2010 PCA/ACA Conference, Fat Studies Area, call for papers

2010 PCA/ACA Conference

Fat Studies Area

Call for Papers

Fat Studies is becoming an interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary field of study that confronts and critiques cultural constraints against notions of “fatness” and “the fat body”; explores fat bodies as they live in, are shaped by, and remake the world; and creates paradigms for the development of fat acceptance or celebration within mass culture.  Fat Studies uses body size as the starting part for a wide-ranging theorization and explication of how societies and cultures, past and present, have conceptualized all bodies and the political/cultural meanings ascribed to every body.  Fat Studies reminds us that all bodies are inscribed with the fears and hopes of the particular culture they reside in, and these emotions often are mislabeled as objective “facts” of health and biology.  More importantly, perhaps, Fat Studies insists on the recognition that fat identity can be as fundamental and world-shaping as other identity constructs analyzed within the academy and represented in media.

Proposals in the area of Fat Studies are being accepted for the 2010 PCA /ACA (Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association) National Conference in St. Louis, MO (March 31 through April 3, 2010 at the Renaissance Grand Hotel St. Louis). We welcome papers and performances from academics, researchers, intellectuals, activists, and artists, in any field of study, and at any stage in their career.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

* representations of fat people in literature, film, music, nonfiction, and the visual arts

* cross-cultural or global constructions of fatness and fat bodies

* cultural, historical, or philosophical meanings of fat and fat bodies

* portrayals of fat individuals and groups in news, media, magazines

* fatness as a social or political identity

* fat acceptance, activism, and/or pride movements and tactics

* approaches to fat and body image in philosophy, psychology, religion, sociology

* fat children in literature, media, and/or pedagogy

* fat as it intersects with race, ethnicity, class, religion, ability, gender, and/or sexuality

* history and/or critique of diet books and scams

* functions of fatphobia or fat oppression in economic and political systems

By December 1, 2009, please send an abstract of 100 – 250 words or a completed paper to Fat Studies Area Co-Chairs Julia McCrossin (jmccross@gwmail.gwu.edu) and Lesleigh Owen (goddess_les@yahoo.com).

Please include your complete contact information and a CV and/or 50 word bio, along with anticipated A/V needs. All submissions are welcome, but please use the information above to ensure your paper fits within the academic and political scopes of Fat Studies. Please also be mindful that Fat Studies is a political project and not merely an umbrella term for all discussions of larger bodies. Also, we encourage submitters to rethink using words like “obesity” and “overweight” in their presentations unless they are used ironically, within quotes, or accompanied by a political analysis.

Presenters must become members of the Popular Culture Association. Find more information on the conference and organization at http://pcaaca.org/conference/national.php.

Filed under: Fat Rights Organizations, academia, CFP, fat studies, papers, PCA

Let’s Hear it for FAs

In this case, I am using FA as in fat-admirer; a term I really don’t like, but I don’t know if there is a better one out there – if you know one, please share. I’d love to have a different term – especially since, now that, more and more, FA is used for fat acceptance.

Anyhow. These are the people who have a preference for fat partners. YES! They may be fat themselves or not; and unfortunately, they get crap from the fat and non-fat community because of their preference.

First, I know we all want to just be loved for who we are (cue violins and birds chirping). Everybody, fat or not, wants that.

Second, everybody, fat or not, has preferences. Some people are all about the boobs, some prefer taller partners, some prefer shorter, some prefer body hair, some do not, some like blonds, some prefer brunettes, and on and on and on. And some people prefer fat partners.

Now, a person may or may not end up with someone who fits their physical attraction criteria. This is because once you get to know someone, you may find that there are other things about that person that are more important and more attractive to you than just how they look. Cool.

However, when you are out and about in the world; most often, we all start with the basic physical attraction. You see someone and they push all the right buttons. You want to know that person better (or maybe you just want to hop in the sack with them – and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as they are willing and you all play safe).

So if you have an initial attraction, it is more likely you’ll be willing to take the time to get to know that person better (before or after you hop in the sack – hey, you have to talk sometime). You have that extra incentive. And the more people you get to know, the more information you will have as to what your own preferences are and what is and is not important to you in a relationship.

