So, I caused a bit of a stink on Pinterest by posting this photo to my creatively titled Big Girls Don't Cry board.
Now, for those who have yet to peruse Big Girls Don't Cry (and you should as it's a gateway to fabulous fat-positive and sexy lady tumblrs), this lovely lady is on the smaller-side. Just for reference.
This photo got some comments. Most were positive. Some were about fat and health (or unhealthiness).
The submitter of this photo, who I am assuming is anonymous as I couln't find a specific personal blog or anything connected to it, supplied the following:
"Yes, This is me. Yes, I took a big risk. I am learning to accept my body. My Boobs. My Thighs. My Stomach. My Hips."
I, for one, was pretty proud of how I responded to the not-so-positive comments. NPR recently did a piece on a woman and "her struggle to shed weight and shame". It was pretty, in my humble opinion, insipid. But I found myself not feeling angry... no. I was left with a feeling of... pride? This woman is certainly allowed to feel however she wants to feel about her body. I recognized where she's coming from, the feeling of "horror" at looking at her own naked body... but I am not there anymore.
A comment I made on Pinterest, in response to the above photo:
A WOMAN ON A MISSION! I like that. I guess I am. However, I kind of hate to think that the ideas of a fat person being healthy and attractive is a radical point of view. But you did not offend me! I’m just conversatin’! I started this board to counteract the “thinspo” present here. Fitness, being a thin person … I don’t have a problem with this! But some of the “thinspo” here is just fucking disturbing. To counteract that disturbed feeling – I pin fat girls. For me, Big Girls Don’t Cry, has evolved into something bigger (pun intended, lol) than that even. Supposedly fatties are a majority in this country, but we are not represented in hardly any positive light in the media. There’s a so-called “WAR ON OBESITY OMG”, but life-expectancies in general are longer than ever… Anyways, my only mission is to represent and start a discussion. It’s high time that women, all women, stopped hating themselves and each other over a tummy pouch.
Ragen Chastain has been a huge positive influence on my evolution into the revolution of fat acceptance. Her blog, Dances With Fat, is a freaking priceless wealth of insight and inspiration.
And in celebration of this and wrapping up my summer semester, I bought a sexy tight-ass dress* today.
*which may actually be a skirt, but now it's a dress. I tend to do that to long skirts...
Hope you're having an awesome weekend!
I love this post. :-)
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