You gotta know Fat to be Pro-Fat

"Fat People" - Cover photo of book by author Bill Schubart

Fat used to be positive, now it refers to negativity, why? In the western Victorian ora, fat was associated with wealth. The fat men were well-fed because they had enough money for themselves and their family to eat and have extra as well. There was a more positive cultural relativity back then when considering the term ‘fat’. In the present time, characters in books and on television shows are asking questions like “Does this shirt make me look fat?” If they got a response of yes, does that mean they need to take the shirt off? Why is the term ‘fat’ so negative now? We need to get to the bottom of this new cultural construct because I do not like it and enough people are being excluded and dehumanized. This needs to end, so let’s bring awareness to this idea now.

What is so bad about being fat? Similar to the olden days, the word ‘fat’ is being used as an identity marker. Charlotte Cooper, author of “Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement”, lingers around this topic of a broken society where we are unable to freely think and have perspectives. Society is manipulating and has people thinking societal ideals are dominant and most accurate to the truth; people think societal ideals are the truth. We are unable to listen to the voices of fat people as a collective and include them in society because it is already put into place that fat people do not belong. How we think socially is flawed. Our thought process is like … on autopilot or default because we use societal thoughts as our own. We have to learn how to first unlearn to be able to think for ourselves and think with a little more empathy for that matter. Societal perspectives are inhumane.

A person wouldn’t be presumed to be wealthy and happy within this society, more like the opposite. If someone is fat today, they are selfish and greedy. They don’t know how to share, which is why they are fat after all right? They aren’t happy, how can they be happy when they have diabetes or some health issue. We are all of a sudden health experts and therapists without even asking a single question. What do people think they are honestly doing to help by telling someone they are fat? I am sure they are aware of their own body. Fat people can’t be free to live their lives with everyone staring at them. Of Course that fat person doesn’t look comfortable, they aren’t comfortable in their skin as long as society stares and points. Society is bullying fat people if you ask me. The only one who genuinely understand and know what a fat person may want for themselves is them, people who can speak on behalf of fat people are those who were in their shoes; other fat people.

Who should talk for fat people? Charlotte Cooper, author of “Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement”, lingers around this topic of ‘who can speak for who’. It was suggested within the book that one needs to have experience within an issue before they can speak about or on behalf of people in the situation (pg 33 and 99). In other words, you can not try to make suggestions or opinionated ideas about or in regards to fat people unless you are fat yourself and have experienced what it is like to live within a bigger and differently structured and abled body. Speaking on behalf of someone you are ignorant to does not liberate them. We don’t speak for fat people, we speak for what we think fat people feel. That is not fair and is not getting any closer to inclusion and equality.

Fat people should always be included, they are people! Society should recognize the diversity within each community. There are complex variations of body size and structure. Labeling can become very exclusive when all body types aren't considered. The “one size fits all” label on clothes becomes disabling to a person whose body structure is incompatible with the material. This brings into question why their size is not included in ‘all sizes’, suggesting the body is abnormal, unideal, unnatural and continues the idea of hierarchies and inequality. BMI scales have even been suggested to be outdated and exclusive of various body types. We can’t let claims about our body, claims about bodies that society is unfamiliar with, change our own thoughts, actions and well-being. We should examine if these products are as advertised before we consider our physical appearances to be the flaw within society.

There are even studies suggesting the “fat gene” that causes larger body structures is also a “happy gene”. Fat people are less likely to get depressed --about an 8% reduction--. People should look to fat people for coping mechanisms or hobbies because there are people with horrible mental disorders and health issues that wish they were just fat. Fat is just as normal as any other body type. People get called ‘fat’ simply because they have the most pounds of the friend group. The terms currently associated with the word ‘fat’ are socially constructed in order to continue hierarchies. A specific body type is not more ideal or important than any other and physicalities should not be used as an identity marker. Give everyone a chance to show who they are without biased stereotypical ideas. Fat shouldn't be used as an identity marker because the term changes according to the context it is being used in.

Beauty Looks Like YOU

 Love your body because you only have one… wait, you only have as many as you can afford. Everyone seems to think the grass is greener on the other side when talking about our bodies. Bigger women want to be thin, thinner women want to be curvy, short-haired people want long hair and long-haired people want to chop their hair lower. There is always something to change about ourselves apparently and sometimes people will even put their health on the line to make that physical change. Corsets squeezing your organs around, (multiple) plastic surgeries, we all want that ideal look; which is what exactly?

Illustration by Sabogal Diego

A 54 year old actress by the name of Brooke Shields discussed on an interview that even though she was so afraid of plastic surgery, she would do anything to look and feel her best. (Frey, 2019). Humans have this urge to look their best. Personally, I like when I can enjoy someone’s time and have a beneficial interaction getting to know their personality. Looks can not change your heart. When we are comfortable with ourselves and notice our inner beauty, we will realize it’s not all about physicality. Awareness is the first step for change and we therefore have to be aware of a specific issue to know exactly how to change it. If you feel insecure about your appearance and want to make a certain alteration to boost your confidence, that's great; we only have one life to find happiness. However, your nose having a different structure than a celebrity is not an issue!

All throughout the media we see claims of particular women being symbols for beauty and power. Since we don't have those “ideal” characteristics we want to change our appearance closer to what is portrayed as beautiful. Ironically, the people with the “ideal” characteristics also want to change though. They want to be lighter, want their hair straighter; what we have is never that “ideal” trait after all. If you want to change your body, do it for you.

Whatever happened to loving the skin you are in? Well I guess we can change the phrase to “love the skin you make”. Then again, people change the way they look so many times, it seems like we can’t even love our modified bodies. It's more interesting to ask “what are you going to do next?” rather than “What did you originally look like again?” which is the sad part about it. Sometimes people aren’t going to feel beautiful. I understand that yelling “hashtag you are beautiful!” won’t always be enough to change someone’s emotions.


Sometimes constantly looking for that new look is a hobby, interest or fantasy. Just consider my point also and make sure you make genuine changes. The less changes performed will obviously minimize the chance for mistakes and possible life changing accidents. Beauty is not solely a physical trait. People are adored for their mind, their love, their kind ways, all which could be beautiful. Don't let the media manipulate you to think you have to look a specific way. The ideal look is YOUR look.


“SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT NOT LIKE THOSE GIRLS IN THE MAGAZINES. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL FOR THE WAY SHE THOUGHT. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL FOR THE SPARKLE IN HER EYES WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING SHE LOVED. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL FOR HER ABILITY TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SMILE, EVEN IF SHE WAS SAD. NO, SHE WASN’T BEAUTIFUL FOR SOMETHING AS TEMPORARY AS HER LOOKS. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, DEEP DOWN TO HER SOUL.” (Herfurth, 2017)

Natalie Newman wrote this in her book titled Butterflies and Bullshit in 2011. Though this quote was attributed to someone specific, it was originally quoted as written by an unknown person. There are millions of traits in which can highlight our beauty. Beauty is within. We can continue to allow physicality to symbolize our beauty, or we can see the beauty in the other things we do; in the million other things that we are.


References 

Frey, K. (2019). Brooke Shields Says She's 'Afraid' of Plastic Surgery But Wants to Do 'Everything I Can to Look My Best'. Style.

Herfurth, Haley. (2017). 11 Popular Quotes Commonly Misattributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mental Floss.