I am more than a fat person. I am deeply passionate about politics. I love reading. I am an advocate for human rights. I'm one of the biggest pop culture geeks in the 'verse. I am a volunteer for mental health organisations. I am an animal rights activist. I have the dirtiest sense of humour of all my friends. I love photography and home renovation. I love gardening in my veggie patch. Yep, I eat veggies! And I'm still fat! I'm a vegetarian, in fact, so it offends me when people tell me to put down the bucket of KFC - the truth is i rarely eat fast food because there is little that is tasty and available to me. But even if there were? I probably wouldn't eat it then, either.

I am a human being first and foremost. I have feelings. I feel pain the same way a thin person feels pain. I am hurt by hurtful comments. But the likelihood is that outside of the FA sphere, people wont see that. People see me as a fatty, and that's it.

"It's just calories in calories out. You need to lose the weight for your health! STOP CLOGGING UP OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM WITH YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT I CAN DETERMINE JUST BY LOOKING AT YOU. You're fat, thus you must have type II diabetes. You're fat, so you must have heart problems. You're fat, so you deserve to be namecalled, harassed and generally looked down upon. Thinner people are better than you. You should be taxed more because you are fat. We should make doors thinner to exclude fat people. What are you talking about, fat people boost the economy because they consume more! I have the right to judge what's in your shopping trolley, because YOU ARE FAT."

Some of the above comments are on this post (which AoF's Nick was interviewed for, hi nick!) I wrote a comment in response to the other comments (engaging in this behaviour always reminds me of this comic, but when it comes to this sort of bigotry I have to speak up.) Here is the comment I wrote (which is currently awaiting moderation.)

"You are dehumanising fat people with this kind of talk. We are all individuals that are all fat for different reasons. Regardless of those reasons, you have no right to discuss what I should be doing with my body. You wouldn't want someone forcing you to do something, would you? It's so easy for you to be this way under the anonymity of the internet, but I dare you to say this to a fat person on the street. You might then see that fat people have feelings too. Yep, I'm fat. I'm also an atheist, vegetarian, self-confessed geek who loves gardening. But you have no right whatsoever to be the judge of my body, what I look like, how I act, what I buy and (maude forbid) what I eat. You should be looking at your own prejudices towards people who are different, and the hateful bigoted attitudes spewing from your mouths."

I don't want to deal with these behaviours anymore. Why can't we all just get along.

I am fat. (You may have already guessed this one, heh.) But I also have small boobs. Like, A/B Cup. It's really annoying. As my friend Kylie put it, manufacturers automatically assume that as your band size goes up so must your boob size.

Note to bra makers: THIS ISN'T TRUE FOR EVERYONE.

They simply do not make cute bras in my size. They barely make ANY bras in my size. In fact, there is ONE store in Brisbane that carries a total of ONE bra that will actually fit me properly. And it's $79, and both the straps broke within four months. And the order I made to the internet company that sells my size in bras has been delayed until September. SEPTEMBER. Sometimes I feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when they wont let her shop. I HAVE MONEY TO SPEND, WHY WONT YOU LET ME SPEND IT RETAILERS.

It is so infuriating, as I need just as much support as the next bra-wearing person. I mean, when I'm powerwalking on the treadmill I want some support. I want clothing that fits properly, and that doesn't continually shift because i'm not wearing properly fitted undergarments. I am nearly in tears as I write this because all I fucking want is a bra that fits me properly.

I am in the process of writing a very strongly worded letter to Hestia (which supposedly Holds Every Size Tit In Australia), Berlei, Bonds, and any other bra manufacturer I can think of. This letter will ask them why they don't cater to those who are larger, but with small boobs. Honestly though? I'm way too angrily passionate about this right now to word it coherently. I needed somewhere to gripe, and surely I'm not the only one here who has a large band size but smaller boobs! So if you can leave a comment that commiserates/sympathizes/tells me how to word these letters, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

"Coming up next: How to look instantly slimmer just by changing your handbag"

Oh, Oprah. I love Oprah so much. I feel like I've grown up watching her, and I really admire a lot of the things she does. I mean, she's bloody inspirational to millions of people around the globe. But sometimes? I really want to sit her down and give her a good talking to.

