tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64909802024-03-05T19:59:01.197-05:00Red No. 3Dangerous Fat AcceptanceBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.comBlogger474125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-76191343447003757432016-06-28T00:00:00.002-04:002016-06-28T00:00:27.116-04:00Permanent HiatusTo state the probably obvious, I'm not really using this blog any more. You can find me on <a href="http://twitter.com/red3blog">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> (though not even there much). At some point, I might migrate some of my fat liberation essays from Tumblr back over here for posterity. Or at least as much as posterity is worth in the digital age.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-17518331470939653932012-06-17T15:00:00.000-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.348-04:00Facebook and bigotry without maliceOn Friday, <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/25190106281/a-visual-representation-of-the-marginalization-of">I posted a graphic on my Tumblr </a>that visually represented the difference in search results between "fat acceptance" and both "dieting" and "weight loss". The difference was very stark and was meant as an illustration of the marginalization of fat acceptance for those who routinely look at the world portrayed in this pictures and complain about how <a href="http://fatcarriesflavor.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/here-we-go-again/">the red leaves no room for the gray</a>.<br />
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Two of my readers responded to note with alarm that when they searched "fat acceptance" on Facebook, it gave dieting results. When I first read this, I took this to mean that they permitted dieting results to be catagorized with fat acceptance, or perhaps more likely the reverse. I was alarmed to discover it was actually much worse.</div>
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As of Saturday night, when you entered "fat acceptance" in the search bar on Facebook and pressed enter, Facebook redirected you instead to a page about dieting complete with a stock photo of a scale. <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/25251566814/this-is-what-happens-when-you-search-facebook-for">I posted about this on Tumblr</a>, and people quickly protested to Facebook only to discover the actual page on fat acceptance was, itself, replaced with the content of the dieting page. I think complaints have stopped the redirect, but as of this morning the content of "Fat Acceptance" was still copied from a Dieting article. This kind of erasure of fat acceptance is appalling and entirely intolerable. So, naturally, what happened next were a handful of people insisting we needed to tolerate this.</div>
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Some were naked in their bigotry. It wasn't a problem that fat acceptance was being so literally disenfranchised because fat acceptance doesn't deserve to be. This is predictable, sadly. Unfortunately, so too were the hordes ready and eager to not simply excuse Facebook for having this on their site by to mock us as stupid for even being upset by it. We had no right to blame Facebook.</div>
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See, I thought the fact that this search result come through Facebook's own site and had their logo right at the top of the page and their site in the URL all tended to point to Facebook's accountability, but that was obviously foolish of me. You see, Facebook simply took this content from Wikipedia and someone on Wikipedia had "vandalized" the fat acceptance page to redirect to dieting.</div>
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<a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/">So?</a></div>
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I mean, I already figured this out. The page says its from Wikipedia. This struck me as the likely sequence of events. I just fail to see how this excuses Facebook. But then, I don't think oppression only matters when its done with malice.</div>
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This is a distressingly common belief from persons with privilege who want to police the outrage of marginalized groups. They seek to maintain and enforce their privilege by denying as much oppression as possible. Unless Facebook did this "on purpose" they are blameless. It doesn't even matter that this actually was done with malice by the "vandal" who did this at Wikipedia. Heck, just dismissing that act as vandalism and not bigotry is a way of trying to define the argument to their advantage. This isn't some dynamic exclusive to fat people, of course. It never is. Think of the white people who limit outrage over racism to the KKK and feel smugly satisfied with themselves as they ignore institutionalized racism that defies a sharply defined party to blame but result from a culture of oppression.</div>
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Oppression isn't only committed by secret cabals of bigots in dark room plotting to silence the already disenfranchised. I didn't imagine that someone at the Facebook corporate office plotted this. I think they were negligent. They exploit copy from Wikipedia knowing full well of the risks its open source nature carries to allow bigots to alter the content. Everyone knows that. Facebook may not have made a choice to specifically empower these bigots, but they made a choice that empowered bigotry. Indeed, is it that hard to conceive that hate-minded people have taken the time to figure Facebook's schedule for pulling content from Wikipedia and time their vandalism to ensure the widest audience for their hate? There are so many dark corners of the internet where hateful people actually plotting to advance the cause of oppression. Those corners may not be in the corporate offices of Facebook, but that didn't stop Facebook from this negligence.</div>
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Oppression from negligence and thoughtlessness is an all too real problem and not one hard to understand when it targets you. I understand why people with privilege would want to insist that "motive" matter above all, but <a href="http://www.shakesville.com/2011/12/harmful-communication-part-one-intent.html">intent is not magic</a>. Intent does not change the facts of what happened. Intent does not erase the harm or undo the erasure. Great harm is done in this world by those who did not intend it. Facebook may have empowered bigotry without malice, but that doesn't change the fact that they gave power and resources to advance a bigoted mission. They must be accountable for that.<br />
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<b>UPDATE:</b> As of Monday afternoon, June 18, Facebook has updated the "Fat Acceptance" page so it has the proper content and doesn't redirect to Dieting. That this has been corrected is welcome, but it also doesn't absolve Facebook for responsibility for empowering bigotry like this in the first place.</div>
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</div>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-64216611891358475072012-05-21T14:15:00.002-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.538-04:00Anyway you look at it, we're wrongThe other day, I accidentally exposed myself to bit of gossipy fat shaming over a celebrity's pregnancy related weight gain. I usually try to avoid this sort of thing, but that's the problem with a pervasive culture of fat stigmatization. You can try to mitigate it, but its far too present to ever be able to just ignore.<br />
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I quickly realized, though, that there were actually three "scandals" I was aware of at the moment relating to new mothers getting shamed for for their bodies. That seems like more than is even usual, but that may be because the intense "gotchya" instinct to root out any celebrities not doing their "job" and being thin and pretty at all times. Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai, singer and wannabe diet spokesperson Jessica Simpson, and actress Bryce Dallas Howard have all received scrutiny for varying degrees of transgressive non-thinness. Actually, in the process of writing this post, I've also learned that former teen star Hilary Duff was also getting scorn for not being an appropriate size less than a month after the birth of her child.<br />
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Perhaps against my better judgment, I waded into the comments of an article breathlessly sharing photos of Bryce Dallas Howard. What struck me as really discouraging was how every possible angle on this endorses and affirms fat shaming. Critics and supporters of Howard, alike, consistently framed their position in a manner unflinchingly approving of fat hate. You'd think this would just be limited to the people making crass insults about her current size or those who try to seem more reasonable by setting aside snide insults in favor for solemn scolding about how motherhood is no excuse for weight gain. You expect fat hate from those camps<br />
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What's really disheartening is how the acceptable defense of Howard and other celebrities like her is framed. Her defenders may call for compassion and understanding, but only from a perspective which concedes that fat is an improper state of being. They call for compassion not because fat people deserve respect. They do so out of pity. The "understanding" they speak of is built around the idea that fat is an awful thing to have happened to them and we should all be sympathetic with their plight. Its less a retort to fat shaming, and more a call for limited restraint while we allow people perceived to be temporary fat, transactionally fat, to get their affairs in order. They have no dispute with fat people being awful. They just think some fat people can have a chance to correct themselves if the circumstances of their fatness merit pity.<br />
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In a lot of ways, I find this attitude to be far more harmful and damaging than more overt fat shaming because of the sense of smug, self-satisfaction that comes with it. Well, not just the smugness. Most fat shamers have an over-abundances of smugness and self-righteousness, but its the nature of this smugness that really gets to me. See, they are smug because they think they are different from direct fat shamers. They flatter themselves and their sense of compassion with their patronizing pity. They feel entitled to their smugness in a way that's much more harmfully self-aggrandizing than those who jump right to snark and scolding. They try to capture all the privilege that comes with being a fat shamer, but then also lay claim to being enlightened about it.<br />
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In the end, "reasonable" fat hate is what empowers it's more overt and vicious forms. It is a symbiotic relationship where the two positions try to define the discussion of fatness as a binary where both sides agree that fat people are irredeemably wrong. This is never more obvious than when I see how non-fat positive spaces "debate" fatness. Fat liberation views have no place at the table. Its just a bunch of people arguing over how best to hate us. While "reasonable" fat hate puts a lot of stock into feeling morally superior to overt fat hate, it still fundamentally affirms it as an acceptable position. The idea that a person can gain weight without this being a personal failing at all? Not so much. No, you can debate when there should be consequences for the "moral failing". You can debate how much pity to offer those beset by the moral failing. You can even make conditional excuses for the moral failing. But you cannot question its wrongness.<br />
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I know these celebrities aren't going to be the faces of fat liberation. All will almost certainly lose the weight that is expected of them by whatever means necessary and employing enormous resources that bare no resemblance to how most people live their lives. Still, in a very real way, these are who fat liberation is fighting for. We're fighting for a world where people aren't just arguing over how to best hate and discourage fat people. We're fighting for a world where someone's weight is not a condition of social acceptance. We're fighting for a world where people aren't pilloried if their body happens to change and find itself at a larger size. We're not okay with people discussing fatness so as anyway you look at it, we're wrong. We're not participating in that mindset and culture at all. We're demanding something else. Not just for the fat people who've gotten to the place where we can stand nothing else, but for us all. We deserve better. Every last one of us.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-83619687730477381142012-05-17T12:48:00.000-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.604-04:00Fat IsolationOn Tuesday over at Shakesville, Melissa McEwan wrote a really awesome piece called <a href="http://www.shakesville.com/2012/05/big-fat-love.html">Big Fat Love</a>. She provides a response to a culture of fat hatred by declaring that she likes fat people and considering why such an ordinarily benign thing to say has become an extreme and radical position in our culture. Even amongst fat people, the social conditioning to hate fatness is extremely powerful. Its hard to even fathom what we lose because of this.<br />
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In a culture of external and internal fat hatred, there is no real solidarity among fat people. Well, at least not any fat positive solidarity. There can be "solidarity" in apologetic fatness, but can such self-blaming commiseration really be seen as solidarity? Bonding in self-loathing is what has been prescribed to us by a fat shaming culture, but what about bonding through encouragement? Well, there are risks there. You see an awesome fattie out on the street and maybe you want to say "yay!" but what if they respond with embarrassment or resentment? Most of the fat people I see and interact with in my life would reject any kind of affirmational solidarity. Many would be outright offended by it! And while I can't endorse that attitude, its still one I'm forced to be bound by. You can't impose solidarity, after all. Being fat positive can mean feeling terribly isolated, even surrounded by people who look like you.<br />
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Even when we can find a sense of community, it often still bares significant risks of rejection and stigmatization. I'm reminded of my experience going to "BBW" Social dances when I was younger. I'm not sure everyone is familiar with these events, but basically they are dances run at hotels or clubs intended for fat women and men who are attracted to fat women. They tend to have a bad reputation in fat activism, and not without reasons I'll get to, but they are still profoundly revolutionary in a lot of ways. They offer a space for fat women to feel some community. To be in a room and not have to worry about standing out because they are fat. It creates a little pocket where fat people can recreate some of the experiences thin people take for granted. They don't need to be political to be really quite radical.<br />
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But, they often aren't just apolitical, and that's the issue. Because most fat people have internalized our stigmatization. Gather a bunch of fat people together, and odds are they'll mostly be unhappy being fat. And being fat does not preclude one from fat shaming others, either. It doesn't even preclude shaming oneself, after all! This where the sense of community can end up feeling illusory. If you get past the thrill of being in a room with other fat people having fun, you may feel worn down by the viciously anti-fat political nature of the community. There can be intense pressure to be apologetically fat, both through negative reactions to fat positivity, and social reinforcement of constant fat shaming discussions.<br />
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Even more genuinely radical gatherings can carry the same risks. A couple weeks ago, I went with my wife to a fat clothing flea market. I knew a bunch of radical fatties were there and there was a real thrill in knowing that, even if I was mostly just trying to stay out of the way of the shoppers. I remember feeling really inspired by the energy in the room, but I also remember the wariness in the back of my head. Fat isolation can lead to a lot of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Put a bunch of fat people in a room together, even a really positive and radical room, and there is still going to be a significant impact of internalized fat shame. And we're made to expect no different. We're made to expect fat negativity. Fat activists are routinely called on to even affirm fat negativity, as if somehow our belief in something different is a threat to all the fat negativity in the world and we need to expend our time reassuring fat negativity that we totally respect it. We are constantly being isolated in our fatness, and its draining.<br />
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This is one of the reasons I value virtual communities so strongly. They allow us to come together in ways we never can in our ordinary lives. I started typing "real lives" there, but that's wrong. This is real. The communities we can find and build online are real. When someone declares on their blog that they like fatties, that's real. When we sharing experiences and ideas on Tumblr, that's real. When we banter on Twitter, that's real. It may not erase a desire to experience these same things face to face, but it shouldn't. That's just something else and it doesn't take away from the communities we can find. Being fat and okay with it, or *gasp* happy, can be very isolating and there is nothing wrong with taking whatever solidarity we can find. We can't always trust that it will be okay to say "I like fat people", but we can find some little corner where it is.<br />