That having been said, many fat people hate their own bodies so much that the he or she believes there must be something wrong with any person who is physically attracted to their bodies. What they say is, “I just want to be loved for who I am”, but in this case, what they mean is, “You can love me, but not this body that I hate,” and if you do love this body, there is something wrong with you.” How sad is that? For everybody.

Quite a few FAs I have met, are not well socialized. I think this is because, often, they don’t go through the same dating and relationship learning experiences that average sized people tend to go through during their teens and college years (just like many fatties). I think this is because they are confused by their preference. Much like gays and lesbians, they have a preference that society tells them is not the “norm” (happily, I think teens and young adults are getting better at recognizing that society does not get to dictate what is “normal”, at least when it comes to sexual preference). Add the peer pressure all teens are under to conform (especially when it comes to appearance). It would take a very strong and confident teen to come out of the closet as an FA in high school. Also, I think we all go through some self-examination and experimentation during our youth (misspent or otherwise) to determine just what our personal sexual preferences and/or orientation are.

And let’s remember that when a person has a fat partner, they get judged by their families, co-workers, “friends” – they get to hear all the “caring” and “helpful” and/or nasty and snide comments and questions about why they want to be with a fat person. They get judged not on their own looks, but on how the person they care about looks. So they get the double whammy of having to defend their own choices, as well as the stand up for the person they love. How fun is that – especially if the person they love hates their own fat body.

I know it’s been said before, but it is really true. Until you learn to love yourself, you’re not really ready to be loved. That’s because if you don’t love yourself, how can you believe that you are truly loveable? And you are!

And loving someone else can be scary. Because you care about that person, and what happens to them. And while the other person is not responsible for your own happiness (you are the only one with that power), you trust that person and your life and feelings are intertwined with that person. So think how scary it is for you; and then realize, acknowledge and appreciate that your partner is going through the same thing.

And another thing, the FA who is in the closet, needs to come out. The person who doesn’t introduce you to his or her friends or family, who doesn’t take you out, who only wants to see you in private, and especially the FA who has an average sized spouse and has the fatty on the side, does not deserve you – in any way. I’m sorry. As I said above, I know that being an FA is not easy; but someone who is not proud to be seen with you, doesn’t love you enough. And by encouraging an FA to stay in the closet, I feel it only makes things harder for the open FAs and fat people in general. Tell me it doesn’t make you happy to see a fat/FA couple.

The more society sees that we are loved and lovable; the harder it becomes for society to say otherwise; and the easier it becomes for other fat/FA couples. So love yourself; appreciate those who love you; then go forth and spread joy!

Filed under: Size Acceptance

My Fat Is Not a Problem to be Solved

I read this article because of the title “Shame Is Not a Healthcare Strategy”.  Hear, hear.  Great title, and the article started out so well.  And then it just went to shit. 

The author (Connie Schultz) was doing great when she was talking about how wrong fat bashing is; how it doesn’t help anyone.

Then she goes on to tell us all how to turn fat people into thin people, or at least thinner people.  Because, you know, fat people don’t know about eating healthy and exercising and stuff like that; and if fat people could afford healthier food we would all be thinner. 

Oh, and also fat people tend not to go to the doctor (Ms. Schultz attributes it to lack of health insurance not because fat people have been routinely terrorized by the healthcare industry), where we could benefit from constant monitoring and intervention through regular checkups.  Yeah, that is exactly what healthcare for fat people is lacking – more monitoring and intervention focused on our weight. 

But of course medical monitoring and medical intervention is what is required because this is a “medical epidemic”. 

Being fat, according to the author, is a complex problem that requires complex solutions.

PLEASE, DON’T SOLVE ME.

I am not a problem, nor is my fat a problem to be solved.  I am a person, and my fat is part of the person I am.   And how dare you assume that I need to be solved.

I may not be the same as you, but that is okay.  It’s called diversity.  Don’t they teach that in school anymore – that people are different and that it’s a good thing? 

As the old saying goes, protect me from my friends, I can take care of my enemies myself.

If you must, here is the addy for the article:  http://www.truthout.org/091309D?n

Filed under: Size Discrimination

Why I Stopped Dieting

Like most fat people, I have been on many and varied diets; and like most fat people, I ended up fatter than ever.

I still can’t believe it took me so long to figure out it was the diets that failed, and not me. I mean, it seemed clear that diets worked – after all, I lost the weight didn’t I? So it must be my fault that the weight kept coming back and then some. Life is hard enough without looking for things to blame yourself for? I just had a big disconnect between the dieting and the ultimate result.