I am currently watching her shoe, handbag and accessory intervention show. Oh, Oprah. Please, PLEASE stop instilling the idea that slimmer = more attractive in your viewers. You are a woman in the media who has garnered an immense amount of power over the past twenty years. And if spiderman has taught me anything, it's that with great power comes great responsibility.

For the record, Oprah's show is all about how the right shoe and handbag can make you look like you've lost ten pounds.  I get that fashion is generally weight-centric. It always seems to be about looking slimmer and taller. Elongating the legs. Getting rid of those cankles by wearing impossibly high heels. But what i also realise is THAT FUCKING SUCKS.

Frankly, I HATE wearing heels. And every time i have, it's caused me extreme pain, and I just. don't. get. why we should ever make ourselves uncomfortable for fashion. Even at my sister's wedding, I wore heels for the ceremony and as soon as that was over (I was a bridesmaid) I took them off. I wore flats for all the photos, and rocked it hardcore. So what if i have cankles? My cankles are fucking beautiful, just like the rest of my body. I love fashion, and more power to you if you're comfortable wearing five inch heels. But what's the fucking point of wearing something that will inevitably fuck up your spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet - just to cave to what society thinks we should be wearing?

To me this is the same thing as being told to lose weight - because it's currently "in fashion" to be thinner. I don't want to lose weight. I don't want to look slimmer. I don't want to wear heels. And I'm still a fat, fashionable and fabulous young woman.

"Wow, you look amazing! Have you lost weight?"

I'm sure it's a phrase that everyone has heard or used at some stage in their lives. It's actually something that gets said to me a fair bit these days (coming from those few who don't know i'm involved in the Size Acceptance movement, mainly) and it really irks me. The main reason is annoys me as much as it does is that I'm fatter now than I ever have been. For the record, it's not my lack of fat that's making me look awesome; it's the fact that i am confident and in love with the person I am. I'm sexy and attractive and cute and funny and beautiful and smart and happy. And whether they realise it or not, that's the change that people are seeing in me. I look great because I love me. I'm happy with who I am.

One of my close friends has recently shed a buttload of weight, and i hadn't seen them in a while. When i saw them I was a little shocked - I said "Wow, you've lost a lot of weight!" and I didn't mean as a compliment at all. I honestly thought they might've been sick - dramatic weight losses/gains are signs of illness in my world, and I was instantly worried. But when I commented, there was a look of triumph in their face as though they had finally beaten a huge demon - the weight's off, finally i can love myself!

I love that my friend now thinks they're worthy of love, but the reality is that they always have been. I don't want to take away their happy feelings in the slightest, and believe me, I love compliments as much as the next person. And I love giving people compliments too, my mum brought me up to be this way! Whenever I see someone whose outfit I particularly like, or if they have great makeup/skin/whatever I usually tell them - even if they're a complete stranger.

But the thing of it is.... the measure of a person's worth does not lie in their looks. I'm sure we all know people who are really physically attractive (whatever that means to you) that are total douchenuggets. I know I do. And it's good to remember that what society deems attractive this month has nothing to do with your worth as a living creature. As part of the size acceptance community, it's important to discuss when someone talks in generalisations about weight. Or appearance in general, actually. Nobody has a right to speak to you about how good (or conversely how bad) being a certain size is. We are a diverse society in which there is no "right" way to be. You are who you are, and that is perfect.

How do you deal with these sorts of "compliments", both to yourself and others? Am I over-analyzing again? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

We are a weight obsessed society. It's everywhere; from TV to magazines to bloody facebook. Lose 5kg in one week! Dance yourself slim! Eat only cabbage soup and you too can look like me! Negative calorie water, YESS! Celebrities (who seem to be the body ideal for many) have abs just two weeks after giving birth, lest they be seen on the cover of a magazine looking less than svelte. And so there are programs for us regular schlumps so we too can look as good as those celebrities! HOORAY FOR WEIGHT WATCHERS!!

