Happy birthday, Fat Acceptance!
Today is the 40th anniversary of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Happy birthday, NAAFA!
If you have a strong “Yeah, but–” reaction to that, I understand. Read this, and the links here. Fat Acceptance is something that took me a long time to come to–it goes against almost every message we get in our society. Heck, I still haven’t made that final leap of accepting my own imperfect body for what it is. Still working on that one. But this is a movement that makes sense. Deep, deep sense. Check it out.
We’ve been talking a lot the last two weeks about the wrongs of judging people by the color of their skin. Judging them by the shape of it is just as bad.
I’m open to comments on this post, but please don’t hit me with elementary arguments or ask me FA 101 questions, okay? That’s why I put the links up. There are people who write and research and think about this stuff on a much deeper level than I do, so no point re-inventing the wheel here. (I mean, even re-inventing the wheel has already been done–see item #8!)
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8 Responses to “Happy birthday, Fat Acceptance!”
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I have to say, I partly agree with your stance. I honestly believe that everyone should be treated equally regardless of their color, gender and weight. However, the term Fat Acceptance is really a misnomer, in my opinion. The movement is really about health. You could be overweight and be healthy or you could be skinny and unhealthy. The point isn’t to accept that you are fat, it is more to accept that healthy people come in all shapes and sizes. Personally, though I don’t subscribe to this stance. I am overweight (biologically: mass, BMI, whatever) and don’t think that it’s healthy (for me). But to each, their own and I am well aware of what is right for me is not for others.
Finally, there is also a significant body of evidence where caloric restriction increases longevity (admittedly with a reduction in fertility). So while a particular fad diet might not work, restricting your caloric input (which all diets essentially do), you will reap the benefits of not only having a smaller waistline but also a longer life.
As a fat (and happy, successful, sexy, healthy) woman – “We’ve been talking a lot the last two weeks about the wrongs of judging people by the color of their skin. Judging them by the shape of it is just as bad.” AMEN! Thank you!
Erica–I am interested in the recent work done on caloric restriction on primates. CR seems an awfully extreme thing to do at this point in time, though,until we’ve got a better handle on the potential side effects … and as you rightly point out, every body is different. I’m hypoglycemic and need to eat frequently OR ELSE. The chances that I’m going to be a really cranky old lady are extremely high as it is. If I did caloric restriction, it would not lead to longer life, because I would be such a raging b*tch that someone would probably shoot me!
Can I point out, you say “you will reap the benefits not only having a smaller waistline but also a longer life”–but the benefits of having a smaller waistline are societally driven. There’s no intrinsic benefits to it. The main benefit of having a smaller waist is, in essence, that you will not be subject to size discrimination.
The point isn’t to accept that you are fat, it is more to accept that healthy people come in all shapes and sizes.
Erica, by your logic, that means that we shouldn’t accept people being unhealthy. Fat acceptance is not just about accepting healthy fat people, just as racial civil rights isn’t working just to get non-stereotypical minorities accepted by the mainstream. Fat people deserve civil rights, medical care, and politeness whether they’re healthy or not (just as skinny people do).
Robin: Interestingly, a 20-year long rhesus monkey study has just been published in the journal Science that discusses this point (it is a scientific journal–so you need a subscription to access it, but if interested I can forward it to you). It appears that caloric restriction does slow aging and can reduce the onset of disease. I should also state that caloric restriction does not mean malnutrition. For example, I eat around 1500 calories a day (restriction: around 500) and eat 3 meals and one snack (which is what works for me, but could be retooled depending on the person). It is amazing to me that so much food can be fit into such a small number, but admittedly it takes a lot of prep work and determination.
As for the smaller waistline point, it was in reference to someone who is actually dieting (and therefore wants to achieve a smaller waistline). I applaud people who are happy with the way they are. I am no fool, I realize that society drives our definition of beauty and that a select few actually fit into that definition. However, I should also say that I applaud people who decide that they are unhappy with themselves and do something about it (please be it in a non self-destructive manner). Really it all comes down to being happy. If you are happy, then I am happy and we can all go eat cake (or not)!
PS. Have you ever head the Mika song “Big Girl You Are Beautiful?” It seems like it might be up your alley.
occhiblu:
I see your point in my statement, there is a failure in my logic. I completely agree with you regarding the politics Fat Acceptance. When I was quickly browsing some of the articles Robin had posted links to, it initially appeared that there was a larger focus on being biologically “overweight/obese” but still healthy and active (which I alluded to in my previous statement). In looking at the actual NAAFA mission statement, it became clear to me that it is about more than that. Thanks for alerting me to it!
Erica–Wow, thank you for being such a grownup! I was honestly really worried about posting this, because FA is so controversial and I wasn’t sure I could handle commenters. You’re being incredibly gracious.
That Science article is exactly the one I was mentioning, and I probably will look it up. (Thanks for the offer to send it to me; I have a part-time job at Harvard, which gives me access to the libraries there–my favorite fringe benefit!)
Robin, this seems like a good time to thank you for a link you posted to Shapely Prose a few months back (I believe it was in reference to New Year’s resolutions). I had no idea what a mindscrew I was in for when I followed it! Fat acceptance makes so much sense to me now, and yet none of its arguments had ever occurred to me before I started reading. I can’t imagine going back to the way I thought beforehand. Thanks for helping me to order at least one part of my disordered thinking. I’m sure there’s a lot left to go :) Keep posting links to awesome sites like Shapely Prose–it really does make a difference!
Thank you, Jenny! I know, it is a whole new way of thinking. Have you read Kate Harding & Marianne Kirby’s book, “Lessons from the Fat-o-Sphere”? If you want a lot of FA goodness in one place, that’s where to start.