Nick

What is Fat Acceptance?

Fri, 14/05/2010 - 4:48pm | by

I’m currently laying in bed feeling a little under the weather. I’ve never really found a comfortable position to lay down and use a laptop, but this is as good as any.

This week there has been a lot of talk regarding Mia Freedman’s recent blog posts on gainers and how she believes they are glorifying obesity. I have no intention of linking to the post; you can find it through a Google search but I have no intention of providing any more readers to that blog post.

Those of you who know me well know that I don’t take a lot of time out of my day to read the blogs of the fatosphere. I certainly don’t read Mama Mia, which seems to be a blog about women’s fashion, body image and similar. The first I had heard of the blog post and the ensuing debate was yesterday morning when contacted by a producer for the Steve Vizard radio show on 3MTR in Melbourne.

So despite my ignorance, I read the blog post and it actually seemed pretty innocuous to me. Then again, I’ve read on a few other sites that it has been edited to tone down the language. The comments are still full of fat hatred and I would think that someone in Mia’s position would realise the need to moderate the discussion to remove the blatantly fat phobic comments.

She also didn’t do herself any favours by suggesting fat activists had eaten a “big bowl of crazy for breakfast” in one of her comments. Actually, that entire comment seems to show that she doesn’t understand fat acceptance.

So what is fat acceptance? This will mean different things to differnet people. To me, fat acceptance is about learning to love and accept yourself for who you are, no matter your weight, shape and size. It is also accepting and respecting people no matter what shape or weight they are. If we were to throw in the idea of accepting people no matter their religion, colour, or ethnic background you could really turn “fat acceptance” into “human acceptance”.

The reason for a separate stream called fat acceptance is that there are issues that affect fat people that don’t affect those discriminated based on their sexuality or colour or religion. We may share some issues but we don’t share them in the same way either.

Some of the issues that I notice being a fat person is:

  • The assumption that being fat, and therefore calling someone fat, is offensive.
  • Being fat means you are disorganised, unclean and somehow defective.
  • A fat person cannot be fit and healthy.
  • Fat people must change themselves to fit the norms that are decided by the rest of society.
  • Fat people should be blamed for sky rocketing health costs.
  • A fat person cannot expect to go into a clothing store and find clothes that will fit and look good on them.
  • A fat person should expect that any health issue they suffer is because they are fat. Mental health included.

As I mentioned earlier, a producer for the Steve Vizard show on Melbourne’s 3MTR contacted me regarding the Mia Freedman incident. I did a phone interview with Steve and while we did touch on the Mia Freedman issue a bit, most of the discussion was about what fat acceptance really is and what it means to be fat. Have a listen and let me know if you think I got it right or not.

Being a fat activist means that I am fighting these issues and more every day. I don’t blog about this every day but it is important to remind ourselves regularly of what issues we face. I’ve noticed that LGBT groups get together the protest about the right to marry and that other groups have held protests over the years to fight discrimination. It’s weird that fat people don’t feel the need to get together and fight this stuff ‘in the field’.

Perhaps fat people are used to being put in the corner. Perhaps we feel it is our deserved place; after all that is what everyone tells us.

What do you think?

Related posts:

  1. Blogging in the Fat-o-Sphere – one man’s story
  2. More self acceptance and an introduction of sorts
  3. Sometimes it isn’t easy being fat. That’s OK.
  4. Fit or Fat – they aren’t mutually exclusive (also, other ramblings)
  5. On fat, exercise and anxiety

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  • http://bilt4hugin.livejournal.com Bilt4Cmfrt

    At the very heart of the issue of Fat Acceptance and the opposition it experiences from the general public is the concept of 'change' We will often run into, frankly, almost hysterical resistance from both race and sexual orientation advocates with even the suggestion that size discrimination shares ANY similarities with those two movements. Why? The argument they often quote is 'People can't change the color of your skin and sexual orientation has a genetic component. If fat people feel discriminated against, they can just lose weight.' A pretty ludicrous argument when you consider that body size ALSO has a strong genetic component. Add to that bit of illogic the fact that discrimination against another human being for ANY distinct difference of color, ideal, religion, ability, size, or shape IS STILL DISCRIMINATION, and you get the basic disconnect between the general public and how fat people are perceived around the world. 'You don't like it? Lose weight.' Full Stop. Literally. It sometimes seems that even people's thought processes come to a complete halt as well.

