Living ~400lbs

Quote(s) of the Day: Fat Acceptance

This is a movement about the basic and fundamental civil rights that all people deserve, something that has been stripped away from fat people due to fat phobia and discriminatory practices on an individual, cultural and institutional basis. — from Fat Waitress I write a lot about my life, because there’s a hell of a […]

This is a movement about the basic and fundamental civil rights that all people deserve, something that has been stripped away from fat people due to fat phobia and discriminatory practices on an individual, cultural and institutional basis.
— from Fat Waitress

I write a lot about my life, because there’s a hell of a lot of disinformation out there about what it is to be superfat. That’s something I can add to the discussion. But that’s not all there is to fat acceptance.

The fat acceptance movement (also known as the size acceptance movement, fat liberation movement, and fat power) is a grassroots effort to change societal attitudes towards obese people.
— http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_acceptance

It’s also not new. NAAFA was founded in 1969. It’s never been mainstream.

National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) is a non-profit, all volunteer, civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through advocacy, public education, and support.
— About NAAFA

Fat acceptance isn’t about looking good or everyone being forced to like (or date) fatties. It’s about access to education and to jobs. It’s about civil rights.

Sizism and weight bigotry will end when people of all sizes refuse to allow it to continue.
— from The Council on Size & Weight Discrimination

Not “when you look better”. Not “when you lose the weight“. Now.

Rate this:

6 responses to “Quote(s) of the Day: Fat Acceptance”

Regina T

July 6, 2010

“I write a lot about my life, because there’s a hell of a lot of disinformation out there about what it is to be superfat. That’s something I can add to the discussion.”

I love coming to your site for this very reason. It makes my life as a super fatty that much less “alone” and you don’t know how much that helps my self esteem….thank you!

What I like about all the chatter recently in the fatosphere and your quotes, is that it gets people thinking. It seems like the ‘sphere is growing in a good way to include more average sized allies, inbetweenies, superfatties, and thinnies who believe in the civil treatment of ALL individuals. Basic stuff like common courtesy, freedom from stereotyping, proper medical treatment, and irradication of discrimination. I like to believe that to these people, they think this is a fight worth fighting. It’s not easy battling age old stereotypes, flawed research, and just plain hatred from others who seem to NEED to believe that they are just plain better than us instead of allowing us to live our lives the same way they do.

Reply
sleepydumpling

July 7, 2010

Some fantastic quotes – thanks for the share.

Reply
notblueatall

July 7, 2010

Yes! Thank you for this. I was just writing in my own blog about food and how people don’t truly know what they’re eating or how it affects them…the more people know about these things the better. But also in the realm of fat (that’s a cool name for something) what people don’t know hurts fats, not others per se. What I mean is, when people assume things about me and my 300+/- lbs. body, they only perpetuate a stereotype fed to them and not what is true. People rarely ask about my own lifestyle. When I tell them they are surprised and sometimes delighted. I think together with other vocal fats we can change things little by little. =0)

Reply
Fat Waitress

July 8, 2010

Thanks so much for the love!

Reply
cheryl mclaughlin

July 15, 2010

In a society where nobody is allowed to make others feel bad about themselves, I’m disturbed by the number of times people have made unkind comments about fat people in front of me. What am I supposed to say? At first I was embarrassed and hurt but not anymore. My husband and I visited his parents over the Easter holiday and my mother-in-law managed to work obesity into every conversation. To get away from her we planned to go shopping at the mall. She told me there was a new store and that they have very nice things. They even have large size clothing. Hmmm. She’s a size 2. Because my husband puts up with my family all the time I said nothing until we were leaving. As usual she was pushing food on me. I politely declined several times but finally I said, “I don’t want anything to eat. In case you hadn’t noticed I”m fat.” My husband was kicking my leg under the table so that I would shut-up. She said something about not worrying because I could lose the weight. So I said, “Maybe I will and maybe I won’t. Maybe I’m happy with myself.”….that was it we left. I don’t plan to go back. My size bothers her too much.

Oh that reminds me! The first time she met me she told me I wasn’t like any of the other “girls” her son brought home….translation: he never brought home a fat girl!!

Reply
1. sleepydumpling
  
  July 15, 2010
  
  And Cheryl… she was so different to all the others he married her!
  
  Reply