Look, here's the thing. I just can't get behind Weight Watchers. I have grown up with the whole thing drilled into me from a very early age (my aunt has been a WW fanatic for nearly all of my life) and knowing my personality, I'm sure this makes me totally biased against the whole program. I get that. And perhaps it's just the way my aunt did the program, but I cannot see where the value lies, other than making a person feel inadequate about their current size and enhancing their need to fit into one particular beauty ideal. And when I see a company that whose entire business revolves around losing weight, of making people count points towards everything they eat, of receiving extra points if you exercise.... it honestly makes me think of someone with disordered eating. Because those things I just mentioned? They are all signs of an eating disorder.

And yes, I am fully aware of the confidence it can give individuals, but I don't know if we as a society should be congratulating people merely for losing weight. Doesn't that just perpetuate the cycle of thinner = better? Beauty should not revolve around weight. Beauty is confidence; beauty is standing up for yourself; beauty is the ability to say you are beautiful and really mean it, regardless of what "society" tells us.

My aunt (bless her heart) gave me a couple of WW points books when I was in my teenage years.  I remember being totally saddened when I had something like 18 points allotted to me for one day, and a slice of cheesecake was 17 points. Given my penchant for cheesecake, you can imagine that I didn't follow the whole WW ideology for too long. I get that they don't promote eating only cheesecake in a day, for what it's worth. But why even give people the option of points if they can't "spend" them how they see fit?

I know quite a few people who either participate in or agree with the idea of WW, and far be it from me to tell people what to do. I think a lot of people go for the community WW gives them - you get to meet people who share similar stories; you can commiserate with their trials and celebrate with their triumphs. I totally get that - I just wish there were groups available to people that don't intertwine someone's value with what they weigh. Focus on healthful eating, focus on exercise, but fuckdammit. Stop focusing on your weight as an indicator of your worth. You are more than a number on a scale.

Have you had a positive WW experience, or know someone who has? Do you think this business (and others like it) are a good, bad or neutral thing? Am I totally off-base with my opinions? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Four or so months ago I became a vegetarian. This was because I thought it was hypocritical for me to eat meat; if I can't actually deal with seeing an animal slaughtered, why should I be eating them? I don't think this is the right viewpoint for everyone, and I would never -ever- lecture a person about what they eat. Like everything what people eat is a personal choice.

Previously I have ranted about Jamie Oliver and his quest to end fat people. I am being hyperbolic when I say that; I think Jamie Oliver's intentions are actually not that bad. He's trying to educate people about what food is good for your health. Now I don't necessarily think he's going about it in the right way (shock tactics and body shaming suck, yo) but I do recognise he's trying to make the world a better place. (And by better I do not mean thinner.) His methods are in a similar vein to Michelle Obama's. She is trying to get people moving and eating more healthfully and that's a fantastic goal. Unfortunately she's doing it by creating the action to end childhood obesity. All this kind of initiative does is shame kids (and adults) who are obese. And while I'm sure that wasn't her intention, the fact of the matter is that people are going to take a volatile topic such as fat and skew the information to whatever they think is right. Fat kids will continue to be bullied simply for being fat; fat adults will associate the way they look with something bad - thus promoting negative body image. This in turn (however accidentally) promotes an industry that teaches people the way the way you look has direct correlation to your health and attractiveness, so you should change that at any cost.

It's all too easy to blame particular groups for the world's woes when really we should be tackling deeper problems; ones that investigate WHY people are the way they are. Often when I bring facts up to people who know little about the size acceptance movement, they say that the idea just gives fat people an "easy out" or an excuse to be lazy. That people are fat because they don't do enough exercise and they eat like shit. After all, it's just "calories in, calories out" right? First off, I hate it when people have said that to me, and be prepared to be verbally bitchslapped if you do. Secondly, saying something like that brings a complex societal issue with many different causes down to a few cliche catchphrases that aren't true for every person. For some people it might be calories in calories out, but not for everyone. And even if that IS the case, what right does anyone have in making a judgement over how a person eats or exercises? Even if you look at it from a health perspective instead of a size outlook, what right does anyone have to comment on how my health should be? It's my body and my choice. As long as I am not hurting anyone else, I will always feel this way. And frankly, if people were really concerned about health and not weight, then they would preach to everyone equally. I have always eaten more healthfully than my sister who is a size six - why isn't anyone lecturing her about the benefits of eating more fruit and vegies instead of meringues and packets of nerds?

