Lindsey and I took several classes together at BCC where we discussed diversity... she sent me this link to an article in Marie Clarie that has me all riled up now.
Go read it
HERE, then come back and read my reaction.
Like racism.... this is fatism. I hate it. Every word of her article made me cringe. And honestly, I stopped reading 1/2 way thru it because it pissed me off so much.
She said anorexia was okay because some people are naturally thin... but seriously, some people are naturally bigger too.
And... I think that EVERYONE, regardless of size, color, ethnicity... deserve starring roles in TV. We need more diversity in the media to show the beautiful differences that make up human kind.
Would you be disgusted with two larger people making out in front of you? Maybe if they had their rolls hanging out or were dirty or were doing something disgusting. But Mike & Molly are well dressed, groomed and I'm sure smell fantastic. Screw Marie Claire and their writers.
I won't ever be reading their magazine again if that's their view on people who aren't what society deems as acceptable or beautiful.
Ok... So, deep breath Betsy. Breathe in slowly and read the rest of the article... it could get better, right?
WRONG.
In the article the writer says, "I think obesity is something that most people have a ton of control over. It's something they can change, if only they put their minds to it."
Yes, because for my entire life, I never dieted, exercised or tired a million different ways to lose weight. I guess my mind was never really set enough on losing the weight. I guess I just didn't try hard enough. *eye rolling* I think that for some people who don't struggle with weight, they don't understand how hard it really is being fat. It's a struggle every day. And it's not a matter of "putting my mind to it" that will allow me to lose weight. For me, it took a surgery to physically force my body to lose weight. Diet and exercise were no longer a viable option for me. I tried and there were too many other physical ailments in my way. I think that if the author were to live in my life for a week when I was 100lbs heavier, she might change her mind about it being such an easily controllable issue.
And then she goes on to give some advice on how to lose weight and exercise. One of my doctors tried to give me that speech once before I had my surgery. I laughed at him and said, "Do you not think I haven't already tried that? Been down that road before, several times? Do you really think I'd be asking you to cut me open and rearrange my insides if diet and exercise worked for me?" SERIOUSLY. Get a CLUE. Diet and exercise don't vigorously work for severely overweight people.
Now, I know you might say well it worked for the people on "The Biggest Loser". You're right. It did work. But they lived at the fat camp for several weeks, had trainers and devoted all their time to weight loss. What average person has that time? I know I don't.
The author of this article is a big bully. Who, I'm sure has self esteem and body image issues of her own. I feel sorry for her really. She is the one who is probably hurting inside more than any fat person on TV or that I know.
She apologizes at the end in an update for hurting peoples feelings. But, as my friend Lindsay said, "too little, too late."
I think that shows like "Mike and Molly," "Huge," and "Drop Dead Diva" are important parts of our culture and they show diversity in size. These shows show that people who are overweight lead lives that are just as normal as everyone else. They don't say that being overweight is good, healthy or what everyone should strive for... they show us that diversity can be beautiful.
I think back to my Body Image & Art class I took at UWT where I was introduced to a book called, "Fat? So?" (
they've got a website too!) where I was able to learn about accepting myself and my body at any size. The tag line is "For fat people who don't apologize for their size". It's definitely a book worth looking at, for people big and small.
*BIG SIGH* Ok... I think I've gotten it all out of my system now. I'm almost 100lbs lighter, but still... I will always feel like a "fat girl". I will always be sensitive to issues like these... and I hope that maybe, I can help people see that being overweight isn't a choice. No one wants to be fat. But sometimes... it's just the hand we were dealt in life.
It gets better.
If you feel like it... leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of the article, my reaction, or what you think about overweight actors on TV.
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Weight Loss Recap
Today's weight: 227bs
Total weight loss: 98bs
Weight loss since surgery: 87lbs
.bmp)