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We then try to carry that with us as we stampede across the landscape. It may not keep us from wanting other communal fat experiences, but its not supposed to. Indeed, it should make us want them all the more. Isolation is not integral to the fat positive experience. It is imposed on us by those who want us quarantined lest our fat fatness infect others. Even if we don't always know how to break out, we shouldn't accept that our quarantine is in any way justified. We're going to get out and we're going to get our fat all over everything.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-30888116111943054912012-05-08T20:53:00.001-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.399-04:00Results still aren't typical<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you saw a diet ad in the United States during the first years of the new millennium, chances are there was an inconspicuous asterix hidden somewhere with the text <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2007/12/results-typical.html">"Results not typical."</a> These "product does not work" warnings weren't invented by the diet industry. They were actually mandated by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC guidelines on the use of testimonials in ads were supposed to control false claims, but they came up with a little gift for the diet industry. As long as they qualified any non-representative testimonials with the "Results Not Typical" qualifier, they could make whatever claim they wanted. Didn't matter if the product failed <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-am-95-of-dieters-who-regain-weight.html">95% of the time or more</a>. As long as you can document it working once, you were in the clear with just some fine print.<br />
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You may notice that this qualifier is no longer on diet ads. Is this because the results are now typical? Oh, goodness, no. <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2009/03/results-typical.html">Its actually because in 2009, the FTC decided the charade of "Results not typical" was just that. </a>A charade. It determined that "best case scenario" testimonials were inherently deceptive and wrote new guidelines that forbid them. Well, that's what they said they were doing. What they actually did was empower the diet industry to fully resist a disclaimer they always felt was bad for business. The industry correctly recognized that the FTC really didn't have enough power to police their claims. It moved the qualifications off the ads and behind the scenes on flimsy "data" they could point to and shut down any FTC enforcement.<br />
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Basically, they were able to gin up "studies" that built atypical assumptions right into their construction. Those studies would show that the product worked just enough so they'd be immune from FTC enforcement. Didn't matter if the product only worked under very strictly defined circumstances and it didn't matter if there was no long term proof of success. The FTC's switch allowed the diet industry to do what they've long done in their marketing and that's blame dieters when diets fail. Their product works, you see. Its just the dieter that was doing it wrong. Their $40,000,000,000 industry is built on ensuring dieters always blame themselves for their failures and never the culture of dieting. This just codified that.<br />
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In the perversely inevitable result, we now see Weight Watchers replace that asterix with the slogan "Because it Works". Sure. You just need to "control" for all the times it doesn't work. Once you eliminate that data, the success rate is phenomenal! Basically, the new rule of fat shaming marketing is "Results Typical (If you ignore all the times it isn't)". Its a win-win for the diet industry. They lose the qualifier all at the price of continuing to blame fat people for the absurd record of failure the diet industry has left in its wake. What's not to love?<br />
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Just look at what passes for "working" with regards to Weight Watchers. <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/08/study-is-in-weight-watchers-works/">A Lancet study of participants who all received the Weight Watchers program for free</a> (a $500 value) lost an average of 10lbs a year. 10lbs is considerably less than the claims you'll see in any Weight Watchers ad and a good deal less than their claim that people can lose 1-2 lbs a week. Even that modest claim isn't verified by a study Weight Watches paid for to prove its success! And the study lost 40% of its participants in its 1 year. Gosh only knows what the results would look like 2 years out with all participants. But its something, and that's good enough for the FTC, I guess. Never mind that their latest ad includes a testimonial of someone who lost 100+ lbs. A result not typical even with the best data money can buy. It just doesn't matter anymore. The Weight Loss industry can lie all they want and no one will stop them.<br />
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The claims of Weight Watchers, and Jenny Craig, and Nutrisystem are still not typical. They are still hand-selected testimonials, often of people who are professionally losing weight. They can still make atypical claims in their ads. The FTC just decided that they'll be the ones the diet industry has to make the tortured qualifications to, leaving them freer than ever to lie to their consumers. Fat shame is a very profitable business. Not "because it works", but because it doesn't.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-39981279654501615102012-04-24T18:11:00.004-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.418-04:00The Injustice of Enforced EquivalenceI realized after I published <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2012/04/inconveniences-of-privileged-mean-very.html">my last post</a> that I didn't flesh out a particular thought about the enforcing equivilance. Rather than edit the initial post, I'll just expand on that here.<br />
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The whole idea of enforcing equivalence without regard to the
dynamics of social oppression is an inequity itself. Its an especially
vile one as it tries to dress itself up in the attire of justice while
setting out to enforce injustice. Fat people and thin people are not
treated equally in our society. Same goes for POC and white people,
women and men, queer and straight, trans and cis, etc. To insist that
slights against both groups be seen as "the same thing" would be to
ignore the essential truth of that unequal treatment. It would deny the
oppression, deny the disenfranchisement, and lift up the privileged
further still. "Equal time" is a myth constructed to give the privileged further advantage.<br />
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As a fat person, I can speak to my
community about resisting and responding to resent of thin people.
However, as a man, it is not my place to consider myself with "misandry"
as if it were a valid thing to be upset about it. Women are welcome to
advocate against resentment and hostility of men, but it would be
manifestly unjust for me to do so as a man. Not because resentment is
right, but because whatever extent such slights might exist pale in
comparison to oppression of women. I have to take responsibility for my privilege as a man first and foremost. I have to respect that any resentment I experience as a man is a consequence of that oppression. It would be incomprehensible to blame feminists for such a consequence when the true culprit is my male privilege. If "misandry" exists, its hardly worth discussing in the face of misogyny and is itself a product of misogyny.<br />
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This extends to all forms of privilege. There has been "outrage" over a pro-trans slogan "Die Cis Scum", for instance. As a cis man, I have no right to judge that, to police the anger felt by a community under oppression. White people have proven especially adept at seeing themselves as the true victims of racism, denying all oppression and discrimination of persons of color while lamenting their suffering from "reverse racism". Well, guess what, white people? We don't have the right to scold POC for being upset about white supremacy. We just don't.<br />
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Accepting this as a person with privilege is not endorsing "hate." It is acknowledging privilege. It doesn't matter if I didn't ask for it. I still have it and I still have to respect the consequences of that. It is no surprise that the privileged want to write the rules for how the disenfranchised can respond to oppression. That's what the privileged do. They seek to enforce and perpetuate their privilege by restricting the opportunities of the oppressed. Well, we don't get to do that. Hating men or whites or cis people or het people or thin people is probably not productive or useful, but that doesn't mean its unreasonable. People with privilege need to recognize this distrust and resentment and they need respect it. People in those disenfranchised communities can certainly argue for a different path, but persons with privilege can't. We are owed NOTHING by oppressed communities. Least of all kindness and patience.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-81232640832678686372012-04-24T15:08:00.002-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.588-04:00The inconveniences of the privileged mean very little<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/04/24/mercy-for-the-downpresser-man-is-not-the-first-step-or-the-second-or-third/">The Slacktivist</a> spotlights two recent articles, <a href="http://diannaeanderson.net/?p=1137">Dianna E. Anderson</a> on Hugo Schwyzer and <a href="http://wearerespectablenegroes.blogspot.com/2012/04/white-privilege-discourse-is-missing.html">Chauncey DeVega</a> on white privilege, that hit upon a very important dynamic that we see throughout countless social justice struggles: where the abused are coerced to be the better people and forgive those who abuse them. As I read, I realized how familiar this felt within fat liberation and also quickly recalled similar dynamics playing out with queer communities, discussions of ableism, and many others. There is this constant demand that we must always trust those who have a long record of hurting us. That we must unequivocally endorse any declared change of heart and to do recall their abuses would be petty of us. It is an insidious dynamic that only reinforces and entrenches our disenfranchisement and the privilege of our oppressors.<br />
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It seems to me this extends to two other dynamics common in the politics of privilege. The issue with Hugo Schwyzer is an individual who claims to have changed, but such claims aren't even necessary for the disenfranchised to be pressured to settle down. "Good intentions" are enough to erase any culpability for heinous treatment of oppressed people. This is perhaps most vivid in the racism denial that comes with white privilege. To many privileged whites, racism can only exist with the explicit and stated intention to be racist. To regard something as racist without such an explicit intention is shamed as divisive and unfair, generally by people who fret far more about being being accused of being racists than actual oppression of POC.<br />
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Fat people face the same sort of restraints on calling out fat shaming and fat hatred. Since most fat shamers feel their stigmatization of our bodies is to our advantage, we shouldn't be mad at them. We are scolded and told that they aren't the real problem. They mean well, after all. Sure, there is a whole cliche about what good intentions are used to pave, but the disenfranchised often discover that time-worn wisdom isn't really meant for us.<br />
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This further resolves itself into "But what about teh [privileged group here]" protests. Those who fuss and preen about the evils of misandry, anti-white racism, threats to heterosexuality, or thin shaming directly try to pervert equality. By insisting on an equivalence of resentment towards the privileged and the disenfranchised, they merely promote that privilege and disenfranchisement. No, this doesn't mean that "misandry" or "thin shaming" is good, but by making them "equal", they are actually elevating them above misogyny or fat shaming or the like. The power dynamics mean the two can never truly be equal. Demanding they be regarded as such places a falsehood over reality and allies with the oppression that ensures these two things could never be equal. This is why I am so frustrated at those who endorse the idea that thin shaming is the same thing as fat shaming. Its just not, and pretending it is just further privileges thinness so that their slights must be elevated at the expense of those more oppressed. I find thin shaming to be profoundly unproductive and it ought to be discouraged and condemned within fat activism communities, but that shouldn't extend to honoring thin privilege.<br />
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All of these form a very consistent pattern of putting the needs of the privileged over the needs of the oppressed which is a horrifying thing to demand of the disenfranchised. Also, its a profoundly ordinary thing to demand. I mean, that's the oppression we are fighting in the first place. Just because the framing of justice as been appropriated to fight against justice doesn't mean we are obliged to care. Maybe there will be a day when my rights as a white, heterosexual man will actually be threatened, but that day is not today. Looking at struggles of disenfranchised communities to seek justice and seeing instead an urgency to fight for justice for the powerful is predictable, but in no way valid. The privileged merit no empathy for their "plight". Yes, oppression can hurt us, too. Yes, I didn't ask for my privilege, either. Yes, actual resentment can happen and probably isn't helpful. It just doesn't really matter, either. And it never matters less than the context it is always brought up, to scold and silence calls for justice by the oppressed.<br />
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<i>See Also:</i><br />
<a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/02/spectrum-of-privilege.html">A Spectrum of Privilege</a>, February 2011Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-25540577861283133642012-03-31T13:50:00.001-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.380-04:00On Fatshion and the Privilege of Buying ClothesI've been reading <a href="http://blog.twowholecakes.com/">Lesley Kinzel's</a> new book <a href="http://www.feministpress.org/books/lesley-kinzel/two-whole-cakes">"Two Whole Cakes"</a> for a review I'm hoping to write next week. I'm really enjoying it thus far. There is a section early in the book on fashion that does a fantastic job explaining what it means for a fat woman to just buy clothes. Its the sort of thing I imagine a lot of fat women just take for granted. I've known about the routine for a while being romantically involved with fat women. Its one of those privileges non-fat people take so for granted it probably never even occurs to them what a hassle it is for fat people to just get dressed. Lesley relates this in how she responds to people complimenting her on her good taste and how they really don't understand what goes into it. As she puts it "I SLAYED A FUCKING DRAGON BEFORE I COULD BUY THIS DRESS."<br />
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Even as a fat person, I could easily be unaware of the kind of ordeal this is for fat women. As a man, and as a comparatively thin man, I experience a lot of privilege with purchasing clothing. My wife, though really not much if any bigger than me, does everything Lesley describes in her book. Buying an outfit means maybe going to a number of stores and hoping a plus-size section might have something she wants. More likely, it means buying numerous sets of clothes online, trying them on to see if they fit, and paying to return whatever doesn't. Retail environments have withheld service from fat women, forcing them to either make due or essentially pay for the privilege of a dressing room. Do thin women get how much a privilege fitting rooms are? How much a privilege the wealth of options they have at their nearby mall is?<br />
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I'm very aware of my own privileges regarding clothing, in part because they are actually quite precarious. I'm a cusp size, meaning if I was any larger, my clothing options would plummet dramatically. I might not even need to be larger. Over the last few years, options at my size have been steadily dwindling. I can't tell you how frustrating I'm finding the fitted/slim fit movement. Its stealing the last inch I had available to me. Already, at the stores I regularly frequent, I've been shunted into online-only territory. As "fashionable" men's styles become a diverse gallery of slim fit to extra slim fit to fuck you fatty fat, online buying is getting more dicey.<br />
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Over February, I posted some <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/search/Fatshion">Fatshion photo sets on Tumblr</a> as I've been increasingly interested in how I related to fashion. I want to be more daring and creative and colorful and I'm already feeling constricted by the options available to me at retail. I'm not looking forward to the prospect of being further pushed aside as so many fat people already are. I'm even pondering trying to teach myself how to sew and tailor so I can try to create some styles that just don't exist. Like, I might want to try colored khakis, but right now I'm too fat for that. I'm keen on experimenting with colorful vests, but that's just not something that exists in my size. I'm faced with the prospect of commissioning garments or trying to take them on myself, either of which is a daunting prospect, but one that's just every day life for a lot of fat people. Just the fact that I haven't already been forced into this is a privilege I must recognize. I'm not sure thin people ever see just how much privilege they have in the things they regard as banal.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-62276846744990370672012-02-25T15:43:00.001-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.525-04:00Disney's Habit Heroes has closed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://blog.touringplans.com/2012/02/25/habit-heroes-closes-following-negative-feedback/">Well, that didn't take long.</a><br />
