpret it as discarding an arbitrary set of rules for “health” and, instead, learning to follow one’s own instinct with regards to food, exercise and the body’s needs - what works for you.
- But that doesn’t mean I am better or worse than … anyone.
- I believe that we are all learning to have perfect self acceptance and body acceptance. It’s a journey, sure, but do we every really reach the destination?
- I welcome any fat activism. Period.
- Discussion of fat and health is important and valid and serves a purpose. Mythbusting is good.
- But “fat people can be healthy” is not the only message we need to convey.
- And we (note the ‘we’) need to check our unconscious biases in at the door.
- Each of us needs to fully consider how we as individuals want to participate in that activism. What works for some, won’t work for others.
- Fat Acceptance is (clearly!) not monolithic. Nor should it be. We have a range of view points, a range of goals, and a range of ideas on how best to achieve those goals. That’s great. Every little raindrop counts.
- I am not asking anyone to moderate what they say so as “not to offend” - but I do believe that, periodically, we need to look at who we (again, note the ‘we’) may unintentionally be marginalising. This is the same for any movement.
- And discussion about the best strategy to counter the arguments of the opposition can’t be a bad thing, can it?
- Finally, asking the Fatosphere as a whole to reassess our unconscious biases and/or knee-jerk reactions (and evaluate whether they are continuing to work for us or not) does not equate to criticism, finger pointing or lack of appreciation for past and present contributions. Really.
Some brief thoughts, and I’ll leave it at that.
Published Thursday, 20 March 2008 Blogging , Fat Acceptance , Fat Activism , Fatadelic , Rants , Size AcceptanceTags: oh boy
Exactly!
Thank-you for your eloquence.
Thanks Bri.
Made of 100% win.
Fabulous!
Just, Fabulous!
I’m pointing people this direction and I’d like to print this and keep a copy with me at all times!
Fatadelic? I think I love you. That is all.
I think you make many good points, but I have to say, I just haven’t seen a lot of “good” vs “bad” fatty attitudes in the fatosphere. It’s something I encounter in mainstream culture all the time, but I don’t hear that kind of stuff from fat activists or read it on fat positive blogs. Yet suddenly, every fat blog I read is talking about the good/bad fatty issue as if it’s a big problem with fat activists. I agree with Kate Harding that this discussion on the fat positive blogs recently is really about a straw fatty.
Lindsay, Beckduer and Twistie - Thanks. :)
Lynnie:
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I for one have never said that any Fat Activist divides people into “good” or “bad” fatties. I have said -repeatedly - that how we approach debate and respond to attack from fat-haters can play into those exact same attitudes you “encounter in mainstream culture all the time”.
Which is not a straw fatty.
Nor is the Fatosphere is an echo chamber - for anyone. Diversity of opinion is a good thing and should be encouraged.