One of the tactics Jamie Oliver always tries to use is showing that it takes less time to cook a good healthy meal his way than it is to stick something in the microwave. By doing this, he's skirting the one of the actual issues. People don't cook full meals from scratch because it might require using a food processor/frying pan/mixmaster/chopping board, and all of those things require cleanup after use. Microwave meals and/or fast food can usually be eaten straight out of their packages. For convenience's sake I know what I'd choose. Convenience foods are booming because people have less time and willingness to spend on cooking. I totally get it. I don't agree with it, but I get it!

Another issue I struggle with is that I don't think it's anyone's business on what I eat or how much I exercise. I think as long as a person is educated about what they are eating, then they should be able to eat anything they like. I mean, I have a penchant for a good butter chicken. Now I don't use chicken these days, but it's still gt a buttload of butter and cream in it, and I recognise this isn't going to be the best thing for my health. I know that having too much of it is going to end up raising my cholesterol levels, and heart problems run in my family. I am aware of the health issues associated with eating the way I sometimes do, but in the end it comes down to it being my choice. I don't insist that anyone else eat or think the way I do, and so I don't think it's anyone's business but my own. I'm well educated on what may happen to my body if I eat the foods I do. I am aware that I probably wont live until I'm 100 years old. But that's okay for me. I'm not suicidal either - I just want to eat what my body wants without being shamed by society.

To eat or not to eat - that is the question! Leave your thoughts about this topic in the comments below.

I have a friend who hates the way he looks. He hates that he is fat. He thinks women aren't attracted to him sexually because he is short and fat. He sees men in relationships who are thinner or taller or more muscular and he thinks the fault is his. That he needs to change physically. He thinks that women will want to date him if he is thinner. Every time I see him he talks about being lonely, and if he loses the weight then someone might finally want to be with him. I wish I could help him see his worth. I write this entry for him.

First off, I hate that we live in a society which devalues people who don't fit the cultural ideal of attractive. Fuck that attractive, seriously. A person's worth should not be judged on what they look like. All people are intrinsically worthy whether they are fat, thin, short, tall, young, old, black, white, brown, yellow, or fucking polkadot. Or anything else! You are worthy of love just as you are. You are beautiful just as you are. You do not deserve to be judged by yourself or others because you are better than that. You are worth more than that.

If you think you should lose weight so you can date more people, you should be asking yourself if those people are really worth dating. If they only want to get to know you when you are thinner then they do not deserve the brilliance that is you. They don't deserve you - it's not the other way around if they are judging you on how you look. If they can't see how fucking beautiful you are, then hold out for better because you deserve it. You deserve the best. You deserve exactly who and what you want. You are worth more than your body, even though your body is more beautiful than I could ever convey.

Losing weight isn't going to make you any more attractive. It'll just to make you thinner. Real attraction comes from loving who you are, as you are. Real beauty comes from within.

I am fat. I am relatively unhealthy. I do not exercise more than the occasional Zumba dance, and that's because I find it fun and not exercise! I eat what I want when I want and I am happy being this way. Recently I have been unwell, and most likely will be for the next few months due to an extended convalescence. It sucks, but I have only just realised that having this extended down time has sent me into a shame spiral about my lifestyle.

I have noticed on more than one blog that being a "good fat" comes with a disclaimer of the "health at every size" mantra, which includes looking after your body by exercising and eating intuitively regardless of how you look. Now I love the concept of Health at Every Size, even if I don't particularly follow it past intuitive eating. It's important for me to recognise that people can be their own versions of healthy and happy whether they are a size zero or a size fifty. It's a great idea that is being promoted, but it's also frustrating when "bad fats" are ganged up for not following that lifestyle to the letter.

