Sometimes it can feel as though the world literally hates me/us/fats and wants us to know it! (Also, I swear a lot, you’ve been warned!)

Sometimes I just want to catch up on some fucking world news (funny doing this online when my community radio does a much better and stellar job: KPFA.org) without getting hated upon! Is that so much to ask? Of course it is, when you’re fat!

So I was checking out some news stories and saw a head line that grabbed my eyes:  New Anti-Sugar Ad Is Very Graphic (Trigger Warning as the video in the link depicts some nastiness) Hmmm…so I clicked it. *head desk*

I’m still on the fence about sugar. I love the stuff, don’t get me wrong, but I also know that what we use it for and how much of it and how processed the shit is…well, it’s scary! I have personally cut back on my sugar intake for no reason other than things started to become too sweet for my taste buds. My husband and I have to water down juice and other such things and often cut the sugar in a recipe or substitute for agave or honey when possible. I believe that he is a little more concerned about sugar than I am, but I’m very aware of what I eat and its ingredients. This is a personal choice and I am not promoting a damned thing! And I don’t believe that the ad inside the link above is the right way to go about it.

For one thing, it’s packed full of bullshit! The video, that is. Not only do we get the treat (SARCASM) of a few headless fatties, but we also get graphic images of gangrenous toes, someone being resuscitated from a heart attack and more. Why is this bullshit? Well, as the article attached to the video states:
“Those [effects] are not that common. They’re usually very end-stage,” Fendt said. “Those are generally in people with very, very poor control and not a lot of follow-up. It’s not like you get diabetes and you wake up a day later and your toes fall off.”

DAMMIT! Really?! Okay, before I move on, let’s address that quote: “poor control and not a lot of follow-up” BULLSHIT! “Poor Control” hmm…when the water that comes out of your fucking tap has more chemicals in it than your average energy drink (YIKES!!!), there’s a reason we fall victim to the tastiness of just about everything else. (Not really victim, poor attempt at humor on my part.) Not to mention that we have been marketed to since we were children that “Coke Is It!” and all that shit. So what if I am part of the “Pepsi Generation” (I think everyone in the world is according to Pepsi, ha!) and want a nice cold one from time to time. No, I don’t personally have soda on a daily basis*, but there is nothing inherently wrong with that if I chose to, either.

Control: It’s bullshit! Just like “will power” and all of those other so-commonly-used-they’re-obviously-bullshit-phrases/words. What it boils down to, I think, is that everything we do is a choice. You can absolutely choose to have a super big gulp for breakfast and a twinkie for lunch. No worries from me. It’s a fucking choice! There’s no morality here. There’s nothing that requires control or regulation (Maude knows they have been trying though), but to put out a “PSA” that basically says through images that if you eat/drink this way you will OMFGDIE! It’s just not that simple. Now poor nutrition can make anyone sick. Look around the world and you’ll find evidence of this. But it’s generally in nations and areas without options/choices at all. Are they “bad” people for not eating a healthy and balanced diet? Should they elicit some magical will power to hold out for better food? Fuck all of that! They eat what they can when they can to fucking survive!

And here we get yet another fat = death bullshit line. The fatty on the scooter may have had other issues besides his weight that has left him with mobility issues. And hey what’s that? Another fatty walking beside him! What about her? Is she going to die, too? (Oh wait, is that a spoiler for a sequel?!) Hey NYC Health Department!!! Over here *waves hands violently-arms all a-flappin’* You’re all kinds of wrong with this message. You guys should seriously check out our own US Surgeon General‘s thoughts on the subject.

I personally believe that the way to get people to eat healthier is to educate them on what they are eating and how that affects their body/mind/overall health/etc. And then leave it up to them! It’s a free country after all, no? But I also know that the choices you may have are much more difficult to make when you are near or below the poverty line. My husband and I can’t afford all of those gorgeous organic fruits and veggies that we used to love cooking with. We have to choose one thing over another. Growing up it was much much worse, too. My family subsisted on little more than rice/pasta, frozen vegetables (nothing wrong with that!) and ground beef. Bright yellow packaging with bold black lettering (nothing brand name entered our house that I can recall, except kool-aid and that was a treat.) A lot of people don’t have a fresh food type of grocer near their homes at all. Please, if you’ve read this far, do not comment that there is a choice regardless of income, I haven’t the energy or will to argue right now and I’ve had that argument too many damned times, I’m done.

Shocking people into not drinking sugary drinks? Poor choice NYC Health Department. Why not take the opportunity to explain how sugar works once ingested? I bet most people in this country don’t know or understand this. I just found out that a very good friend’s gall bladder ruptured from an overdose of vitamin B (Rockstar energy drinks are to blame, specifically). I had no idea that this was possible. And I love learning about nutrition and its affects on the body. But let people decide on their own what to do with this knowledge. And why not work with these major manufacturers to see if they could reduce the sugar in these things by 25% (without adding a damned thing else, please)?! And while I’m at it, why don’t we address the affects of Aspartame (what’s in most diet drinks)?! I think that’s doing more damage to more people than any of us realizes.

Also, sugar intake does not equal fat. In some it can and in others it absolutely does not! And diabetes? Don’t get me started on this again! (Great resources in comments on that post.) You cannot eat your way to diabetes!