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Walt Disney World has pulled down the <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2012/02/disneys-wonderful-world-of-fat-shaming.html">Habit Heroes</a> website for maintenance and it seems the Epcot exhibit is also closed. In addition to complaints from fat activists, Eating Disorder groups and a number of bariatric doctors also complained loudly about how the exhibit shamed fat children. Right now, the best anyone knows is that the site is closed for retooling.<br />
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This is what concerns me. Sadly, I imagine those bariatric doctors carried the most metaphorical weight with Disney. While many bariatric doctors and organizations, like Yale's Rudd Center, share fat acceptance's opposition to socialized fat shaming, their motives for doing so are, in fact, still inherently fat shaming. There is a rather considerable difference between opposing fat shaming because it is disrespectful and hostile towards fat bodies, and opposing fat shaming because you feel it its not productive at inducing weight loss. I mean, its not, but neither are the alternatives these people propose and they all are still fat shaming in their way. Anything that defines a fat child as something to fix is going encourage that child to feel ashamed. We don't give kids enough credit to realize they can pick up on even "good intentioned" fat shaming.<br />
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What I want to see from Disney and the Habit Heroes exhibit is probably very different than what a doctor who specializes in telling patients to stop being fat would want to see. I hope that Disney incorporates perspectives from fat acceptance and from medical professionals who believe in Health at Every Size. I suspect, though, that the exhibit as designed simply is too far from being retooled to meet our needs. Maybe they can tweak the site and the game to stop rewarding players for bullying children (which is seriously how the video game plays), but the essential message that fat people are bad hardwired. Especially in the actual EPCOT exhibit which features elaborate artwork and virtual reality videos depicting fat bodies as lazy and villainous.<br />
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Frankly, I think the best we can expect from Disney is for "Habit Heroes" to just go away. Fat stigmatization is built into the exhibits DNA and I won't be encouraged to see what might result from them placating critics who disagree with fat shaming, but still think fat bodies are unacceptable. I'd encourage Disney to start from scratch and find ways to model better behavior without creating moral imperatives to meet them or by presenting fat bodies as the problem to be solved.<br />
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<br />Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-10432970422797100822012-02-24T09:21:00.000-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.328-04:00Disney's Wonderful World of Fat Shaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2012/02/disneys-habit-heroes-has-closed.html"><b>UPDATE:</b> The exhibit and website are now "down for maintenance".</a><br />
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Earlier this month, Disney announced a collaboration between Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida to bring their considerable experience and expertise in marketing to children to the health insurance industry's long-standing commitment to blaming fat people for their health problems. These titans of industry will pool their talents to give fat shaming of children a brand-new re-branding. Oh, that's not what they announced, of course, but it is what they are doing.<br />
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Newly unveiled at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center is <a href="http://www.habitheroes.com/">"<b>Habit Heroes</b>"</a>, an exhibit and online game designed to combat "bad habits" by personifying those habits and then stigmatizing those personifications. I'm guessing you are already ahead of me. 25 Pixar-inspired characters make up the "<b>Bad Habit Gallery</b>", a collection of low-ambition super villains content to use their powers to model socially unwelcome behavior. I'm not going to really get into the advisability of the project. This sort of negative reinforcement feels misguided in general, but especially when the negative reinforcement involves creating cool characters of the things you are supposed to be stigmatizing. (<a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2009/01/hungry-is-my-friend-and-yours.html">See Hungry</a>) Never mind the broad condemnations of things like being in a bad mood are just setting kids up to fail. Everyone gets in bad moods or doesn't get enough sleep enough some of the time. Especially counterproductive is shaming kids for lacking self-esteem. You're going to make kids feel bad about themselves because they feel bad about themselves? Way to go, Disney. So, there is a lot to complain about, but as you probably deduced, what really concerns me are the fat shaming characters in the "Bad Habit Gallery".<br />
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And yes, characters. As I noted, the residents of the "Bad Habit Gallery" are all personifications of "bad" things. One is a personification of bullying (so, he's a bully), one is a personification of listening to music too loudly (a guy with headphones; they really didn't try very hard), one is a personification of sharing your personal information online (find out more when you register with http://www.habitheroes.com!). There is even a personification of eating spoiled and moldy food, which I must admit, I was not aware was so pervasive a problem.<br />
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Going through the gallery, some big fat bodies stand out and naturally the endeavor wants you to connect fat bodies with the kind of flaws fat people are normally accused of. <b>The Glutton</b> is a fat hot dog salesman who can't stop eating his own product and wears a donut as a pocket square(!). I mean, I know they are characitures, but how is it that even sensible on their terms? Wouldn't he just eat the donut instead of using it a bit of accoutrement? Next, we have <b>Lead Bottom</b>, the resident couch potato looking like one of the humans from Wall-E in a wrestling outfit. His bio tells us that he failed to pursue his dreams of dance because he was too fat and fell into wrestling instead. Its almost ironic given that fat people can totally dance and that these days, professional wrestling is actually pretty hostile towards fat bodies. His bio also contains the memorable line "blubbery loves company" which I so want on a t-shirt. Finally, we have our female fatty,<b> Snacker</b>. She washed out from the Tooth Fairy Academy and slathers all her food in butter. Would you believe me if I said her voice in the video game was more than a little reminiscent of Paula Deen? Her super power is summoning fatty food with her magic wand, which sounds kinda awesome to me. She's also a good example of why these slick character designs are counterproductive because I think Snacker looks totally bad-ass, like some awesome femme fairy godmother.<br />
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I'm having a little fun with all of this, but that's because I can. I'm an adult and I'm encountering all of this with cool detachment. That doesn't mean the influence on children isn't insidious. These three characters are carefully designed to get children to associate fat bodies with the negative behaviors our culture associates with fat bodies. Its like a "My First Fat Shaming". The game pretty explicitly tells children to see fat bodies and think they are slothful beasts cramming themselves full of fattening treats. All of these bad habits that we know our culture links to fatness, the game does, too. This isn't about the bad habits at all. Its training children to adopt the socially dictated bigotries around fatness.<br />
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Don't think the creators didn't know what they were doing, either. Indeed, its clear from the site's video game that they created another character to shield them from criticism for making all of the anti-fat "Bad Habits" big fat fatties. They already had Snacker designed to personify eating junk food. She was even designed like a sugar plum fairy of sorts. But she doesn't eat sweats. Oh, no. They have another character for that, <b>Sweet Tooth</b>. She's thin and everything. Well, "shapely" is how they describe her. See, they pointed out that she's not fat. Immediately after doing so, they scold her for not being fat, too, teaching kids to rely on the visual evidence of evil fat bodies even if some evil people have disguised themselves as "shapely" while really they have high blood sugar. (Yep, diabetes shaming, too!) For gosh sakes, she's got the name Sweet Tooth instead of Snacker who's bio identifies her as a FAILED TOOTH FAIRY? How clearer can it be that this character is just an afterthought to provide some deniability for their fat shaming? Well, as I mentioned, the game makes it completely unavoidable. While all the other bad habits are encountered on their own, Sweet Tooth and Snacker are just doubled up and do the same thing. (You douse them with vegetable juice while they pelt you with donuts and cakes)<br />
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It doesn't stop there, though. Three other characters are fat in ways that specifically exploit prejudices about fat people. <b>Stress Case</b> is a fat opera singer. Well, former opera singer. Stress caused her to blow out her voice and destroy her career. Sounds tragic, but remember the point is how inexcusable it is to be stressed. The real take-away, though, is that she was too busy being stressed that she doesn't bother to exercise. While dressed up to be about stress, its actually just another lesson about fat people being lazy. What else do fat people do? They stink! <b>Stinkbomb</b> is the personification of bad hygiene. If you guessed that he's also fat, congratulations. Get Sweet Tooth to launch a cookie at you. I guess we should be relieved that he doesn't explicitly connect being fat to smelling bad. I'm pretty sure kids already "know" that, though, so they'll put two and two together. Finally, we have <b>The Prescriptor</b>, the personification of not doing what your doctor tells you. Hmm. Like lose weight? Again, they don't specifically connect is fatness to his fault, but its not hard to make the connection given existing social beliefs that people are fat because they are ignoring all the people telling them not to be. In a lot of ways, the construct of The Prescriptor is how a lot of trolls view fat acceptance. Just a bunch of ignorant people ignoring their doctor's orders. The fact that those orders can't really be fulfilled is meaningless.<br />
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Although the website features 25 bad habits, what I've found of the actual exhibit makes me wonder if most of the non-fat shaming ones were just filler. <a href="http://www.mainstgazette.com/2012/02/special-kind-of-hero.html">This site includes the preview posters</a> for the exhibit which pretty much exclusively focus on fat shaming. The only habit we haven't already talked about is the one representing TV/internet/video game addiction although the poster renders him as a pudgy sprite instead of the robotic overload the site features. Spoiler alert? I wasn't able to finish the game due to site errors, but it wouldn't surprise me if the reveal on the interactive entertainment boogeyman was that he was just a squat guy. <a href="http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/2012/02/habit_heroes_opens_in_epcots_i.html">This review of the now open exhibit</a> reinforces the point. No sign of the website's peer pressure or teethcare villains. It seems to just be the ones about eating and laziness. A point also made by the exhibit's focus on a gym as the hero's base. This was in the game, too, but was a minor point there. In the exhibit, its clearly a focal point.<br />
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Perhaps the most dangerous part of the program is how it teaches kids to shame their peers. All of the bad habits are defined as having a "master plan" to subject everyone to their socially stigmatized trait. While the video game that accompanies the site has you winning over the bad habits (though much that involves making mean-spirited remarks to them which seem an awful lot like the bullying that is supposed to be a bad habit), the wording on the bios just makes it out like these people are obsessed with ruining everyone around them. Got a fat friend? They want to make you fat like them so they won't feel so bad! No, really, that's what the site tells you. At best, its teaching kids to constantly pressure their friends about their supposed faults. At worst, its telling you stay away from them at all costs. Or maybe best and worst and mixed up there. Its kind of hard to differentiate between two awful outcomes intended to stigmatize kids for not meeting certain standards. Either by constant pressure or by ostracizing them.<br />
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Simply put, kids don't need this message. They already know to shame kids for not fitting in, and that is a problem. Programs like this just teach those kids they are right to do that. No fat child needs a video game to belittle them for supposedly being lazy or gluttonous. Fat children already hear that all of the time. It has nothing to do with what bad habits they may or may not have, either. The implicit connection "Habit Heroes" draws between fat characters and fat lifestyles will empower the continued abuse of fat children, both externally and internally. They'll keep being taught to feel constant anxiety about their eating and activity level. They'll keep trying to do "the right thing" only to find it doesn't make them thin, teaching them that moderation is worthless and encouraging dangerous activities. It will keep teaching fat children that they aren't right and teaching other children the same thing. Society was doing just fine on that without Disney's metaphorical weight behind it. This is the last thing the world needed.<br />
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Habit heroes represents some of the worst of our society. It relies on cheap and easy prejudice, pandering to cultural bigotries surrounding weight and morality. It bullies the disenfranchised for the benefit of the status quo. They rely on the widespread of acceptance of fat shaming and fat stigmatization to put forward a message that will be poisonous to fat children. Fat shaming needs no more corporate partners or endorsements. Fat children are constantly being told to feel awful about their bodies. Given that no safe, reliable means of weight loss exists, even for the children, this is a prescription not for good habits, but for self-hatred. Worse than that, its an endorsement of others hating fat people.<br />
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For information about contacting Walt Disney World and Epcot, <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/contact/">please visit their site</a> or find them on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/WaltDisneyWorld">@WaltDisneyWorld</a>. Contact information for Florida Blue <a href="http://floridablue.com/email.php">can be found here</a> or on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FLBlueCenter">@FLBlueCenter</a>.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-37818038595871871382012-02-22T11:40:00.000-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.410-04:00I'm not your metaphorEarlier this month, <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2012/02/all-new-fat-hate-bingo-3.html">a commenter here</a> hit on a continuing frustration I have with progressive allies and how some relate to fat rights. Its frustrating, because I consider myself politically progressive. While I don't think one necessarily needs to a progressive to believe in fat acceptance, it is indisputable that the movements political foundations were products of radical feminism in the late 1960's. Progressives should be natural allies to fat acceptance, but a reluctance to respect our needs and perspectives continues to be a problem. The simple fact is that fat shaming is heavily ingrained in our culture and an expectation that fat people will sit down and shut up is all too common, even from people who think they are fighting with us.<br />
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Actually, that's usually the issue. They don't think they are fighting with fat people. They think they are fighting for fat people. That was what came up with this commenter who wanted to be able to blame fatness on corporations. This is a very common line you see from supposed allies in progressive communities and the fact is that this is a just feeding into fat shaming. The idea is that corporations are to blame for rises in obesity levels. The proof invariable amounts to some variation on "Look at all the fat people. Corporations must have done it." Which isn't, ya know, proof. Instead, what they are doing is looking at fat acceptance through the prism of their own agenda.<br />
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I don't disagree that corporations can often have an insidious influence on our lives and culture and I certainly support more accountability for corporate action and how it impacts our environment and lives. I don't see how those goals should obligate me to accept people who want to blame my body on corporations. The whole construct of looking for someone or something to blame for fat bodies is inherently fat shaming. It inherently disrespects our lives and our experiences.<br />
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Back in 2007, <a href="http://fatfu.wordpress.com/2007/05/20/working-mothers-cause-obesity-or-why-i-still-cant-believe-sanjay-was-a-brain-surgeon/">fatfu commented </a>on a story Dr. Sanjay Gupta (someone embraced in some progressive circles, by the way) did blaming working moms for the "epidemic" of fat people. She pointed our how many things are blamed for fat people...<br />
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"Actually, I’m hard pressed to think of an aspect of modernity that <i>hasn’t</i> been blamed for the 'obesity epidemic.' Here’s a partial list of malefactors just from the past two months’ of headlines:<br />