    The idea that it's 'just that simple' is so pervasive that it often has people who are, themselves, fat absolutely convinced that it's subjective truth applies to everyone. And the anti-logic of THAT has got a lot of them so screwed up that it forces them to either hate THEMSELVES, exist in a state of self-denial, or in continuous attempts at self modification (some would call it self-abuse). The one thing they can't bare to accept, the one thing the world won't let them forget is totally unacceptable, is themselves AS fat. Or, in a lot of cases, anyone who's also fat and claims to accept themselves. The message is, of course, that fat people (themselves included) can only be disgusting, defective, or dying. And that message is so constantly hammered home with such feverish intensity that people will often end up rejecting the very IDEA of any kind of solidarity through commonality. They say there are none less tolerant than an ex-smokers. Well, self-hating fat people, especially those who have managed to lose weight and even those who are STILL fat, can easily be worse.

    To my mind, this is why Fat Acceptance is an important cause. It's not about giving up on anything but the hatred of fat PEOPLE. And that means SELF-hate too.

  • Regina T

    You put into words exactly what I haven't been able to in regards to the pairing of size discrimination with other groups who are discriminated against. This: “Add to that bit of illogic the fact that discrimination against another human being for ANY distinct difference of color, ideal, religion, ability, size, or shape IS STILL DISCRIMINATION, and you get the basic disconnect between the general public and how fat people are perceived around the world.” Pointing out the enormous perception that all a fat person has to do is “change” is dead on. Even with the growing research that states that upwards of 70% of a person's size is genetic, fat people are STILL expected to fight their own genetics and CHANGE. Nevermind the plethora of research that shows that diets DONT WORK, or the reality that people of size are treated differently/denied access/denied promotions and jobs/denied insurance/insulted and degraded by doctors, employers, and basically anyone just because they are fat. That's not discrimination because all that person has to do is “change”. There are lots of methods and products out there that allow people to “change” their appearance, yet no one tries to shame those groups ON A DAILY BASIS into using those products and methods to “change”. Yet, we fatties are told all the time that we are morally flawed, despite all the research AND having to endure some of the EXACT negativity (only with different words) that other groups face.

    This is why we don't rally, unite and protest. Because we feel ashamed at our inability to change into a more socially acceptable body. Because many of us think (despite the evidence against it) that all we have to do is stick to a diet and exercise program, have more willpower, save enough money for the surgery, hate ourselves MORE, and we will be just as thin as they want us to be. There is a tiny part of us that believes what they say is true and that it's “just that easy” to change.

    It has only been two years or so since I have begun to embrace the fundamentals of Fat Acceptance. I've always been a person who displays self confidence openly, and have often surprised my friends when I revealed that I loathe my body and am pursuing yet another diet. They often told me that they thought I was “okay” with my body the way it was and are shocked that I was so unhappy about it on the inside. Since embracing FA, I find self love is STILL a battle I wage regularly. A lifetime of being brainwashed into believing that my body just wasn't good enough for even myself makes this journey a difficult one. I am saddened at the amount of time I have lost loathing the very thing I should be loving without judgement or exceptions. When I am feeling confident about my new found self love, it doesn't last long because I am constantly bombarded with news stories, new drugs, new diets, insults, and negativity because I DARE to be happy and fat. I'm accused of being in denial because I can't possibly be happy with my 400 lb self. Those things sink in and pull the plug on my positive self feelings, and I have to start again the uphill climb into basic self love.

  • Regina T

    You put into words exactly what I haven't been able to in regards to the pairing of size discrimination with other groups who are discriminated against. This: “Add to that bit of illogic the fact that discrimination against another human being for ANY distinct difference of color, ideal, religion, ability, size, or shape IS STILL DISCRIMINATION, and you get the basic disconnect between the general public and how fat people are perceived around the world.” Pointing out the enormous perception that all a fat person has to do is “change” is dead on. Even with the growing research that states that upwards of 70% of a person's size is genetic, fat people are STILL expected to fight their own genetics and CHANGE. Nevermind the plethora of research that shows that diets DONT WORK, or the reality that people of size are treated differently/denied access/denied promotions and jobs/denied insurance/insulted and degraded by doctors, employers, and basically anyone just because they are fat. That's not discrimination because all that person has to do is “change”. There are lots of methods and products out there that allow people to “change” their appearance, yet no one tries to shame those groups ON A DAILY BASIS into using those products and methods to “change”. Yet, we fatties are told all the time that we are morally flawed, despite all the research AND having to endure some of the EXACT negativity (only with different words) that other groups face.

