fat and feminism, again.

[keryx]

It's ironic how I never tire of getting into this discussion with people. Fat people who aren't feminists. Feminists who don't recognize fat acceptance as an issue. Both of them not getting the difference between THIN and HEALTHY. I can't shut up about it.

Case in point #1: on the Don't Tell Me What Size I Must Be list yesterday, someone goes all off on how Slim Fast is making her life great and she needs to lose 100 pounds. And I fired back a really nice note that really diplomatically said - if you're going to talk diet on a fat acceptance list, the very least you can do is WARN ME before I read that shit. Because I don't care what you do, but I don't want to read it.

Case in point #2: the fat activist vs. weight watchers post on feminist_rage (any of you who don't already read f-r ought to at least read that post). Man, people start talking about this and I cannot shut up. I don't think any American woman has a true grasp on how healthy or unhealthy she is, because we've been sold this message that thin is now not only in, but a guarantee against early death. And we've bought it so well. So, hell yeah, fat is a feminist issue. It's one hairy ugly component of the beauty myth. Maybe not The Central Feminist Issue, but certainly one we ought to care about.

Comments

[keryx.livejournal.com]

In my mind the problem is exactly that - we focus on buying and selling healthy as we'd do with any other product. Not only is it not a product, but it's a baldfaced lie - what is sold as healthy isn't even what will really make people healthy, it's a series of short-term "solutions" to a long-term problem. And it's waaaaaaaaaaaaay too focused on the appearance of healthy over the actuality of healthy.

Any I think your personal unhealthy stick is that you don't exercise, at least not in a way that builds stair-climbing muscles. Because, say it with me, your weight is not inherently tied to your health. ;) It may well be a side effect, though.

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

Which brings to mind another problem: the amazing abundance of information. You can pretty much find a study that will tell you anything will make you healthier; what's a layperson to do when we can't even trust the doctors anymore? What with revisionist medical practices and prescription drug advertising... I wouldn't touch a magazine with the word "Health" on it with a ten foot pole. It serves us all to educate ourselves while we're listening to our bodies... It's alot of work in a world where most of us work sitting down all day. Or even better, in scary repetitive motion all day.

I do exercise now... and like I told the lady at Curves - if I find that I feel good, my lungs feel good and I can lift things and I am energized, I likely won't give a good god damn what the scales say. :) At least I really hope that's true, right now I have a wayward eye at the scale.