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<span style="color: white;">.</span><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=75924-obesity-infant-formula-protein"><span style="font-family: Arial;">protein in infant formula</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.nbc6.net/health/13246454/detail.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">germs</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/554818"><span style="font-family: Arial;">mother’s weight gain in pregnancy</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://mathaba.net/news/?x=553498"><span style="font-family: Arial;">reduction in the nutrient content in food</span></a><br />
</span></u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/OPINION03/705170313">diet soda</a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?176606"><span style="font-family: Arial;">radical diets</span></a><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care-news-articles-8853.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">advertising</span></a><br />
</span><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=183388&SecID=2"><span style="font-family: Arial;">restaurants</span></a></span></u></span><br />
</span></span></span></span><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.playfuls.com/news_006598_Clinton_Americans_Have_an_Immoral_Health_Care_System.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">abundance of junk food and the lack of physical activity</span></a></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/05/08/bc.health.obesity.reut/&cid=1116154084"><span style="font-family: Arial;">television</span></a><br />
<u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21684960-2,00.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">drought</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8482"><span style="font-family: Arial;">living in a rural area</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070502/statscan_obesity_070502/20070502?hub=Canada"><span style="font-family: Arial;">urban sprawl</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://fatfu.wordpress.com/wp-admin/Documents%20and%20SettingsUserDesktopfatLiving%20in%20the%20suburbs"><span style="font-family: Arial;">living in the suburbs</span></a></span></u><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/MOMS02/305030001/1031/LIFESTYLE01"><span style="font-family: Arial;">plastic in baby bottles</span></a><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/HEALTH/704170317/1242/health"><span style="font-family: Arial;">lack of family support</span></a></span></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/health/08patt.html?_r=5&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=login"><span style="font-family: Arial;">mother’s early puberty</span></a><br />
</span></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070427072312.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“environmental food cues” </span></a></span></span></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/17108727.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial;">fructose</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/529438/"><span style="font-family: Arial;">not enough fruits and vegetables in diet</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20070507111508981C103545"><span style="font-family: Arial;">permissive fathers</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/219-05032007-1340528.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">irresponsible parents</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/5/prweb523929.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial;">emotional eating</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18440216/"><span style="font-family: Arial;">stress</span></a></span><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.stalbansobserver.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1324520.0.emotional_issues_contribute_to_female_obesity_says_study.php"><span style="font-family: Arial;">emotional issues</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10437027"><span style="font-family: Arial;">sleeplessness</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=453110&in_page_id=1774"><span style="font-family: Arial;">sugar</span></a></span></span><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=UP2636712L&news_headline=growth_tables_could_lead_babies_to_obesity"><span style="font-family: Arial;">inaccurate infant growth tables</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/national/748958.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">food prices</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/Briefing/2007/04/16/newspaper_desserts_may_affect_obesity/"><span style="font-family: Arial;">newspaper recipes</span></a></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/OPINION01/704110341"><span style="font-family: Arial;">lack of individual responsibility</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.pr.com/press-release/36716"><span style="font-family: Arial;">britain’s one-hour lunch break</span></a></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amonline.com/web/online/Vending-Market-Watch-News/Kingman--Ariz-Dietician-Blames-Larger-Portion-Sizes-For-Rising-Obesity/1$18838"><span style="font-family: Arial;">larger portion sizes</span></a></span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-pollan_06edi.ART1.State.Edition1.432c2a0.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">farm subsidies</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://badgerherald.com/oped/2007/05/08/personal_responsibil.php"><span style="font-family: Arial;">lack of personal responsibility</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MTkxMzI5OTc5Ng=="><span style="font-family: Arial;">belly fat</span></a><br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://torontosun.com/Lifestyle/2007/05/06/4157803-sun.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">beverages</span></a></span></span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<a href="http://www.dailynewstribune.com/opinion/x639362114"><span style="font-family: Arial;">the fear that being slim will make people think you have AIDS</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20070415T200000-0500_121775_OBS_EARLY_SEXUAL_DEVELOPMENT_IS_A_SERIOUS_ISSUE.asp"><span style="font-family: Arial;">precocious puberty</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=3075690&page=1"><span style="font-family: Arial;">reading about the obesity epidemic</span></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?178015"><span style="font-family: Arial;">sodas</span></a><br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.santabarbaranewsroom.com/content/view/251/1/"><span style="font-family: Arial;">poor urban planning</span></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21733427-1702,00.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">low testosterone</span></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.goupstate.com/article/20070514/NEWS/705140317/-1/LIFE"><span style="font-family: Arial;">southern high-fat diet</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<a href="http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=e7e87e78-b3e0-4e1e-b1f7-295bfe44c29b&k=53505"><span style="font-family: Arial;">mother’s diet during pregnancy</span></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainment_living/more.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-05-18-0125.html"><span style="font-family: Arial;">disruptions of the circadian clock</span></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2007/tc20070517_416894.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_businessweek+exclusives"><span style="font-family: Arial;">online marketing"</span></a></span></span></span></blockquote>
She closes with a killer line that doing a story on one particular thing to blame for fat people, "almost certainly says more about his prejudices than it does about fat." How people seek to exploit fat people invariable is about their own agenda and their own prejudices and much less about fat people. If you don't respect fat people, there will always be some way to exploit fat people for your own purposes. Some social ill to attach to fatness. Some way to continue fighting "for" fat people and doing everything to avoid fighting "with" fat people.<br />
<br />
Fat activists are constantly being told to sit down and shut up. <a href="http://www.axisoffat.com/2009/08/fuck-you-peta.html">PeTA</a> wants to exploit fat hatred to advance their mission of promoting veganism. <a href="http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2011/02/dan-savage-please-stop.html">Dan Savage</a> and <a href="http://jonescene.blogspot.com/2012/02/stewart-savagery.html">Jon Stewart</a> use lazy metaphors to promote marriage quality that are premised on the lie that fat people don't experience stigmatization. We hear constant cries of <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/13952070657/maggiemunkee-mloreley">"what about the thin people"</a> trying to recenter discussions of fat stigma and fat health. Dr. Sanjay Gupta Throughout all of this, fat activists are expected to play nice while our rights and experiences are erased because others feel they are inconvenient for their own agenda. How dare we suggest that we can pursue corporate accountability, animal welfare, marriage equality, or health care access without exploiting fat shaming? How dare we not sit down and shut up? Our outrage at this is constantly invalidated. We are pressured to know our place from allies normally well versed in standing with disenfranchised communities.<br />
<br />
I'm getting tired of it. I'm tired of being told I'm letting corporations off the hook. I'm tired of watching the fat couples fighting for marriage equality so they can marry their own partners be thrown under the bus to make some lazy fat jokes. I'm tired of constantly having to placate thin people who take any discussion of fat contexts as an invitation to center the discussion back onto people who enjoy privilege. I'm tired of hearing that ethical treatment of fat people is expendable. I'm tired of being a cautionary tale or a "consequence". I'm tired of being fodder for cheap gags. I'm tired of being a useful metaphor. Progressive allies can and must be better. Respecting fat people does not threaten your cause. It will strengthen it.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-49200468165878676432012-02-19T15:57:00.001-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.453-04:00Mush<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKe-gTlc7hoKK9rCYd4IHxmpEcA4caPPgTWRN5Q0DVn7Hw1Ndhri7NKrP1yRvNp4d8IxosMyy9DexQMXNOr4ch7KMpVX1wO2SXQI-yMRjeC5oNBXFiL2L6tmVuicmRoHCDxR-wg/s1600/400_mush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKe-gTlc7hoKK9rCYd4IHxmpEcA4caPPgTWRN5Q0DVn7Hw1Ndhri7NKrP1yRvNp4d8IxosMyy9DexQMXNOr4ch7KMpVX1wO2SXQI-yMRjeC5oNBXFiL2L6tmVuicmRoHCDxR-wg/s1600/400_mush.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><br />
<br />
Every day I walk to the bus on my way to work and I pass a gym. They have a a large banner announcing "From MUSH to MUSCLES". Every time I see it, I have to recognize that its talking about me. For the weight loss industry, my body is useful only for the purposes of negative comparison. I'm a "before" picture. I'm mush. I'm a reason to give money to the weight loss industry. I'm what you aren't supposed to be.<br />
<br />
Its not just the gym banner reminding me. Newspapers, magazines, billboards, web-ads, radio, and TV are all shouting at me for being fat. Heck, its not just to sell weight loss promises, either. At the Super Bowl, both Toyota and Volkswagon used fat shame to sell cars. Everyone takes for granted that I'll agree with them that my body is embarassing. That I should be ashamed to be fat. Fat shaming is used not to in spite of the risk of alienating fat customers, but in the total expectation that they will be fully on board with it. When I see the cascade of fat hatred promotion, I don't just realizing that they are talking about me. I realize they feel entitled for me to listen and care about it, too.<br />
<br />
Well, I don't. I don't care that they think I should be sad about my fat. I don't care that they think I should feel resigned about their abuse. No, that's not true. I do care, just that I'm not willing to put up with the abuse. My body isn't mush. It is solid, not formless. It may yield to the touch, adapting to pressure but staying firm. It moves with me, moves as it needs to. You know who started calling fat bodies mush? Someone who never felt a fat body. Someone who has never lived in a fat body and who knows the form and tangibility. Someone who just looks at our bodies and thinks we are just sacks of fat. And they have used social stigmatization to make fat people feel this about ourselves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My flesh is mine. It is not mush. It is curves and slopes and moves and adapts. I will not be ashamed of it for the benefit of someone else's marketing.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-7562103396216561382012-02-06T16:15:00.000-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.553-04:00The All-New Fat Hate Bingo 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf74KRmcgD6xygEu4yOBde9jV7qlM1qkXiUyczwj-yzmpLsGHgDeqFl_zXGTBF1CbeuKyusiE7VKaSWevtTuMLblsXDVo7jcyw9F8f85ukf8BQ4GhZQ_pipUrle_9AhWiU91E_Q/s1600/fatbingo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf74KRmcgD6xygEu4yOBde9jV7qlM1qkXiUyczwj-yzmpLsGHgDeqFl_zXGTBF1CbeuKyusiE7VKaSWevtTuMLblsXDVo7jcyw9F8f85ukf8BQ4GhZQ_pipUrle_9AhWiU91E_Q/s1600/fatbingo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf74KRmcgD6xygEu4yOBde9jV7qlM1qkXiUyczwj-yzmpLsGHgDeqFl_zXGTBF1CbeuKyusiE7VKaSWevtTuMLblsXDVo7jcyw9F8f85ukf8BQ4GhZQ_pipUrle_9AhWiU91E_Q/s400/fatbingo3.jpg" width="280" /></a>
<br />
<b>The All-New Fat Hate Bingo 3 is finally here!</b><br />
<br />
So, back in 2007 in the early days of the "fat-o-sphere", fat bloggers were weathering seemingly endless fat shaming attacks from trolls and concern trolls alike. During a discussion at <a data-mce-href="http://shakesville.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/big-brother-is-watching-your-fat-kids/" href="http://shakesville.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/big-brother-is-watching-your-fat-kids/" style="color: #007bff;">Shakesville</a>, I made a subtle reference to the history in social justice movements of using "Bingo" cards to diffuse commonly repeated attacks. <a href="https://twitter.com/KateHarding">Kate Harding</a> suggested actually making a Bingo card and 90 minutes later, <a data-mce-href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2007/06/fat-hate-bingo.html" href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2007/06/fat-hate-bingo.html" style="color: #007bff;">there</a> it was. <a data-mce-href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2007/06/fat-hate-bingo-2.html" href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2007/06/fat-hate-bingo-2.html" style="color: #007bff;">Fat Hate Bingo 2</a> followed the next day and both remain among the most popular posts at Red No. 3. Each card catalogs many of the "brilliant" put-downs fat activists face online and in our lives when we try to advocate for the horribly radical concept that maybe its not the end of the world that we're fat.<br />
<br />
Honestly, its something a lot of fat activists try to avoid because its emotionally draining to have to hear the same thing over and over and over again, always repeated by people who are enamored with their brilliance and courage to finally say this to a fat person. I usually avoid it, too, but last fall when I started doing the <a data-mce-href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/09/maggie-after-dieting.html" href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/09/maggie-after-dieting.html" style="color: #007bff;">Maggie sequels</a>, I came upon a whole host of new attacks that I'd see quickly repeated endlessly by all sorts of people who don't realize they are reading from a script. Thus, Fat Hate Bingo 3 was born.<br />
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I know fat people aren't supposed to have friends, but if you did have 2 friends, now all <a data-mce-href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/14230945875/fat-hate-bingo-1-revisited-so-i-know-my" href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/14230945875/fat-hate-bingo-1-revisited-so-i-know-my" style="color: #007bff;">three</a> <a data-mce-href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/16348208645/fat-hate-bingo-2-revisited-like-fat-hate-bingo" href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/16348208645/fat-hate-bingo-2-revisited-like-fat-hate-bingo" style="color: #007bff;">of</a> you can play against each other the next time the concept of fat shaming is introduced to a not so receptive audience. Actually, since we now have 75 Fat Hate Bingo squares, just as many as used in actual bingo, maybe we can all get in the act!<br />
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[Image Description: <span style="line-height: 1.4;">Header Text: “red3.blogspot.com presents Fat Hate BINGO 3. </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">We really have heard it all before.</span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">” Below is a 5x5 Bingo Card with squares in alternating red and gray colors with text in each square.</span><br />
<br />
Column 1: <span style="line-height: 1.4;">My tax dollars are paying </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">for your </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">fat lifestyle. | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">Shaming of </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">Dieters </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">is the real problem. | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">If you don’t like being bullied, just </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">lose weight. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">If that’s true, </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">why are you </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">so fat? | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">Fat people</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;"> </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">threaten</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;"> our national security!</span><br />
<span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><br />