What I think is important to remember is this: if you are fat, unhealthy, eat what you want and never exercise then that doesn't make you a bad person. You are you and that is just that. Being unhealthy and being fat are not synonymous but even if they were? It deserves no moral judgement. You may be fat. Society doesn't want you to know this, but that's a morally neutral place to be. It's the same as having curly hair, or large feet. There is no such thing as a good fat person or a bad fat person any more than there are good thin people or bad thin people. We are individuals and should determine what is right for us and nobody else. The way someone looks should not determine what we think of them because that's no better than discriminating against someone because of the colour of their skin, or their gender, or their religion. 

If someone is trying to tell you that you should look, think or act a certain way then try and discover their motives. Ask them why they think it's important and really listen to their reasoning. Tell them the reasons for your lifestyle choices, regardless of what they are. And if they use the "we're concerned for your health" comment, i suggest calmly stating that you are in control of your body and can do what you want with it. Be confident in your choice, but not defensive - you know what is right for you, and calmly stating that will help them see that you are in control. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about your decisions, as they are yours and yours alone. Unless you are incapable of making those decisions for yourself, you have a right to choose your life.  You are the only person who knows what is right for you!

These are all just my opinions, obviously. What do you think?

In the vast amount of time I spend on the internet (it's sickening, really) I came across a website called Style Shake which allows you to somewhat design and create your own tops, bottoms, and dresses. Users can choose from UK sizes 6-18, with the ability to customise your measurements exactly with a made to measure option for an $8 fee.

It's a fantastic concept in my opinion, and I do hope they continue by expanding size and style ranges. Yesterday I sent them a message asking if they went above size 18, and yes they do! All their patterns are digital and to go larger than that they would have to make a manual pattern, which would cost 20 pounds extra. I don't know what this involves so I can't really say if it's a fair price or not, but I really like that there's a company that doesn't automatically exclude or not think of larger fats. Hopefully eventually they will have larger plus digital patterns so I wouldn't have to pay that extra - 20 pounds is a lot of cash when you convert it to australian monies!

I've heard from several sources that the quality of their pieces is very high. For me I would prefer fewer quality pieces that last for years as opposed to lots of things that will go meh after several wears, but I do understand that's more personal choice and finances than anything else. I've played around a bit with their style designer, and it's pretty neat. I love the idea of being able to specifically get something for my style, my body and my taste. The thing about fashion is that it's different for everyone - it'd be lovely to customise to exactly what I like, yaknow? That being said, I don't know if my wallet can ever justify the expense... hrm.

So readers, would you pay the extra? Have you had any experience with this company before? Wanna buy me an outfit? Leave a comment below!

I have been quite unwell recently, and have subsequently spent a large chunk of my time watching gloriously bad trash television. E! and the Style Network have become an unusual crutch in my down time. And when I say crutch, I mean hopeless addiction that may never be cured. Because I don't currently have the mental capacity for anything too thought-provoking, I have seen both of these channels as beacons of entertainment. It's basically makeover shows and celebrity happenings, as far as I can tell. Chewing gum for the mind most definitely. That being said, I did learn something today.

I was watching a recap of Joan Rivers bashing celebrities for what they wear. Joan being Joan, I can't hate her - she's caustic and cynical and downright mean sometimes, but there's something about her i find truly endearing. It made me think, though. How often do I go out and mentally note other people's clothing/demeanour? I know that I've done it before. I remember thinking "Oh no, she should NOT be wearing that!" as someone walked by me at the shops once.

And now it hits me how much this attitude SUCKS. What right do I (or anyone for that matter) have on saying what a person should or should not be wearing? Why are fashion "rules" so deeply ingrained in me?  Have I just been watching too much Trinny and Susannah? Is society to blame? Family? The media? Am *i* to blame?

Lil' Kim has graced many a "worst dressed" list during her years as a celebrity. And I don't think I'd ever wear an ensemble like the one above, but fuckdammit! She should be commended for having the courage to wear what she wants, and not what someone told her to wear. (If that's the case, which let's assume it is for the sake of this argument.) It's fucking ridiculous to judge anyone based on what they're wearing - if I do that then I'm no better than someone judging me because I'm fat.

So tell me, readers - what's your opinion? Have you ever judged someone based on what they're wearing? And are celebrities asking for it, since they are the ones who put themselves in the limelight? What about people who post their own pictures on a blog? Leave your thoughts below.