Thank the powers that be for NAAFA, where I first heard and read about the failure rate of diets; where I first realized I was not the only one – in fact, it was the people who actually kept the weight off who were in the minority – just a smidge of the people who dieted didn’t end up yo-yoing. My recollection is that I had already stopped dieting by the time I got to NAAFA – I just didn’t have the facts to back up my decision. Having the facts gave me the tools to deal with other people – like healthcare professionals.

Before NAAFA, I had done a lot of reading about affirmations, creative visualization, I had discovered the world of fat-friendly Personals (there are people out there who find fat folks attractive and desirable – I knew I was attractive and desirable, but how lovely to find out there are people who would agree with me!) and magazines (like Dimensions) and BBS (precursors to websites/chatrooms, etc.).

All of which helped me stop and think about what I really wanted for myself, and found that there was no reason I couldn’t achieve what I wanted without dieting. I also discovered that I liked myself. I wasn’t perfect, but who wants to be perfect? Where’s the fun in that?

I embraced myself as a fat girl. Yeah. It was freeing to finally acknowledge that this is who I am and who I would (most likely) continue to be. I no longer made excuses about my weight. I expected people to deal with me “as is”.

And most importantly, for me, I embraced the word FAT.

Yes, I was fat! I now knew I no longer had to be afraid of the word fat and you couldn’t hurt me with it anymore – it was MY word.

When I was offered the chance to tour with Bottom’s Up as the fat girl, I was so there. The gentleman who told me about the job was so embarrassed to tell me that they wanted someone to be the “fat girl”. I laughed at him, and told him I am the fat girl. It was such a great feeling to not dance around the issue of size anymore.   And of course, as I’ve mentioned before, the great Breck Wall told me that while I was the fat girl, I needed to be the glamorous beautiful fat girl! Ahhhhhh.

While on the road, my car got broken into, and I had to have police report filled out. I told the cops I weighed 250, and the cop wrote down 215 – I told him, “No, I said 250, 2-5-0″. And he actually said he heard me but he was being “nice”. I didn’t get mad (maybe I should have), but I told him that it was okay to put down the correct number, because my weight was part of my job security. He was so befuddled to meet a woman who was okay with her weight.

One of the things that stopping the diet-go-round did for me, it helped me to stop living with “scarcity-mentality” I no longer feel the “need” to eat the “whole thing” every time. I know that I can eat what I want, and then put it aside because I can have more whenever I want to. I know that I don’t have to eat everything in the house today because tomorrow, I diet. I think my relationship with food is more healthy now.

Here’s my little song I wrote (to the tune of Tomorrow, from Annie with tongue definitely planted in cheek) about dieting, and how I would eat before I started the (next) diet:

My diet will start tomorrow,
Bet my big fat bottom that tomorrow, I’ll begin
Just thinking about tomorrow,
do you think I’ll look like Mia Farrow? I’ll be thin!
But ’til then I’ll eat pie, and cake and pizza, 
A choc’late e’clair cuz I don’t care
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll diet tomorrow, it’s only a day away.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you’re always a day away.

Filed under: Size Acceptance

Our Times in Fat Acceptance

NAAFA Founder Bill Fabrey, who is now active in the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), has given us permission to post this short essay by him assessing the state of the fat rights movement today.  Enjoy!

The times we are going through are very discouraging for a lot of us.  It is easy to become cynical about the whole thing.

However, a new Facebook friend of mine has the following in her profile, at the top:

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Ghandi

I believe we are somewhere in the third phase right now.  Forty years ago folks in size acceptance were largely ignored.  Then we were laughed at or considered a curiosity.  And now they are fighting us.  Surely the British troops in India must have looked as powerful to Ghandi as the diet and WLS industry and the obesity mafia looks to us today.

We don’t have money, but here is what is on our side:

1)  The truths about HAES (Health at Every Size)

2)  Justice and fair play

3)  The inertia of people against changing themselves to be what government wants them to be, at a price that government is willing and able to sustain

4)  Biology–we have limited power to change our bodies

5)  A lively subculture that celebrates body diversity

6)  Some thin allies who are not part of any organization who can help us if we will let them–including even some “obesity” researchers

7) Interactions via the Internet that were never possible before

8.) A variety of organizations and associations promoting HAES and size acceptance–including our humble efforts in ASDAH, NAAFA, CSWD, ISAA, and others.