Column 2: <span style="line-height: 1.4;">You can’t control </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">fat bigotry, </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">but you can control </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">your weight. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Diabetes! </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">Hypertension! </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">Heart Disease! | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">You are ugly. </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">Do something about your health. | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">Fat acceptance</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;"> </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">shouldn’t mean accepting an </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 1.4;">unhealthy weight. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Somebody needs to start shaming </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">fat people.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><br />
Column 3: <span style="line-height: 1.4;">Take responsibility </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">for what </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">you put in </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">your mouth. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">You can’t </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">all have </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">thyroid </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">problems. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Its not </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">a diet… | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Thin privilege doesn’t exist because you </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">can choose </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">to be thin. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">People shouldn’t have to look at </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">you.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><br />
Column 4: <span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">What’s next? </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">Cancer pride? | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">I can’t condone </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">your </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">self-destructive </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 1.4;">behavior. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Instead of promoting obesity, </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">use your energy to </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">lose weight. | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">Fat people </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">are empirically unattractive. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">We are becoming an </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">obese nation!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><br />
Column 5: <span style="line-height: 1.4;">BMI </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">may be flawed, but </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">we have to do </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 1.4;">something. | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">Its not hate if you really are </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">unhealthy </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">and </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">disgusting. | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Your fat activism is </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">killing </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">people! | </span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Since when is </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">laziness </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">like gender </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">or race? | </span><span class="s1" style="line-height: 1.4;">You can’t argue with </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 1.4;">facts.</span><span style="line-height: 1.4;">]</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-58662090763912686892012-01-31T20:19:00.000-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.505-04:00A Cure for AllThis afternoon, Susan B. Komen for the Cure, our nation's most prominent charity in the fight against breast cancer, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/01/31/susan_b_komen_charity_throws_planned_parenthood_under_the_bus_.html">made the shocking and appalling decision to pull all of its grants for breast cancer screening from Planned Parenthood.</a> The rational is a sham investigation by House Republicans who have made a political agenda out of withholding all financial support from Planned Parenthood's women's health programs because the organization separately provides access to abortion services. This excuse is a barely disguised fraud intending to suggest Komen for the Cure is not taking sides, while they are actually doing exactly what one side wants. It is a craven and heartless deception which has not gone unnoticed by the thousands who have protested on Twitter an inexplicable decision that will put lives at risk.<br />
<br />
I stand with these protesters in disgust with an organization that has opted to play politics with cancer prevention. There are many who disagree with some of what Planned Parenthood does, as is their right. There are plenty who disagree with some of the activities of some of the religious organizations that Komen for the Cure also supports. For decades, we have found a way to come together and work towards a common goal of providing better access to cancer screen, care, and research. Today, Komen for the Cure has taken a despicable stand against common cause and have instead opted to endorse divisive politics over people's health.<br />
<br />
Most of this country rejects this kind of alienating action. Most of this country believes that there are things we can all work together on. Fighting breast cancer is a noble goal, something that can unite us all in fighting for a better world. We must all stand against those who think we should only fight cancer so long as it is politically convenient. That we must only fight cancer in the way one political agenda approves of. That we all must live under the limitations of a few. We all stand together for a cure and we stand against those who would limit the cure based on political agendas.<br />
<br />
Komen for the Cure is acting because of the voices of the few have been weighted above the rest of us. Komen caved because some people promised to withdraw their support if their politics didn't limit Komen. It is time for the few to stop dictating terms to the many. It is time that corporations and foundations think twice before consenting to the limitations the few wish to impose on them. It is time that the rest of us be heard and for the charade of "not taking sides" while doing the bidding of one side be challenged.<br />
<br />
We must call upon the <a href="http://ww5.komen.org/corporatepartners.aspx">corporate sponsors and partners</a> of Komen for the Cure to redirect their much appreciated support to groups who do not put politics over fighting cancer. Groups who are fighting for a cure for all. Continuing to support Komen for the Cure now means supporting politics over cancer screening. It means supporting some, not all. If an organization will support such divisive politics on such a grave issue, they will not enjoy my support and I will make my voice heard. My voice will not be alone.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-41413973940692347562012-01-25T09:55:00.003-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.427-04:00I am the 95% of dieters who regain the weight.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GL2qPvHMxH6_f5e1SVEeyPEM0DeE0T6EfPuLx5yYALR9heTtoC06UGjTCgv25Yn5iHm1HG0eBzF-JZajUDReK2u2jWlgcVLAicNCgOHgRfzbeBn5hY3hTJDqKpNgpSG-YlGS_Q/s1600/95_percent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GL2qPvHMxH6_f5e1SVEeyPEM0DeE0T6EfPuLx5yYALR9heTtoC06UGjTCgv25Yn5iHm1HG0eBzF-JZajUDReK2u2jWlgcVLAicNCgOHgRfzbeBn5hY3hTJDqKpNgpSG-YlGS_Q/s1600/95_percent.jpg" /></a></div>
I am the 95% of dieters who regain the weight.<br />
<br />
I didn't try to be part of the 95%. When I gained weight in college, I
was struggling with accepting my changing body but also knew that
dieting wasn't an answer. But then one summer I got very ill with a
drug-resistant Strep infection and was basically on an extreme diet for
4-6 weeks when I could barely keep down food. After putting on about 50
lbs over a year, I lost it all in a month. When I recovered, though, the
weight came right back on and then some. My weight stabilized after
about a year and remained fairly stable for the next decade with a
natural fluctuation of about 15 lbs up and down.<br />
<br />
There is an old
saying in Fat Acceptance that losing weight is as easy as holding your
breath. Keeping it off is as easy as continuing to hold your breath.
Dieting has breed a myth of its success off the fact that its not hard
to induce weight loss. This period of "success" is what convinces
dieters that its their fault when the diet fails. The truth is that the
diet failed and was always going to fail. When I did might sound
extreme, but its actually tame compared to some commercial diet plans.
Even the most pseudo-reasonable "lifestyle change" relies on a
fundamentally unsustainable formula. Sooner or later, we need to
breathe. The diet industry, though, thrives on sustainability. Every
time a diet fails, that's just a new customer. More billions to make off
of peddling fat stigmatization.<br />
<br />
<br />
I am the 95%. I did not fail. A culture of fat shame and fat hate has failed me.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-32033045166515747082011-12-15T00:27:00.001-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.405-04:00There is a reason my picture is at the top of the page<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Wow. You losers really love taking your marching orders from an obsessive dweeb you probably would have beat up in middle school. Not because you were tough, of course, but because he was weird and defenseless and made for easy prey. Its ironic that he now is both desperate for your approval and simultaneously directing you to swarm at his command. I mean, really fucking pathetic, but ironic, too.<br />
<br />
Have fun being sad, worthless people who disappoint everyone around them!<br />
<span style="color: white;">So, someone on </span><span style="color: white;">reddit</span><span style="color: white;"> linked to my post about </span><span style="color: white;">White Knights</span><span style="color: white;"> today and my traffic shot up. I'm always amused by this in Blogger stats. They have a little chart of my blog traffic that defaults to the current week and usually there are normal little ups and downs but sometimes something throws off the curve and I get a straight line hugging the bottom of the chart and then a line going straight up to the top. This happens most reliably when I get linked on reddit or when I get linked from </span><span style="color: white;">Shakesville</span><span style="color: white;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">Anyhow, someone made a sad little quip about supposed "white knights" and someone responded to them by linking to my deconstruction of that line of attack. It will not surprise you to learn that the response was a whole lot of guys dismissing me as a white knight and generally belittling me in a general.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">Quite a few took the time to mock me for being fat. They saw my photo in my blog header and decided they could just stop right there. Clearly someone so fat wasn't worth listening to. It was a potent reminder of how much risk fat people face when they are publicly fat. Of how much entitlement people feel to insult and demean us on sight. Which, as it happens, is precisely why my photo is up there.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">I put my photo on the top of my blog specifically to say "fuck you" to each and every person who thinks I don't matter because I'm fat. I put it up there knowing it would incite hatred and wanting that reaction. I don't want to comfort these assholes by hiding. I don't want to feel like I'm not putting myself out there to stand behind what I believe in. Mind you, I don't think this is something fat people are obligated to do. The risks are real, after all, and I can't ask anyone else to take on those risks. I can ask myself, though. I can decide for myself that I can take the abuse. When I was considering it, I was thinking about all the other fat bloggers who I knew what they looked like. It might not be because their photo was on every page of their blog, but they are putting themselves out there. I found that really inspiring and when I took some great shots of myself in Santa Monica last year, I decided to just go with it.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">I'm not going to lie, there are moments where the insults hurt. Where the risks are realized and they sting, but they are getting less and less. Today, reading the insults, I mostly just laughed. Really? That photo up there is so outrageously ugly that you can dismiss everything I have to say? Bullshit. I look great in that picture. I love that picture. Not every fat person can get to the point where the really love how they look, even for just a moment in one photo. I am fortunate to have gotten to that point and its something that I can come back to in the times when I'm struggling. Is that vanity? Maybe. Maybe some vanity is a good thing for fat people to have. Given the way we are told to feel about ourselves, I don't really think there is any danger in going too far in the other way. That scale is never going to get imbalanced that way so we should have no shame of whatever bit of vanity we may get.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">I put my photo in my header because I think I look awesome and I want the people who hate me to see it and know just how awesome I am. I want them to look at that picture and then tell me I'm ugly so I can know that they don't know what they are talking about. Never am I more confident than when responding to someone trying to strip me of my confidence. For me, the vulnerability of being fat and visible is ultimately a source of strength.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: white;">Like I said, I don't think this needs to be everyone's choice. Even those who shy away from linking their photos to their fat politics are still living their lives visibly fat. Even those who still hate their bodies are publicly fat and that should inspire us all. There is tremendous power in being seen. That is why people want to drag us down. They want to take that power away from us, but they never can. Our bodies are powerful and we can be inspired by this power. Not to put our photos on the internet, but to do anything in our lives. Being seen while fat is a real power we all have. They will never take that from us.</span>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-76067798704038763912011-11-09T19:46:00.000-05:002014-10-08T17:47:23.557-04:00A Message to My Fellow Fat Admirers<strong></strong><br />
Dudes!<br />
<br />
What up?<br />
<br />
So, I've noticed some of my fellow male fat admirers throwing tantrums
when women object to be sexualized without consent. These dudes whine
about how the women are telling them aren't allowed to find fat bodies
attractive.<br />
<br />
Cut that shit out. Like now.<br />
<br />
No one is out to confiscate your boners. Sexual attraction to fat bodies
is totally awesome. There may be people out there who want to shame you
for your sexuality, but its not these women. So, by all means, holster
your outrage and listen up.<br />
<br />
The issue these women are complaining about isn't sexual attraction.
They are asking to be treated with respect and dignity. Try not to be
shocked at this stunning request. You still get that be sexually
attracted to fat women. Just, maybe respect them.<br />
<br />
And actually, strike that maybe.<br />
<br />
Don't act all mystified at this concept. Its possible to interact with
people you feel a sexual attraction towards without sexualizing them.
Sexual attraction doesn't mandate objectification. That's just you being
an asshole. Trust me, I've been attracted to fat women as long as I can
remember. I'm still able to appreciate context and react accordingly.
Its NOT. FUCKING. HARD. I'm sick and tired of men acting like this is
impossible and that people are trying to police their arousal. Are these
women saying its wrong to have sexual desire for fat bodies? NO. Its
not about your sexuality. Its about THEIR sexuality. They may well be
very happy to experience a fat admirer's sexual desire, but on their
terms and with their consent. This isn't outrageous or obnoxious. Its
their right.<br />
<br />
I get that no one has ever told you that you should
respect fat women, but you should. I get that men are often taught by
our culture to sexualize and objectify women constantly, but that
doesn't make it okay and it certainly doesn't make you the victim when
people tell you to stop. Our culture systematically attempts to strip
women of their sexual agency and men have a responsibility to do their
part to stop that. Which mans starting with not doing yourself and
continues with telling other men to stop doing it.<br />
<br />
This is
especially important for fat women who already live in a culture that
conspires to desexualize them. They often find themselves in scenarios
where they are told to choose between never being desired sexually or
always being objectified sexually. That's fucked up and wrong. You
should be able to know that by just basic empathy, but I'd submit that
as fat admirers its in our interest to combat thin privilege and male
privilege. Not just because standing with our current or prospective
romantic and sexual partners on issues of basic human dignity is the
right thing to do (though that really should be enough), but its in our
self-interest, too. Those restricted options women face impact us, too.