    This is why we don't rally, unite and protest. Because we feel ashamed at our inability to change into a more socially acceptable body. Because many of us think (despite the evidence against it) that all we have to do is stick to a diet and exercise program, have more willpower, save enough money for the surgery, hate ourselves MORE, and we will be just as thin as they want us to be. There is a tiny part of us that believes what they say is true and that it's “just that easy” to change.

    It has only been two years or so since I have begun to embrace the fundamentals of Fat Acceptance. I've always been a person who displays self confidence openly, and have often surprised my friends when I revealed that I loathe my body and am pursuing yet another diet. They often told me that they thought I was “okay” with my body the way it was and are shocked that I was so unhappy about it on the inside. Since embracing FA, I find self love is STILL a battle I wage regularly. A lifetime of being brainwashed into believing that my body just wasn't good enough for even myself makes this journey a difficult one. I am saddened at the amount of time I have lost loathing the very thing I should be loving without judgement or exceptions. When I am feeling confident about my new found self love, it doesn't last long because I am constantly bombarded with news stories, new drugs, new diets, insults, and negativity because I DARE to be happy and fat. I'm accused of being in denial because I can't possibly be happy with my 400 lb self. Those things sink in and pull the plug on my positive self feelings, and I have to start again the uphill climb into basic self love.

  • http://www.fatuosity.net/ sizeoftheocean

    Kathleen LeBesco has written a little bit about the impact of fat shame on fat activism – I can't find it now, but it's in her book Revolting Bodies? The Struggle to Redefine Fat Identity.

    As for fat mass protests, they have happened in certain places over certain issues, but as far as I'm aware, so far only in the US, where issues like health care are more pressing. I know NAAFA has organised protest gatherings, there are No Diet Day groups, fat dance parties, fat swimming parties (Chunky Dunk in Portland), events like Fat of the Land (in the UK)…there's heaps of fat activism happening 'in the field'. We might not be marching down Swanston St to lobby for legislation change, but…what legislation would we be lobbying to change? It's worth thinking about specific goals. Though, I'm not convinced of the effectiveness of marches and similar actions – I find the cultural politics of the fatosphere and the events mentioned above to have more impact on attitudes.

  • http://www.fat-film.com Jennifer Jonassen

    Hello! My name is Jennifer Jonassen and I wanted to share this link to our trailer on size acceptance due out soon! We could use all the support we can get so please feel free to repost and comment! Thanks so much for your consideration and congrats with your blog!

    http://www.fat-film.com

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4fRuRoXhXs&play…

    Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FAT-Julian-Dahls-…

  • nitrojane

    This was great, Nick – good job on the interview.

  • Piggisoo

    You were fantastic, very good interview Nick.

  • Fenn

    You know, I have to say that I haven't experienced a lot of love among the different groups that combat discrimination. Even within the LGBT (of which, I'm a member( community, there are stereotypes about bisexuals and misunderstandings about people with different gender thoughts (not sure how to phrase that without saying, “gender issues” and making it sound negative). It doesn't really surprise me that among all the different groups, there is little support for us fatties.

    That being said, I really appreciate how you phrased what fat acceptance means. I feel like I often seem defiant against what is the true norm. Instead of being someone who is part of discrimination and who suffers under all of the bias, I feel like I am some sort of subculture, defying the socially accepted norm. (Which maybe is a part of this.) The points to me that really hit home are the health care issues. It really, really bothers me that fat is considered a death sentence, when I'm fitter than many of my skinny friends. It also bothers me that we're the scapegoat for health care costs. How is that even remotely logical?

    Anyway, thanks for a great post!

  • Vandal Dome

    Hey, wonderful blog you have here! Keep up the excellent job