I’m sure that you can come up with some other things.

I’m not trying to minimize our opposition.  They’re scary.  But some of them fear us, and they are worried that this size acceptance “thing” could catch on–which is one reason why they are pushing so hard, and scoring what may appear to be victories.  Those victories will inflict pain, but it will not be permanent.  For one thing, I hope I’m wrong, but the world is only one REAL epidemic, or famine, or truly major war, or other major distraction, away from forgetting all about fat people.

I wrote all this because I was carried away by reading about Ghandi!

–Bill Fabrey

Filed under: Fat Activism, Size Acceptance

Seriously, Jon? Fat Jokes?

What do you do when one of your heroes disappoints you so deeply?

 Last night on the Daily Show, after a hiatus, they started out with fat jokes.  With Jon Stewart in a fat suit.  How droll.  Not.  A whole sketch about how Jon apparently became hugely fat by eating cheese steak sandwiches and milkshakes at the Jersey Shore while he was on vacation.

 I love Jon Stewart.  I love the Daily Show.  And it is so disappointing to see this kind of bigotry portrayed on a show that is my main source of news. 

 Actually, in his moment of Zen, Jon was shown dancing around in his fat suit, looking like he was having the time of his life – and I liked those joyous images.  But of course, they had to end with Jon doing exercises asking “is it gone yet” after each push up.  Grrrr.

 I don’t know how Jon can’t see the connection between his actions and the quote played later in connection with health reform where someone complained about their tax dollars going to help people who were killing themselves.  I may be wrong, but I took this to be an attack on fat people – and that somehow we are unworthy of health coverage. 

 I did post on the Daily Show forum with my complaint, and I was happy to see, I was not the first person to complain about the fat jokes. 

 I hate these kinds of quandaries of conscience.  The Daily Show is usually excellent.  I really don’t want to boycott it.  But I don’t want to support this kind of behavior either. 

 

I’ll be interested to see what kind of feedback on my post in their forum.  Last time (on a non-fat related issue), I got good response directly from the people working on the show.  If you too are a fan of the Daily Show, I strongly recommend you go to their website (http://www.thedailyshow.com) and post.

Filed under: Fat Activism, Size Discrimination

Fat Slogans

These have been gathered by me over a few years – some are mine, some are not; but I like them.  I think they make great bumperstickers, buttons, bookmarks, etc.

Got more?

FAT SLOGANS

 Thank you for deciding what’s good for me (not)

As Is

Fuck your fascist beauty standards

Beauty comes in all sizes

Fat and fit

Respect yourself

A waist is a terrible thing to mind

Change how you see, not how I look

Change how you see, not how you look

If the definition of beautiful gets any thinner, no one will fit.

Don’t assume I’d rather be thin

Not a size 6 deal with it

If this was the 1500s I’d be a goddess

Scales are for fish not people

Fat isn’t a flaw, it’s a feature

Everything is beautiful – in its own weigh

Fattitude

I have fattitude and I know how to use it

I have fattitude and I’m not afraid to use it

I won’t worry about your small mind and you don’t worry about my large body

Fat and Sassy

Big! Bold! Beautiful!

Fat and All That

Livin Phat

Large and in charge

Don’t weigh your self esteem

Fat by nature, proud by choice

Staple papers, not stomachs

I’m not dying to lose weight

Judge my ability not my waistline

Born to be wide

Self esteem is not a dress size

My subcutaneous layer is thicker than yours

More SubQ than you

I love the goddess in me

Love the goddess in me

I have the body of a goddess

BMI – Brave Marvelous Individual

BMI – Broad-minded Individual

BMI – Big Magnificent Individual

I’m Fat – Deal with it

Put on your big girl panties and deal with it

Largely happy

Largely positive

Largely adipositive!