We are being taught that our sexuality is wrong and that if we act upon
it that we are deviants. We are told we don't deserve to open, loving
relationships with partners we are sexually attracted to. We are told we
shouldn't date them because they are "unhealthy". We are told there
must be some defect that causes our sexuality. We are being denied the
opportunity to embrace our sexuality in the ways men with conventional
attractions take for granted. The women who complain about
objectification of fat women aren't trying to take away our sexuality,
they are trying to fight for it! We should stand with them and resist
those who tell us to sexualize and objectify fat women because they
don't deserve better and we don't deserve better.<br />
<br />
I know there
must be a lot of questions circling your head right now. Like, "but,
Brian, how will I masterbate?" First off, find someone with a hand to
spare and ask them smack you in the back of the head. What did I tell
you about no one confiscating your boners? I'm telling you to recognize
context as an element of personal expression. Fat people have a lot of
reasons to display their body that have nothing to do with your personal
gratification and that's what you need to respect. Maybe its
body-positive photography on Tumblr. Maybe its burlesque dance. Maybe
its just going to the beach in a bikini. These things aren't done to get
you off, and that's okay. You can appreciate what they are doing for
what it is. You can and should support fat women being affirmational
about their bodies without expecting that is being done for your limited
benefit. Its okay to just say "that's beautiful". It doesn't have to be
about what's going on in your pants.<br />
<br />
And, in case you hadn't
noticed (and of course you have), there are fat women who want to
express their sexuality in a way which DOES consent to your sexual
gratification. You are lucky in that if you want to consume pornography
that you have a wealth of options that are produced and controlled by
the women appearing in it. These women have a made a choice for their
own sexual expression and agency. Women of a myriad of shapes, sizes,
colors, ages, and even gender identity. So fucking spare me the
complaints when women who don't consent take issue with being
objectified. The problem is respecting their sexual agency.
Objectification means you don't. Indeed, you probably specifically seek
out women are not trying to express their own sexuality. Don't be that
guy. Be better.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-14577610754469335212011-10-19T09:13:00.001-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.339-04:00Maggie does a Podcast!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYP3vF0jC1RfFfOJhBZCtCPcCY4hLZs-hiM33ONE8G59R7-2N7G2WhynOGpAo7ZfkHyzXelWp2Oa_YmRFIB9EG35pwQjRdGlGvT644Ro6c6kIyORxlIDaqWjC1zRRMnHlbc8CFw/s1600/maggie_podcast.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYP3vF0jC1RfFfOJhBZCtCPcCY4hLZs-hiM33ONE8G59R7-2N7G2WhynOGpAo7ZfkHyzXelWp2Oa_YmRFIB9EG35pwQjRdGlGvT644Ro6c6kIyORxlIDaqWjC1zRRMnHlbc8CFw/s400/maggie_podcast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083292358944130" border="0" /></a>Okay, so maybe not Maggie and more me. I was honored to be invited to join the <a _mce_href="http://friendofmarilyn.com/" href="http://friendofmarilyn.com/">Friend of Marilyn</a> radio show and podcast from Access Manawatu, but Maggie was the topic of discussion. Check out the October 12 episode on <a _mce_href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/friend-of-marilyn/id462034226" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/friend-of-marilyn/id462034226">iTunes</a> or <a _mce_href="http://www.accessradio.org/media/?p=1313540452-463-11%26f=feed.rss" href="http://www.accessradio.org/media/?p=1313540452-463-11%26f=feed.rss">RSS</a> as I talk with host Cat Pause about the Maggie book and <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/09/maggie-after-dieting.html">my appropriation of Maggie for body positive messages</a>. I'm surprisingly happy with the discussion considering how self-critical I can be about these things. Download and listen now!<br /><br />Also, check out Maggie's recent adventures from <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/">my Tumblr:</a><br /><p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10518147497/maggie-explores-the-galaxy-inspired-by-nicole">“Maggie Explores the Galaxy”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxddqu-bxat3QG5SDD68-V42fTw0dDjGxheStjyIPfidLzX-0EDPThU0PJtJM280XKA4INkKUw_sy1zyxDU-UVUehqr5L9FT-WX_HT4oVmAEAvmuO3kWoKEx3OmxFS8l1xSpIAA/s1600/maggie_galaxy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxddqu-bxat3QG5SDD68-V42fTw0dDjGxheStjyIPfidLzX-0EDPThU0PJtJM280XKA4INkKUw_sy1zyxDU-UVUehqr5L9FT-WX_HT4oVmAEAvmuO3kWoKEx3OmxFS8l1xSpIAA/s400/maggie_galaxy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083769297709410" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10642773473/maggie-reclaims-the-word-fat-with-necklace-by">“Maggie Reclaims the Word Fat”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDmEVNxP7hTUZ5FiU7YGHgsqHJDZijOktMi9aI2p_3KaafEPnvPcdccT0anvFo7JIWY11HfeNl4E9Z3-G5IvVCgVn49K7263i1QT1PKeki-qDn6ux8RzR-iWAEEm_qQ6zi_jqJQ/s1600/maggie_fat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDmEVNxP7hTUZ5FiU7YGHgsqHJDZijOktMi9aI2p_3KaafEPnvPcdccT0anvFo7JIWY11HfeNl4E9Z3-G5IvVCgVn49K7263i1QT1PKeki-qDn6ux8RzR-iWAEEm_qQ6zi_jqJQ/s400/maggie_fat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083725017906978" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10676690074/maggie-rejects-fatphobic-fashion-dictates-maggie">“Maggie rejects Fatphobic Fashion Dictates”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS6DbGM8kj3e_49HcqLPFyigxT-mFeUlTxZvRNco7GNklDVRT_oMQFkQBi3ArjmzA_338Tebdr5v49GAoHQKxQL9LMCv-n1ayDhUIrvNbeponPwC4la5sqYJ4bCcf-ZKdAHNKDA/s1600/maggie_fashion.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS6DbGM8kj3e_49HcqLPFyigxT-mFeUlTxZvRNco7GNklDVRT_oMQFkQBi3ArjmzA_338Tebdr5v49GAoHQKxQL9LMCv-n1ayDhUIrvNbeponPwC4la5sqYJ4bCcf-ZKdAHNKDA/s400/maggie_fashion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083646196760962" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10760112540/maggie-makes-a-yay-scale-inspired-by-marilyn">“Maggie Makes a Yay Scale”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsIjDpr6jZCXq3g08mGIrnuzPiwysZ2Tk4eCd1cn6mgZhun356vT5ADrzmpLZd1Z0RtCMEF4L3LABDC6zhgdUiuw_YJhdH6HxH01m0JB1DrGmUdQQzJeldCr5u2GdJXmivy9OTw/s1600/maggie_yay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsIjDpr6jZCXq3g08mGIrnuzPiwysZ2Tk4eCd1cn6mgZhun356vT5ADrzmpLZd1Z0RtCMEF4L3LABDC6zhgdUiuw_YJhdH6HxH01m0JB1DrGmUdQQzJeldCr5u2GdJXmivy9OTw/s400/maggie_yay.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083560219927826" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/11281756380/maggie-goes-to-the-beach-sometimes-even-things">“Maggie Goes to the Beach”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxTj482xs9vLFo6oyX79thhOsEO9q7FjLRXB5uM_HNxhHIuLhK_Ro3cPxBXQoMa4Rd2FUFaRO90iJZT7qsbESAd20DJNOd24YQaQAPsYQR3oCMPTRffOq5wbdF40HNZOY1yqeIQ/s1600/maggie_beach.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxTj482xs9vLFo6oyX79thhOsEO9q7FjLRXB5uM_HNxhHIuLhK_Ro3cPxBXQoMa4Rd2FUFaRO90iJZT7qsbESAd20DJNOd24YQaQAPsYQR3oCMPTRffOq5wbdF40HNZOY1yqeIQ/s400/maggie_beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083501690346290" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/11320675603/maggie-takes-up-hiking-inspired-by-my-own">“Maggie Takes Up Hiking”</a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3lURwGM2UoBxH4D-l2uqzxUIa_3ca2XYnZr3_h-dY9IA8oDSBhmk6OCPqK3hOKEiXBtUzQPF0B0HkQ1Yupo6uMCPN35OjsUNzBp_HIUnVHB3kj5vpeUZbGy6bNUhyphenhyphent2cViBIqA/s1600/maggie_hikes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3lURwGM2UoBxH4D-l2uqzxUIa_3ca2XYnZr3_h-dY9IA8oDSBhmk6OCPqK3hOKEiXBtUzQPF0B0HkQ1Yupo6uMCPN35OjsUNzBp_HIUnVHB3kj5vpeUZbGy6bNUhyphenhyphent2cViBIqA/s400/maggie_hikes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665083341497126434" border="0" /></a></p>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-82644738966742489792011-10-02T22:00:00.003-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.598-04:00The right way to fat shame our childrenOf course, there isn't a right way to fat shame our children, but that won't stop folks from trying. <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/09/maggie-after-dieting.html">"Maggie Goes on a Diet"</a> was clearly the wrong way, buts its not like people want fat kids to feel okay in their bodies. The solution? Why, semantics, of course!<br /><div><br /></div><div>You saw this dynamic a lot in the hand-wringing over "Maggie". People thought it was really important to do something about all this fat kids, but Maggie's attempt just seemed mean. Surely they could have all the shame without the guilt? Well, if there is one thing the diet industry specializes in, its guilt-free through cheap pretense. The problem with Maggie isn't its content or intent. It was the word "diet". Just take that out and everything will be okay.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, fat activists aren't likely to agree, but unfortunately lots of people are. The semantics around "diet" are something a bedrock in the weight loss industry. While Maggie's author clearly didn't get the script, another new book for kids gets the pretense right. Former New York City mayor Ed Koch has also written a children's book about how awful it is to be a fat child and how fat kids should really do something about that. Unlike "Maggie", Koch's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Shapes-Up-Ed-Koch/dp/1604783788">"Eddie Shapes Up,"</a> might end up in a lot of homes and classrooms. While the celebrity author helps a lot, it also keeps to the agreed upon script.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to reviews, the book gives lip service to ideas of there being "all kinds of bodies" and makes sure not to use the "d" word. Diet has a bad reputation, you see. Why? Well, because diets fail. Like, virtually all of the time. That's created quite a marketing problem for the diet industry. They solved it through a masterful bit of unified denial. Diets are what everyone else is selling you. Diets are what everyone else is buying. Diets are everything you did before now. Diets are never what you are doing now, because we all know that diets don't work. So Eddie doesn't go on a diet. He "shapes up" and "gets healthy".</div><div><br /></div><div>This semantic game is played a lot. It sort of acts like a dog whistle to allow fat shaming while letting everyone feel less guilty about it. Inevitably, it gets defended with lines like <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/03/yeah-but-fat-is-bad.html">"how can anyone disagree with this"</a>. Indeed, the plans often offered in these scenarios could be fairly innocuous and fat neutral. The problem is, these scenarios aren't fat neutral and that is the problem. Their proposals are secondary to their purpose. So long as the purpose is to "fight" to existence of fat children (or combat, wage war, or whatever other violent vocabulary is favored), they are still working to shame fat children. No matter what semantics they use to advance their war, that statement of purpose is what is creating the problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Eddie Shapes Up" will no doubt curry favor with a lot of people who don't want to think they are shaming fat children, but still feel a deep need to wring their hands over fat kids. It'll be compared quite positively in relation to Maggie. Don't believe this hype. There is no right way to fat shame children. We don't need to teach fat shame to teach healthy eating and activity. Indeed, you can't. Because actually healthy eating and activity is not some magic that makes fat people into not fat people. It can improve health for those who desire that, but its not likely to make you weigh less. So, what do you get when you teach people those things as a means to weighing less in response to an "epidemic" of fat children? You teach them that their bodies are wrong that healthy eating and activity don't work to fix it. Every time someone self-righteously demands to know how I can be against this sort of thing, I have to think, "How can I not be against it?"</div><div><br /></div><div>We need to move past fat shaming and fat stigmatizing if we actually care about the health and well-being of our children, both fat and thin. All kids should learn that all bodies are okay. None of the exceptions and qualifications so often tacked on. No matter the content of one's proposals, so long as its being taught under the banner of fighting childhood "obesity", then its just a pretense.</div>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-22540149639629556882011-09-29T22:21:00.003-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.357-04:00ALL fat bodies are made into a public concernLike most fat people, Chris Christie is apologetic for his body. Most fat people have internalized the fat shaming that gets directed at them every day of their lives. Most never even think to question it. Of course they shouldn't be fat. Its not a topic they ever give any consideration. Indeed, they often have more hostility towards fat activists because of this. Its important to remember, though, that internalizing fat shame doesn't immunize you from it.<div><br /></div><div>There has been lot of concern trolling of Chris Christie lately along those very lines. People are gravely concerned about the prospects of him running for President. Not for his politics, mind you, but for his health. He obviously is much too unhealthy to consider higher office. This concern trolling has now reached the editorial pages of the Washington Post thanks to a supremely self-righteous bit of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/chris-christies-big-problem/2011/09/29/gIQAAL7J8K_story.html?hpid=z2">concern trolling from Eugene Robinson</a>. He acknowledges that Christie feels ashamed of his size, but this merely justifies his paternalistic lecture about how Christie needs to lose weight if he plans to run for President. It is a shameful hit-piece and has no place in our political discussion. It builds on all sorts of tired and clichéd attacks on fat people.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the most fundamental being the notion that this needs to be said. It is always preposterous when you see people so proud of themselves for stepping up and telling a fat person to stop being so fat. Already, we're seeing other pundits contribute to this by congratulating Robinson for saying the things that needed to be said. Why does everyone person who tries to put fatties in their place think they are the first person to do so? Heck, Robinson even quotes Christie saying he knows all of this. Christie AGREES, but that's still not enough to prevent the smug satisfaction over "telling it like it is".</div><div><br /></div><div>Robinson also asserts that Christie is obviously too unhealthy to run for President. His proof? Well, just look at him being all fat and stuff. It takes him a while to offer anything more than his obvious fatness to justify his obvious lack of health, and even then the evidence is weaker than he'd like us to believe. Christie has had problems with asthma and was hospitalized for it briefly over the summer. When this happened, Christie obviously takes responsibility for his fatness, but also noted that he's relatively healthy by objective indicators. That doesn't slow Robinson down who proceeds to threaten Christie with the usual litany of fat diseases he's obviously going to fat himself with any day now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Robinson continues by trotting out some dubious statistics about how fat people are causing the national health crisis. He tries to be clear that he's not blaming Christie for the National Debt crisis, shortly after blaming all fat people for the National Debt crisis. Easier to blame us collectively than individually, but don't forget that you can't do one without the other. We can't all be responsible for something without being responsible as individuals. Fat people having higher health care costs is something oft asserted, but with little discussion of what goes into that. Reading through Robinson's evidence, at least part of the increase is just based on costs associated with trying to make fat patients into not-fat patients. We'll never know much of the increase is due to fat people not receiving adequate preventive care due to stigmas involving seeking medical treatment while fat nor how much may be attributable to the life-time of weight cycling seen in virtually all fat patients who have made countless attempts to lose weight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Robinson concludes by giving false lip-service to the notion that Christie isn't at fault for his weight. Sadly, this kind of tone is used by a lot of liberals eager to shame fat people collectively but rightfully squeamish about doing it individually. They like to talk about how they understand genetic factors, or they may try to blame evil corporations. Anything to comfort themselves with the notion that they aren't bullying fat people even while they are talking about how we need to eliminate fat people. Its an extremely hollow bit of pandering that I'm getting quite sick of. You can't write a whole column about how Christie needs to stop being so fat already and just assert that you aren't blaming him so you are somehow so terribly mature. Its a charade and one fat people aren't falling for. When you fixated on shaming and stigmatizing fatness, you are shaming and stigmatizing fat people. I don't care if you want to think you're better than that, but you aren't. You aren't saying anything different than all of the other people who tell us every day that our bodies are unacceptable. Your message is substantively NO different, no matter how you want to excuse it to yourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, though, the tragedy of all of this is like with most fat shaming, its directed at someone who agrees with it. Maybe Christie will object to the the tone or venue, but he's repeatedly endorsed the substance. Yet people will still make a point to shame him over and over and over again. Christie will win himself no reprieve for his own acceptance of shame for his weight. It simply doesn't matter to the people doing the shaming. To them, if he didn't want to be shamed for his body, he should just stop being so fat at them.