as a fat woman, you have no idea how much writings like this mean to me. even amongst (mostly skinny and able bodied) activists, i sometimes felt like they didn’t see fatphobia as something that’s to be fought against. that being fat is more of a choice than anything else, and therefore an individual problem. yes, we/they agree that bullying people’s bad, but actually speaking out about the systemic issues that a fatphobic society upholds? rarely. if ever. so, thanks for this. much love to you. xx
Naomi Wolf, whatever you think of her later career trajectory, was absolutely on it in The Beauty Myth. A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, but an obsession about female obedience.
Jessica, you hit the nail on the head with this piece! I had surgery a couple of months ago and ended up losing a bunch of weight after (I had a terrible reaction to the anesthesia). My muscle + strength was/is gone - I'm the least healthy I've been in a while. I finally got back into the gym again last week and everyone in my gym class kept telling me how good I looked - how HEALTHY I looked (even though it couldn't be further from the truth). We've been brainwashed into believing that thin = right/better/healthy/good - it's appalling. Keep up the stellar writing, friend!
I want to thank you so much for this article. I’ve been dealing with body dysmorphia and the need to accommodate myself into society by losing weight but still making sure that I had the hourglass figure while also having family pressuring you into fitting their view of beauty while they themselves are fat. I’ve expressed myself how I’ve been affected by this as a chubby person in a post. It feels refreshing seeing posts like these; thank you again!!! xx
Exactly!!! Yes, being overweight/obese is unhealthy. People with health issues (of any kind) still deserve to be treated with basic human decency, though.
Fat phobia has always been an acceptable form of hate and having been fat most my life and now thin the distinction is jarring… and yet I knew in my soul it would be but what I wasn’t prepared for is by how much. Skinny privilege? Right up there with pretty privilege. Going through life being overweight- is just a staggering amount of outward and subtle hate and loathing from others. And unless you have ever been overweight you will never truly know how horrible it can be. Thank you for writing this
I've almost always been the bigger, taller, wider friend. When I was a teenager I was horrified of the baggy outfits trend because I used clothes to show that I COULD be skinny by wearing tight ass everything.
as a fat woman, you have no idea how much writings like this mean to me. even amongst (mostly skinny and able bodied) activists, i sometimes felt like they didn’t see fatphobia as something that’s to be fought against. that being fat is more of a choice than anything else, and therefore an individual problem. yes, we/they agree that bullying people’s bad, but actually speaking out about the systemic issues that a fatphobic society upholds? rarely. if ever. so, thanks for this. much love to you. xx
Naomi Wolf, whatever you think of her later career trajectory, was absolutely on it in The Beauty Myth. A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, but an obsession about female obedience.
Jessica, you hit the nail on the head with this piece! I had surgery a couple of months ago and ended up losing a bunch of weight after (I had a terrible reaction to the anesthesia). My muscle + strength was/is gone - I'm the least healthy I've been in a while. I finally got back into the gym again last week and everyone in my gym class kept telling me how good I looked - how HEALTHY I looked (even though it couldn't be further from the truth). We've been brainwashed into believing that thin = right/better/healthy/good - it's appalling. Keep up the stellar writing, friend!
I want to thank you so much for this article. I’ve been dealing with body dysmorphia and the need to accommodate myself into society by losing weight but still making sure that I had the hourglass figure while also having family pressuring you into fitting their view of beauty while they themselves are fat. I’ve expressed myself how I’ve been affected by this as a chubby person in a post. It feels refreshing seeing posts like these; thank you again!!! xx
🙏
well no, disability is.
Exactly!!! Yes, being overweight/obese is unhealthy. People with health issues (of any kind) still deserve to be treated with basic human decency, though.
Great article, feeling healthy and strong does not have to mean thin.
Fat phobia has always been an acceptable form of hate and having been fat most my life and now thin the distinction is jarring… and yet I knew in my soul it would be but what I wasn’t prepared for is by how much. Skinny privilege? Right up there with pretty privilege. Going through life being overweight- is just a staggering amount of outward and subtle hate and loathing from others. And unless you have ever been overweight you will never truly know how horrible it can be. Thank you for writing this
You write so powerfully. It's intelligent, witty, accessible, and just downright honest. Never stop speaking your mind with such strength!!!
Thank you very much for this. Hopefully we can change the narrative one step at a time
I was just having a conversation about this the other day. Why is the goal for women to be smaller, not stronger?
I've almost always been the bigger, taller, wider friend. When I was a teenager I was horrified of the baggy outfits trend because I used clothes to show that I COULD be skinny by wearing tight ass everything.