When Your Fat Ass Hits the Ground

 This weekend I was taking a bath and getting out my hand slipped and down I went – hard, hitting my back on the side of the tub.  I hit so hard that I almost blacked out — something that has never happened to me before.

 You know what I have to show for this?  A small bruise and a little bit of ache.

 Thank you fat.  Thank you for protecting me from my own clutz. 

 This may be the first time that I’ve fallen and realized that it was not because I was fat, and that my fat protected me – a lot.

 I should have known better.  I was using an olive oil soap and I didn’t take the (usual) precaution of drying my hands thoroughly before hoisting my fat ass out of the tub; and my hand slipped.  Duh.  I’ll take no shit for $2,000 Alex. 

 So if you find yourself taking a spill, don’t just blame the fat, stop and think about what really happened (so you can hopefully avoid the problem in the future); remember that everybody takes a tumble now and then (including average sized people) and thank your fat for cushioning the fall.

Filed under: Size Acceptance

PICNIC TABLES – ENEMY OF THE FATTY

We had our company picnic this weekend at a public park.  Lot’s of fun people to hang with and good food – and picnic tables.  You know, the kind where the bench is attached to the table?

Shit.

I understand why public parks have attached seats – otherwise people would walk off with the benches.  But these are, if not the ultimate close enough to, unfriendly fat seating.

Now I am actually flexible enough to get my legs under the table; but then my ENTIRE ass hangs off the seat, so I would balancing on my thighs.  Really not comfortable, and really not going to happen.  So I sat side saddle.  I hope next year I remember to bring my own lawn chair, and then I can simply sit at the end of a table. 

I wasn’t embarrassed; but it did catch me off guard.  Shouldn’t have.  This is not the first time our company has had its picnic at that park.  For some reason, this is the first time I really thought about just how rotten these kinds of picnic tables are for super-sized people to sit at.  And I didn’t exactly resent it; but I kind of did too.  Maybe I’m getting a little less tolerant of the thin-o-centric world in my old age.

So next year, I’ll take care of myself.  And I hope that if any of you are going on picnics be forewarned and prepared; then get out there and enjoy yourself.

Filed under: Size Acceptance, Size Discrimination

FAT HEROES – OR WWMWD

 Have you ever read Marilyn Wann’s book Fat!So?  Have you ever attended a NAAFA Convention and been so inspired by one of their speakers?  Do you follow the Fatosphere?

 Our world is full of fat heroes nowadays.  What a joy. 

 These are people who have made fat activism and fat acceptance part of their lives, sometimes even being able to earn a living doing it!  How cool is that?

 I really think it behooves fatties to find the resources that are now (finally) available and use those resources to educate yourself on fat issues, fat statistics (join ShowMeTheData or FatStudies on Yahoo); and how to fight back in the war on fatties.

 Surround yourself with reminders of these wonderful fat heroes; and try to emulate them. 

 I think we should all wear bracelets that say WWMWD (what would Marilyn Wann do) – feel free to substitute the initials of your own fat hero – maybe even your own, because any fatty who ever stands up for him or herself is a fat hero!

Filed under: Fat Activism, Size Acceptance

Launching Size-Acceptance Study (via Michaela)

The wondrous Michaela Null is a doctoral student in Sociology at Purdue University, and she is asking for volunteers for “a  study about the embodiment of size-accepting fat women”.  More info can be found here:  http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~mnull/

Filed under: Uncategorized

The Fat Safe Place

As I celebrate that there are more and more fat-acceptance events and dances, I wonder about the effects of this type of fat segregation.

Fat people spend so much of their lives being and/or feeling ostracized.  Sometimes we are kept out because of physical barriers – we just won’t “fit”; other times it is because of psychological barriers – where we are made to feel we just don’t “fit”. 

Finally, the fat community has said fuck that – if we don’t “fit” in your world, we’ll make a place for ourselves where diversity of size is not only accepted but celebrated.

I think fat-acceptance dances, groups, events etc. are a goodness.  They give fat people a place where they can have a good time, build self-esteem, feel part of a community, and obtain some socialization lessons that a lot of fat people miss out on – especially when it comes to dealing with the opposite gender.  (I can’t speak to the GLBT community’s experience, any input is appreciated).

If you don’t have a fat-acceptance group in your area, you might want to think about starting one.  It doesn’t have to be a big dance or meeting.  It can be a games night once a month, or a group that gets together to do fun things like picnics, going to the park, whatever.  The important thing is for fat people to come together to share their stories and support each other.

A fat community event provides the fat person with a “safe place”.  And in that safe place, the fat person can gather the information and build the skills he or she needs to battle fat phobia and discrimination. 

They learn how to create a safe place within themselves.

Filed under: Fat Activism, Size Discrimination

Taking care of my fat ass

 We had a fire drill at work today. 

 Now, I can go down the 7 flights of cement stairs (even though it kind of freaks me out since I went down a flight of stairs face first a few years ago); but the next few days afterward, I know I’m going to suffer for it.  The calves on my legs will cramp up and I will be in A LOT of pain.  Out of stubbornness and pride, I have dragged my fat silly ass down those stairs numerous times over the years.

 Then it occurred to me, who was I trying to impress? 

 I think we often have the urge to be the “poster girl/boy” for fat and healthy (I know I do); but you know what?  I know I can get down those stairs if I have to (again, my ass may be fat and silly, but I love it just as much as anyone and will always do my utmost to save it). 

 So I told the powers-that-be in our office, I would no longer be participating in drills.  I will wait in the stairwell and if there is a real emergency they can either call me or send a cute fireman up to save my aforesaid silly fat ass.  I made it clear that if I had to participate in the drills, I would be absent for the days afterward because I was no longer willing to come into the office hobbling around in pain. 

 I have come to the point of realization that no pain is no pain.  Yes, it would be great if I could romp up and down 7 flights of stairs without consequence.  And I probably could, if I wanted to really work at it.  I don’t.  At least not now. 

 And you know what?  I don’t have to.  Can’t make me, nobody is the boss of me.  So there. 

 So my message is look at what you do and why you do it.  And then do what is best for you – what you need to do, what you want to do.

Filed under: Fat Activism, health, Size Acceptance