</div><div><br /></div><div>What bothers me the most with Robinson's article, though, is his self-justification where he explains why this is his business. Christie's weight isn't a private matter, you see, because he has chosen to enter the public arena. Much like the "hasn't anyone told you to stop being fat" sentiment, this is the sort of wildly divorced from reality assertion that any fat person should just laugh at it. Really, his body is a public concern just because he's a public figure? <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2011/04/thingsfatpeoplearetold-first-24-hours.html">Funny, because to most fat people, it seems like people are always making our bodies their business.</a> No special justification needed, this is just another day in the life for a fat person. Our bodies are always treated like public property and we are subjected to repeated shaming and belittling for our transgressive size. Robinson may want to act like he's just making a special allowance for himself, but this is no special risk Christie faces for being in the public eye. Going out in public while fat is enough to make it a public issue for most people. What is happening to Christie is happening to fat people every day. Don't think for a second that he's some kind of special victim for being a fat politician, nor that he faces some sort of special responsibility for it, either. This is positively mundane.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm no fan of Christie politically. I think he'd make an awful President. There are lots of ways to make that case without concern trolling him for being fat. That is unequivocally wrong and I demand better. There is nothing mature about fixating on his weight instead of his policies. Christie gives people ample reason to oppose him based on his ideology. That has far more to do with how he'll govern than his pants size.</div>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-46405783429761553122011-09-27T14:07:00.003-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.445-04:00Its not discrimination if I think its wrong for everyone!In reading some of the discussion around <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/celebritology/post/leisha-hailey-l-word-actress-kicked-off-southwest-flight-for-kissing-girlfriend/2011/09/27/gIQAlimq1K_blog.html">L Word actress Leisha Hailey being kicked off a Southwest Air flight for kissing her girlfriend</a>, I was reminded of a favorite defense trotted out in favor of discrimination. "But I think publicly kissing your partner is wrong no matter what your sexuality!" Indeed, its Southwest's defense here, too. Its not the sexual orientation, its the behavior. There is roughly no reason to ever take this sort of line seriously.<br /><br />Its a pretty common tactic and that's what we need to recognize. This is a tactic and even an earnest proponent of it references it while willfully ignoring the larger social context. They think if they, individually, are willing to apply something to everyone, that's a get out of prejudice free card. That doesn't really work on a personal level, and it is pretty much insulting on a cultural level.<br /><br />I'll take the cultural level first, because, well, it's low-hanging fruit. Trotting out this kind of "well, I'd discriminate against everyone" line in response to instances of discrimination is just an attempt at derailing. It doesn't matter why you'd do it. What matters are the systems of discrimination. By centering the discussion on your hypothetical motives, you just seek to distract from focusing on the larger social issues at play. You make something about you which isn't remotely about you. The reality is, your supposed even-handedness isn't what is happening in our culture. When gay people are scolded for showing affection, there is no counterpart among straight couples. Straight couples aren't being thrown off airplanes for kissing. Thin people aren't subjected to ridicule for eating in public. Men aren't viciously denounced for being sexually assertive. Your standards aren't the point, because your standards clearly aren't what's happening.<br /><br />I feel this generally fails on the personal level, too. All too often, "but, its wrong for everyone" thinking only ever comes up when its wrong for the group society agrees its wrong for. Its essentially a hallow claim. You protest that you'd feel the same way if this were happening to a socially privileged group, but you never have to worry about that because it never will happen to a socially privileged group. Its just something to make you feel better about cheering for the stigmatization of marginalized groups.<br /><br />The fat community sees this played out a number of ways. I suspect the most recognizable would be the fashion policing of fat bodies. Fat people are often scolded for their clothing choices by people who insist they'd find it distasteful on any better. Not coincidentally, though, they only ever voice that disgust with fat people for whom it is culturally protected to scold and demean for their bodies. They love claiming their prejudice is without regard for body size, but they never question their own actions and how even-handed they actually are when directly scolding people. They might like to think it and maybe they'd snark at celebrities, but I've seen little reason to think these people are seeking out thin bodies to police at the rates they are seeking out fat bodies. People like claiming they think its wrong for everyone, but the next time you hear someone say that, ask them to demonstrate that thinking in action. They like saying that to scold marginalized people, but how much time are they actually out there being publicly outraged when privileged people do it? I doubt many would even pass that test, much less be able to justify the recentering aspects of that position that draw attention away from social discrimination.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-73015013200831025542011-09-19T01:24:00.008-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.549-04:00Maggie After DietingSo, by now, I'm sure you've become aware of a rather awful book aimed at children called <a href="http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/diet-book-for-6-year-olds-seriously/">"Maggie Goes on a Diet"</a>. The book depicts a teenaged girl who is bullied for her size and then goes on a diet and becomes thin and popular. While the protaganist is 14, the book's target audience is actually girls as young as 6. The cover depicts fat Maggie holding a dress in front of a mirror with her thin reflection looking back at her.<br /><br />So, yeah, pretty much a horrible, horrible thing. Its been getting widespread condemnation, which, of course, means even people who think fat people don't deserve respect think this goes too far. The imagery of the cover really struck me for how tactless it is. It reinforces so many notions of there being thin people just waiting to come out of our fat bodies, a cliché which mostly serves to dehumanize fat people. We aren't actual people, just something covering up thin people. While a lot of mainstream critics were blandly attacking the book for not promoting fat stigma the right way, I kind of kept thinking to what happens after the book.<br /><br />See, most fat people have dieted and lost weight in their lives. Maggie's story is one I've heard time and time again in fat accepting communities. Growing up fat and getting teased. Finally being able to maintain a low weight for some brief period of time before the inevitable swing of weight cycling brings their size up higher than it was to start. Indeed, its a cycle most fat people experience over and over. Maggie's story rings true to many fat people. Its just not the whole story.<br /><br />So, as I had been dabling with <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, I saw an opportunity for an art project and several weeks ago started posting my own book covers for sequels to Maggie's first story. Starting with <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/9373274064/maggie-gains-back-the-weight-and-learns-to-accept">"Maggie Gains Back the Weight and Learns to Accept Her Body"</a>:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejAzyVu6J3IRjCRVDviu_FjJfF6sKChMOjghVBS5BVICruMNMsse00pOc58huHgGswoPvTxoAl04nkIwtTj9MZ0zzS_vvrPYGM8Qv507GUbo9w4LaWq8fZRfVSnJCtQ_s625nMQ/s1600/maggie_gains.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejAzyVu6J3IRjCRVDviu_FjJfF6sKChMOjghVBS5BVICruMNMsse00pOc58huHgGswoPvTxoAl04nkIwtTj9MZ0zzS_vvrPYGM8Qv507GUbo9w4LaWq8fZRfVSnJCtQ_s625nMQ/s400/maggie_gains.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653941567785540482" border="0" /></a>Whether fat haters like it or not, gaining back the weight is next chapter of virtually ever diet success story. Not because Maggie failed or wanted to gain back the weight, but because dieting is a failed system. I did this pretty quickly in Photoshop, but it got a very nice response on Tumblr and I solicited suggestions from folks on Twitter. I got quite a few great ones (many of which I haven't gotten to, yet) of what else Maggie could do to empower herself. @FatandtheIvy had a particular good one which lead to my next Maggie sequel, <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/9490689924/maggie-gets-a-masters-in-gender-studies-my">“Maggie Gets a Master’s Degree in Gender Studies”:</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O2jjk9HahkZ0Armd_feD4ZrSUT92S81OSKo_HhmeY0PWvRNtFs4A9PUl-H_YNcTPauWacMjO9roiQP-bOO1p1zktBGePPhRMzghUfbZxMCVQGWcDybnNY3rOFC7BwfwiXV4MWw/s1600/maggie_genderstudies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O2jjk9HahkZ0Armd_feD4ZrSUT92S81OSKo_HhmeY0PWvRNtFs4A9PUl-H_YNcTPauWacMjO9roiQP-bOO1p1zktBGePPhRMzghUfbZxMCVQGWcDybnNY3rOFC7BwfwiXV4MWw/s400/maggie_genderstudies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653946969070906274" border="0" /></a>As I continued making these, I've tried to avoid putting too much baggage on Maggie. She's really meant to be an "every fat woman", so I want people to feel free to envision her whatever they like. As far as I'm concerned, she's female presenting, relatively fair-skinned, and has red hair either by nature or design. Anything else, feel free to imagine. She can be cis or trans. She may be queer or straight or ace. I try not to even think of her as necessarily white, though I presume that was her original creator's intention. She's not pale, after all. I've known people of Latin America, Middle-Eastern, and Asian decent with similar coloring. I've clearly decided that Maggie is not bound by her original creator's intentions and I'm trying to recognize that she need not be bound by my own, either. Maggie is all about possibilities and the possibilities available to fat people are far more numerous than we are often led to believe. Yes, Maggie went on a diet. That just gives her something in common with nearly every fat activist out there. She, like every other fat person, deserved more than for that to be the whole of her story.<br /><br />So, because not everyone follows me on Tumblr or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/red3blog/">Twitter</a>, here are the continuing adventures of Maggie as she subverts her diet propaganda roots and empowers herself:<br /><br /><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/9506285183/maggie-joins-a-roller-derby-league-also-maggie">“Maggie Joins a Roller Derby League”</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNj3yeELFGl-KRxaRldLzduMNZIPTpnnk2fvBH6EiAeqfcjfkokQfdwZe-nQ5EjY3OT95Q0DI_MZqPn0Yno4K2fT-QegEp43EPy08is_XPY2TI8B_cwPV7cYrBuyyN3ntZGOAww/s1600/maggie_rollerderby.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNj3yeELFGl-KRxaRldLzduMNZIPTpnnk2fvBH6EiAeqfcjfkokQfdwZe-nQ5EjY3OT95Q0DI_MZqPn0Yno4K2fT-QegEp43EPy08is_XPY2TI8B_cwPV7cYrBuyyN3ntZGOAww/s400/maggie_rollerderby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653947032755612514" border="0" /></a><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/9765620056/maggie-learns-to-belly-dance-fourth-in-a-series">“Maggie Learns to Belly Dance”</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IleOYccaOWX-dS2Te_TVgGufHmbItAdQd0jm-A98ISZLEDKiuHrlfwtePmIeylbqU7dLFjo69m8_gicWQmNvRy6DVjqaQ1T45erSQ96Bbo9bm75asnMZXIl8Rcpx4N_L9qHhyphenhyphenQ/s1600/maggie_bellydance.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IleOYccaOWX-dS2Te_TVgGufHmbItAdQd0jm-A98ISZLEDKiuHrlfwtePmIeylbqU7dLFjo69m8_gicWQmNvRy6DVjqaQ1T45erSQ96Bbo9bm75asnMZXIl8Rcpx4N_L9qHhyphenhyphenQ/s400/maggie_bellydance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653947094946494690" border="0" /></a><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/9803070492/maggie-goes-to-re-dress-nyc-part-five-in-a">“Maggie Goes to Re/Dress NYC”</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpxHIG4i3-VKrRhN-8rQegGf7oBNgSqND_sDSHSX4CiU1MfWdTcKA5nJ8pO3jjfg3JGRQxaPNVas_QuO483-otuC802XY5DiHMnXy575ll5FZQ241PdPBYg7fj6a6EmuHdGTtuQ/s1600/maggie_redress.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpxHIG4i3-VKrRhN-8rQegGf7oBNgSqND_sDSHSX4CiU1MfWdTcKA5nJ8pO3jjfg3JGRQxaPNVas_QuO483-otuC802XY5DiHMnXy575ll5FZQ241PdPBYg7fj6a6EmuHdGTtuQ/s400/maggie_redress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653947141495815458" border="0" /></a><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10335735865/maggie-joins-a-punk-rock-band-part-six-in-a">"Maggie Joins a Punk Rock Band"</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIU4H4WKQ4J-XBI24Y-9mpsIq1PPR6Bk02FqVuZSv2Mg43KVnN5mdENdhZr37OCHZhOhnLWpz88Tw4ORGZplR5IBTDSw4A7NG-kHpVgLvrk5422CdJ4ZK4Jjd5rkJbcb1OtBIng/s1600/maggie_punk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIU4H4WKQ4J-XBI24Y-9mpsIq1PPR6Bk02FqVuZSv2Mg43KVnN5mdENdhZr37OCHZhOhnLWpz88Tw4ORGZplR5IBTDSw4A7NG-kHpVgLvrk5422CdJ4ZK4Jjd5rkJbcb1OtBIng/s400/maggie_punk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653947352464747314" border="0" /></a><a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/post/10395957146/maggie-protests-fat-stigma-with-inspiration-by">"Maggie Protests Fat Stigma"</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqvNlQ15BWL7TkxSsjqB7HkjEB4CWaR5cjBdeA5tI29Hul33L0A-GZKTDXbCFQsAgJ-h2qiTnxyRl5NX6KxaELBjoCAatFJs2X9gZOlGzT08KrDPHQv0RKUDNpRCNGBrwM-hFGA/s1600/maggie_protests.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqvNlQ15BWL7TkxSsjqB7HkjEB4CWaR5cjBdeA5tI29Hul33L0A-GZKTDXbCFQsAgJ-h2qiTnxyRl5NX6KxaELBjoCAatFJs2X9gZOlGzT08KrDPHQv0RKUDNpRCNGBrwM-hFGA/s400/maggie_protests.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653947393816107522" border="0" /></a><br />More, surely, to come. You can follow me on <a href="http://red3blog.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> for updates.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-16990789875864202662011-09-02T14:18:00.004-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.344-04:00The continued failure of fat people preventionIf fat people were preventable, why are there so many fat people?