Worship me like the goddess I am

Full figure – full life

Enlighten up (with picture of fat Buddha)

Fight Fat Phobia

Just the weigh I am

Wide Pride

Bigger is better

Cutie with a booty

Fattilicious

Save it for someone who cares

I want to leave this world the way I came in – fat and screaming

Living Large

One size does not fit all

There’s lightning in these thunder thighs

Big Fat Mammas are back in style

It ain’t over ‘til I sing

Plenty to go around

I’ve never had a problem with my weight that wasn’t caused by someone else

Real men don’t suck it in

Real women don’t suck it in

I kicked Jenny Craig’s ass

Weight Watchers is a diet not a lifestyle

Body by the diet industry

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win (Gandhi)

Equal rights are not special rights

Insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result (No dieting)

Correlation does not equal causation (Bad Science – no cookie)

Keep your narrow mind away from my wide body

I love fat boys

I love fat girls

Fat University (FU)

Fatties United (FU)

Got badonkadonk?

When this fat lady sings, its just getting started

I’m not big boned – I’m fat

I’m not fluffy – I’m fat

Adipositivity

Buddha Belly

Uppity fatty

Team Fat

This is how I roll

Diet; lose, gain, repeat – stop the insanity

Who wants a six pack when you can have the keg

Thick chick

Over whose weight

Americans fatter than ever; Americans live longer than ever; Do the math

You act like you’ve never seen a fat person before

I’m not fat, I’m epic

I’m the belly of the ball

Filed under: Uncategorized

The body diversity flyer, first of many

Our own Goddess Les “tossed together” (she modestly says) this flyer on body diversity for an activism event by the Los Angeles chapter of NAAFA. We know that it’s OK to be fat, but what I like about this flyer is that it presents the science on the health benefits of being fat.  (We’re not trying to make thin people fat, we just want the pressure to be thin to cease.)  But there’s an industry that’s supported by fat hatred, and they’re all over the media.  So, please download, print, and spread the word!

Filed under: About the blog, Fat Activism, Size Acceptance

You’re not just fat

I’ve been fat almost all of my life.  So being fat is a large part (d’oh) of who I am; however, I’m not JUST fat.  I am a lot of other things too.  And those other things play into how being fat affects me physically and mentally.

The point I want to make is I get so tired of hearing people say that they are dieting/trying to lose weight, not because there is anything wrong with being fat, but for their health or because they think they will “feel better” or because they can move better if they are thinner.

Except most health benefits don’t come from weight loss, per se.  The health benefits come from being more fit and making healthy food choices (if you have food allergies or intolerances).  Weighing less does not magically make you enjoy exercise if you have always hated it.  Weighing less does not make you more fit, either.  It just means you weigh less.

If you diet, and don’t take into consideration the specific allergies and/or intolerances to food that you have, you may be thinner, but you won’t feel any better.  And not providing your body with the fuel it needs is not going to make you feel any better either – in fact, your body is going to start fighting back – hard.

Part of “feeling better” comes from that self-righteous glow of “succeeding” on your diet; you know, that honeymoon period before the plateau (if it is simply calories in, calories out – then why do we plateau?), before your body says enough.  Then the crash of guilt and self-hatred for your “failure” sets in – because if you just had more willpower, or if you weren’t such a horrible person, you would be able to lose weight and keep it off.  No.  95% of diets fail.  It is the diet that fails, not you.  So while you may “feel better” for a bit, it’s illusory.  You are doing yourself mental, emotional and/or physical damage.  Like drinking or drugs, in the long run, the high is not worth the misery and damage of the crash.

You will also be putting your body through the stresses of yo-yo dieting, which is going to make you feel less better.

Ditto with WLS.

And the other thing I hear is, “I used to be able to run everywhere”, “I used to have so much energy”, etc.  Okay.  Well, here’s the thing.  You used to be a lot younger too.  So many people seem to think that losing weight will somehow bring back how they felt when they were young.  Sorry.  Your age is part of who you are too, and losing weight is not going to turn you into a 12 year old climbing a tree.  Get a grip.

You want to be able to do more?  You can’t get younger, but you can get stronger!  In fact walking around carrying your own weight, you’re already pretty strong.  Be proud of that.  It may not be easy, but it can be easier if you want to work at it.

And fitness does not mean that you can (or have to be able to) do 100 sit-ups, or chin-ups, etc.  You can have a goal of being more fit — just a little more fit than you are right now.  You don’t (and you can’t) magically become Super Fit Fat Person by killing yourself at the gym.  You don’t have to hurt yourself to become more fit.  In fact, I strongly agree with the concept of “No pain, means no pain”.