Stop perpetuating bullshit stereotypes and start actually caring about the health of your city’s residents!
Fat people do have brains, too! Give us a chance to fucking use them!!!

Monday after work, sitting in my car cueing up the iPod so I could listen to the Fatcast on my commute, I looked up to see a small family walking past. The smaller of the two children locked eyes with me and just smiled a great bog fat smile; I returned the smile instantly because I just couldn’t help it! And this brief interaction got me thinking. Smiling is awesome!

In the same vein as The Fat Heffalump’s challenge of positive posts in November (I will try, but if something strikes me I will post about it, too) I thought about a fun and positive way for the pubicly fat among us to sort of challenge those who would have us all hide ourselves away or die all together.

SMILE!!! I know, radical, eh? Ha! But seriously, why can’t we smile at passersby without fear or judgement? I have often attempted this, but other people’s frowns ended up bring me down. Not this time! I will smile, a big fat genuine smile, at anyone who passes me on the street or catches my eye at a stoplight! I will smile and say, “Hi” to any within an ear/eye shot! And if they don’t like it? Um, well…too bad for them!

What do you think? Is it possible for fats to live down the sad stereotype and just smile at strangers happily? I think so. I shall give it a go for all of November and get back to you on my findings. I hope you try it, too! Just think of a world full of happy and friendly fats! Oh wait, we already live in that world! Ha-ha! Rock on!

I think this week has left us all a bit raw or vulnerable feeling. It almost seems as though the entire nation is coming to a head over various topics of hate. Suddenly, hate is all popular for some reason. I’m wondering if that reason isn’t related directly to the election next week. I’m also considering the possibility that a lot of this is due to sheer frustration with our lives, economy and impotent government. So much hate spewed back and forth, criss-crossing all over the place. For what? What does it get you in the end? It certainly can’t help you sleep at night.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this over the last two days. I have spent a lot of time in my head thinking about a lot of things. Yeah, I’m having one of those moments in time where I’m looking at my life as a whole. After a fabulous week last week and then a huge-ass downer of a b-day on Monday? Well, I’m pooped! Maybe I spend too much time in my head, maybe not enough. I don’t know.

I do know that I’m still here and willing to fight the good fat fight! It’s super hard, but I’m patient and stubborn. I’m not going anywhere. Because no matter who you are, what you look like or what you’re doing? Someone hates it! But more importantly, someone loves it and you!

I have been so impressed with my fellow FA bloggers this week. I am so grateful to have them in my life. They seriously know how to write some great and articulate backlash posts! I’m not so good with that. You see, I get mad and just start swearing up a storm until the words go away entirely. Ha! And where my head is at this week? I don’t need anyone telling me that I don’t deserve the life I have worked so very fucking hard to have let alone love or the movement of my own body. I don’t need hate in my life. At all.

I don’t want the world to see me as exclusively sexually attractive or not. I don’t want to be the example of someone’s morality diatribe. I don’t want to be seen as anything but me and my multi-faceted self. I want to be left the hell alone to do my living and breathing things. I don’t need lady magazines telling anyone that just by existing I am somehow wrong and representative of all things sinful and gross. Had I wanted the opinion of, well, anyone? I’d fucking ask!

I don’t believe in hate. My religion is truth and kindness. I do think that your actions come full circle back to you. I believe in equality for everyone and not just a select few. I’m not saying that we can hug and positive think our troubles away, not at all. What I am saying is that when someone comes from a place of great privilege, they need to check themselves before they (yep, I’m gonna say it) riggety-wreck themselves! And gee, you don’t wanna see fat people kissing? Well, too bad for you! Better close your eyes today, for tomorrow fat love shall rule! (Man, I wish I could be there).

The more we are publicly fat, I think, the more normal we will (one day) be seen. I think this hate spewing is done by just a select few, but loudly. So hey, time to crank up the volume on our side and let those who are fearful know that they are not alone, they are worthy and they should have every right to all things anyone else does. You can end the hate in your heart by loving and giving when and where you can.

How else can we fight against those who would have us killed simply for being fat?

I had planned a more visually appealing/grabbing  Body Love Attack (as announced here http://bigfatblog.com/body-love-attack), but the trees outside of my cafe? Well, I just wasn’t sure how to attach the hearts to their branches without a lot of equipment. Ha! Go figure, poor planning on my part. But I did use the hearts in the way I intended originally, which is to share positive messages with people walking by or into my cafe.

On the back of every heart I wrote, “Love Your Body Just As It Is” I’ve already had people stop and read & smile at me!

One of my friends stopped by and said, “Oh I Love this! These hearts are great!” and I gave one that said, “You Amaze Me!” to her little girl. She left smiling from ear to ear! This is such a great thing! I love doing this. And the sign on my door about weight diversity? Fabulous! When my friend started to mention doing a body wrap with a friend I smiled and gestured to the sign, and she smiled back and said, “Oh don’t worry, I’m doing for the pampering and not for any sort of body issue.” I do love her. =0)

What are you doing for Love Your Body Day???

ETA: My business neighbor, man in his 70’s reads the sign on the door about weight diversity and says to me, “Oh good! Most people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about anyway!” referring to the no diet talk. Nice! Later he reads some of the hearts out front on my flower cart and comes back and says, “Those are really neat! I promise to love my body, okay?!” Too funny!

Go here…NOW: http://bigfatblog.com/body-love-attack