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<br />Its notable that <a href="http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-fat-hatred-and-eliminationism.html">anti-fat crusading celebrity chefs</a> have shifted to talking about "preventing" fat people. Its a tacit admission that there is no safe, reliable way to make a fat person into a not-fat person. Which in the minds of fat-haters just increases the imperative to prevent us. Stop us before we fat! Not that this relieves any stigmatization of actual fat people as they focus on the potentially fat.
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<br />If anything, it makes it much worse as we're now a cautionary tale complete with an utterly made-up statistic of fat people costing "$10,273,973 per hour". Imagine if that song from from <span style="font-style: italic;">Rent</span> had a chorus of "How about... the supposed economic impact of the continued existence of fat people." As a Shakesville commenter notes, this highly specific number is clearly derived from a far less specific $90 billion a year number. Basically, if you take $90 billion and divide it by the number of hours in a year (8,760), and then round up to the nearest whole dollar, you get their figure. They took a broad statistical estimate (prone to all of the usual manipulations that come with estimates based on assumptions which presuppose what you want to believe) and broke it down to the hour to make it seem more authoritative.
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<br />Still, we get back to the essential question here, if fat bodies can be prevented, why are the so many fat bodies to use as cautionary examples? Why has Jamie Oliver and those who have come before him failed so triumphantly to prevent fat people? The prevention and elimination of fat bodies has been a medical imperative for decades. Stigmatization of fat bodies is enforced through massive amounts of social shaming from family and peers and authoritative shaming from medical professionals. If fat people were preventable, everything ever done by those trying to prevent them has been a spectacular failure.
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<br />In his petition, Jaime Oliver says we must "demand better" from our UN Representative. I'm not sure what he thinks better will be exactly. He's already gotten the whole structure of our society behind him. Its a rather massive degree of entitlement for people who already run the world to be demanding more. But such is thin privilege.
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<br />He isn't wrong that we need to demand better, though. But who we need to demand it from are Oliver and his cronies. We need to demand better from every self-appointed "obesity" expert who perpetuates shame and stigmatization in the name of failed policies. We need to demand better than treatments that have never been shown to work and prevention that has never been shown to be effective. Fat people must demand better. Better health care. More respect. Less discrimination.
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<br />You're damn right, Jamie Oliver, that we should demand better. Better than you. Better than self-promotional marketing campaigns that will do far more the elevate the global brand of a celebrity chef than improve the life of one fat person, much less make anyone thinner. We need to demand options to improve our health and well-being that are not fixated on making our fat bodies not fat. We need to demand that health stop being an issue of right or wrong, good or bad. We need to stop shaming people for their health concerns and valorizing those who do "right". We need to stop the endless repetition of failed directives and stop predicating medical treatment and medicinal shaming on the size and shape of our bodies. Fat people deserve better. We demand better.
<br />Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-7084213144884568072011-08-31T23:34:00.000-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.543-04:00Bigotry doesn't always announce itself"I never said I hated fat people!"
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<br />A few weeks back I saw someone pull out this line in an argument. Variations of this remark come up a lot among people defending bigoted remarks of many stripes, and fat people certain see a good amount of this. In this case, someone had written an article suggesting fat people are unfit to serve in political office. (the original article seems to be down as a result of a site update, so no link) Calling for discrimination seems to be pretty clearly a case of bigotry to me, but not to many. After all, they never said they hated fat people.
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<br />Bigotry doesn't always announce itself. Indeed, it rarely does. Lots of bigots out there like to flatter themselves with justifications and explanations for why their calls for discrimination, stigmatization, and disempowerment aren't actually bigotry. Its an example of the entitlement that comes with privilege. They feel entitled to not have their hate labeled as such. Doing so would terribly rude and hostile. Far more rude and hostile than suggesting a class of people be barred from public office. So long as they don't label what they do and say as hate, no one else can.
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<br />Well, that's bullshit, isn't it? We can't count on hate to be self-labeled. Sure, a lot of people DO feel free to hate fat people because we live in a culture which privileges such hate. That a few do so openly, though, is a reflection of the far greater number that so less overtly. They fully believe themselves when they decry the awful treatment of themselves when called out on their privilege, too. They believe every one of their justifications for their hate. There is no "deep down" where they know they are hateful. Deep down, the just know they are right and will angrily defend their righteousness.
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<br />Fat hate has an especially potent system for denial, too. Its not hate or bigotry. Oh, no. They actually just act out of concern for fat people. This doesn't make fat the last acceptable thing to hate, of course. Indeed, this dynamic plays out precisely with hatred for women, African-Americans, gays, and so many others. There is always a culturally acceptable coat of paint slapped on the hatred so everyone can pretend its something else. You see this in the white racists so concerned about how the end of slavery has destroyed black families. You see this in the homophobes so concerned about the supposed mental instability of gays and lesbians. You see it in the misogynists who are so concerned about protecting women by infantalizing them and lionizing them as their noble protectors.
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<br />For us fatties, its always concern for health. Fat people must be barred from politics because they are so gosh darn unhealthy. We'll just go dying in the middle of our terms, leaving chaos in our wake. Sure, we keep electing 80 year old white men to office. Sure, we elect persons who have recovered from cancer. But fat people are just going to die any day now! I mean, there isn't actually anything to justify the perpetual death threat our culture puts fat people in, but why let relevance keep people from dredging up health. Dan Savage brought health in to justify his disgust with <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=17977&mode=print">"girl love handles"</a>. No, it wasn't some arbitrary system of aesthetics that Savage was elevating to a beauty mandate. Its not that he finds it ugly (though, he totally does), its that he finds it so gosh darn unhealthy. I'm sure health concerns were paramount in the minds of those who decided to pick on a <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/demi_lovato_bashes_haters_who_sniped/260782">19-year old recovering bulimic for looking slightly heavier since getting treatment for her eating disorder.</a>
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<br />Limiting activists to calling out that has announced itself is a way of privileging the status quo and skewing the debate in its favor. Its all about making sure the culturally dominant hatreds end up looking like the moderate stance. They want to position those calling for empowerment as an extreme opposing the actual extreme of people expressing crass, direct hate. Then the status quo gets to act all above the fray for its sainted reasonableness by not hating too obviously. Compromise!
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<br />We must call out all hate. Not just the hate that makes itself plain. The hate that tries to blend into the background noise of our culture is far more insidious and far more of a threat. We will not wait for hate to make itself known before we speak out. We will seek it out and expose it.
<br />Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490980.post-50180474052774546832011-07-31T19:25:00.003-04:002014-10-08T17:47:23.462-04:00In defense of Fat CosplayI feel a great disturbance in the force. As if a million voices cried out in entitled indignation at having to see a fat person enjoying their life and were suddenly not silenced. Indeed, they won't shut up about it.<br /><br />Its a disturbance we feel every July coming out of San Diego and sporadically the rest of the year at conventions around the world. Pity the poor convention goer who must endure the sight of fat people doing stuff. I mean, don't they know they are fat?!?<br /><br />I know I shouldn't be surprised. These are issues of privilege, after all, and privilege means never having to have the slightest iota of self-awareness. As a geek/nerd/etc., though, I find it especially disappointing when my fellow geeks wallow in what entitlements they do get. Thus we get the positively absurd sight of people angrily lashing out to protect the sanctity of adults dressing up as cartoon characters.<br /><br />The arguments are always incredibly silly. "Character X wasn't fat!" is always a go-to. How much nit-picking do you think Wolverine cosplayers get if they are taller than 5'3"? Or Hulk cosplayers for being too short?<br /><br />"Fat people just shouldn't wear those costumes. They aren't flattering." Hello, body policing. Who says they aren't flattering? Oh, that's right. The people who think fat bodies are irredeemably ugly. God forbid a small number of fat people decide that maybe they won't live their lives by no-win rules about what they are allowed to wear. That's not even getting into the ways appropriating fashion standards for conventional bodies onto unconventional bodies can expose the absurdity of those standards. Think of the <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/07/gender_bent_justice_league.php">Gender Bent Justice League</a> where cosplayers swapped genders on DC Superheros, but retained the scantily clad costumes on the now male bodies. Seeing a male Huntress or Power Girl is a reminder of how dehumanizing portrayals of women get taken for granted. Fat cosplay can have much the same activist purpose in drawing attention both to the objectification of thin women and the way fat bodies are made invisible. Lest any of the cosplay police complain about getting politics into their fun, they are already doing it themselves. They are taking just as much of an activist position on cosplay as the Gender Bent Justice League is. Difference is, they are activists for the status quo.<br /><br />"Its just not healthy." I swear, you cannot talk about fat people doing anything in their lives without running into this one. Its the fail-safe for those who want to police fat bodies for not meeting aesthetic standards. If someone challenges aesthetics, just pretend its all about health. Tell me, though, what other health standards are enforced for cosplayers. Do we measure people's blood pressure and cholesterol? If you have cancer, do you not get to cosplay? What about the myriad of diseases more prevalent in thin people? Are they forbidden from any moment of fun? As usual, health is a concern stated because our culture has deemed this an acceptable reason to hate people.<br /><br />Cosplay is about having fun. Its about self-expression. There should be no "Cosplay Police" at all. People get to make up their own minds on how to express themselves and their fandom. Some people are going to want to dress up as characters they look like. Which is awesome. I get that mentality. Other people are going to be drawn to the characters they like. And that's cool, too. Its bizarre that people think there must be rules about playing make-believe.<br /><br />That's not what they think, though. They just think there are rules about being fat. It all comes back to privilege. Its obviously absurd to try to codify pretend. Its obviously hypocritical for geeks and nerds to slam people for defying conventional norms. Thin privilege is a bigger problem than that. Its just how privilege acts. Of course you can't try to police make-believe, but you damn well can police fat bodies. Thankfully, I gather most cosplay communities soundly reject that line of thinking. Just another reminder that really has nothing to do with the act of cosplay and everything to do with attacking people for the crime of being publicly fat.<br /><br />I've never cosplayed myself, but I envy the hell out of people who do so it really upsets me when I see someone's beautiful expression of self demeaned by rank bullies. It just wasn't something I feel like my generation did much to begin with, and even there I never really found myself in a community of geeks where I could really feel comfortable exploring that. It bums me out, though. I'd love a great looking Star Fleet Uniform (from Next Generation, of course). I'd love to use <a href="http://red3.blogspot.com/2010/07/fat-man-wearing-white.html">my white jacket</a> to cosplay as the villainous Gideon Graves. I went as Jedi for Halloween once in college and you can't tell me holding a lightsaber in your hands isn't flat out awesome. I also remember how "on display" I felt when I wore my white suit and I can only imagine how amplified that feeling would be when cosplaying. Fat or thin. Doing that is incredible and I am in awe of everyone who does it and utterly disgusted with everyone who tries to belittle it for interfering with their pristine sense of aesthetics.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15239489631801680750noreply@blogger.com8