So if you feel your fat is keeping you from doing something or making you to feel a certain way.  Take inventory of all of yourself; be realistic about what you want to be able to achieve, figure out what you truly want to do – if you hate it, it isn’t going to work for you, and then do what you feel is right for you – all of you.

Filed under: Size Acceptance

Going to the Doctor – Argh

I know a lot of fat folk HATE going to the doctor because they are afraid of being yelled at or getting the diet talk; but putting off going to the doctor doesn’t keep you healthy or make you well if you are ill so ….

First off, remember — you are paying the doctor.  The doctor is working for you.  If you don’t like the way your doctor treats you, find another one.  Immediately.  And let your doctor know exactly why you are leaving his or her care. 

Finding a doctor can be difficult.  I think the best method is to be totally upfront either before you walk into the office or at your first meeting with the doctor.  Kaiser Permanente has a great service in that when you are looking for a new primary, you can look at the bios of the doctors who are taking patients – which includes specialties and their hobbies.  I avoid the obesity specialists – I don’t want to deal with someone who has already made the decision (and based their career on) me being fat creates a medical condition.  It may not be fair or open-minded, but I avoid the marathon runners and ultra-athletic folks too.  If I was more into exercise (which I admit I’m not – I know it’s important, but I have trouble making time in my own schedule and don’t make it a priority most of the time), I would probably reconsider this.  I am looking for a healthcare professional who has a mindset most like my own. 

Some folks do a telephone interview before making their first appointment and discuss their concerns with their new doctor, or they come in with something in writing addressing their concerns about weight bias.  If your doctor is reasonable, he or she should not have any problem with this, and some doctors are very interested in learning about fat acceptance and HAES.

I don’t have an issue with the weigh in.  For the most part I don’t weigh myself at home, and I think it is important to track unexplained weight loss and gain. 

I do request an extra large blood pressure cuff.  I tell them that the smaller cuff breaks blood vessels in my fat arm (which it does).  If they don’t have one that fits, I request that they take the blood pressure lower on my arm and if they aren’t willing to do that, then I ask them to do it the old fashioned way instead of using the machine.  They don’t have the right to hurt me; and so far, I’ve never run into anyone who feels otherwise. 

I own my own gown (AmpleStuff.com), which is a godsend when I have a mammogram or something that requires me to wander around.  It just saves me the stress and the hassle.  Should they have gowns that fit everyone?  Of course.  If you don’t want to buy your own gown and they can’t provide you with one, complain.  Verbally or in writing – in writing, especially if you are dealing with a large HMO.  I have found they are pretty responsive.  Some of the departments at Kaiser did not have armless chairs.  I wrote and complained, and I got a great response thanking me – they admitted they had never even thought of the issue and since they were already planning on redecorating this was something they would keep in mind.  And I seldom find places in “my” Kaiser that lacks armless seating now.

If your doctor wants to talk diets, explain your position to them – if you don’t feel sure of yourself, bring a friend to be your advocate or again, bring something in writing (I’m hoping to get some kind of brochure together for this purpose at some point that you’ll be able to print out and take with you).  Tell the doctor the statistics of dieting (95%+ failure rate), the results of dieting (you become fatter), and if they bring up WLS, provide the stats for that (basically the same failure rate as diets over a 5 year period plus dangerous).  If your doctor is reasonable, he or she will listen to you and act according to your desires.  If not, find a new doctor.

Another biggie – ask your doctor why.  Find out why they want this or that test, why they are prescribing this or that medication.  I have found asking why puts many healthcare professionals on alert – they realize that they are dealing with someone who does not just take their word that this is for your own good.  You have a (legal) right to understand your own treatment, exercise that right!

We have all heard the horror stories about doctors refusing to give treatment for a current condition or blaming everything on the patient’s weight.  Another good time to ask “why”.  And a good time to ask what the doctor would suggest for an average sized patient and why wouldn’t they treat you the same. 

The doctor is working for you!  One way or another, you are paying his or her salary.  You deserve to be treated with respect.  It may not be easy, but the best thing you can do is complain.  Don’t let them think they are getting away with their snide comments or poor treatment.  This is a person you are entrusting your health/life to; if they are unable to get past their personal bias and prejudice, how can you trust them to treat you appropriately from a medical perspective. 

 Take care, be good to yourself and be well.

Filed under: Fat Activism