NotBlueAtAll

I'm just a fat gal with a blog and an opinion. Well, lots of opinions.

Non-Fat Allies!

February23

They DO exist! They aren’t mythical creatures from the great unknown. And guess what, you may already know them and they may already be on your side (or by it)! Remember an ally is someone that has joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them. And just because someone isn’t fat does not mean that they don’t identify with the body politics of fat acceptance. We can all agree that the “cultural ideals” we are inundated with on a daily basis are no good for anyone. Also, by meeting new people and developing relationships you can inform them on your own beliefs and find how much they agree or have in common with you. 

Go to fullsize image

I have been surprised to find how many of my friends share similar beliefs but perhaps didn’t know how to express it. When I tell them about fat acceptance and what it means to me and has done for me, there’s really nothing to argue about. We can agree on so much and build from there and that’s mega-rad! I think more and more people today are sick of being told what is acceptable and what isn’t. We all just wanna live our lives the best we can and not be dictated to on a daily basis, ya know?!

One thing I think we all need to remember is that our allies, be they fat or not, are in it for the common good. FA is not a selfish endeavor, hardly. It’s a heck of a lot of work and you have to have the spoons or sanity points to stick with it and not cave to the haters. You have to be brave enough to not hide and to be fat in public. Our allies may or may not know what that feels like, but we ca tell them and we can show them, no fat suit required (or allowed, thanks).

I think we must also be a bit more welcoming of newbies. Please, don’t automatically smack someone down for using the wrong terminology for something. If they use the word “overweight” explain why it makes you uncomfortable or is not an acceptable term in FA (this applies to many words, obviously). Just as someone new to say feminism may not know on their own why it’s not cool to use sexist language, they may not even know that what they are saying IS sexist, you don’t have to beat them into submission to get your point across. “Manners are free, Use them Freely” (Whoa, I so just quoted myself, Ha-ha!)

No matter what our allies look like or where they may come from, it takes more than adipose tissue to be Fat Girls* and I do think that anyone can be, it’s more in the spirit than the flesh! It’s the simple philosophy of non-conformity and rebellion! So don’t be afraid to have deeper discussions on the matter or to reach out to someone who is struggling with their own body issues. We all started somewhere. If you can love without judgment then, I think, you can live without fear.

Thanks,
<3
S

*Y’all! If you haven’t seen the movie “Fat Girls” go rent it! It’s fab!

posted under fat, Fat Acceptance, movies
4 Comments to

“Non-Fat Allies!”

  1. On February 23rd, 2011 at 5:17 am wriggles Says:

    You’re right, I’ve noticed many people over the years who’ve refused the ludicrous con that is thin privilege, even under duress. Either their intelligence or instincts warn them off it.

    That’s why I think we ought to refer more to how you have to lose and become a bully to make it a privilege so more people have a chance to become aware of this.

    Once you get into this trap it can be really hard to get out of because it requires you to re-gain your previous self esteem. From that position it often feels as difficult for the ‘thin privilege mark’ as it is for a fat person to be self/fat accepting.

  2. On February 23rd, 2011 at 8:30 am Not Blue at All Says:

    Thank you, you make an interesting point. I’ve also met some who have managed their lives completely immune to the diet industry tactics. It’s an amazing feat, but they exist, too. Ha!

  3. On February 23rd, 2011 at 6:37 am AcceptanceWoman Says:

    I’ve found many allies in people I wouldn’t have expected. Sometimes it’s just about taking the risk to talk about it.
    Thanks for the reminder. And I love the graphic, brings back memories 🙂

  4. On February 23rd, 2011 at 8:17 am Not Blue at All Says:

    Ha-ha! Yeah, I had to pull that image up when I was writing it, just fit so well. And yeah, it can be a bit scary to talk about acceptance, but I think everyone can understand on some basic level. Thanks.

Email will not be published

Website example

Your Comment:

 
Subscribe to my feed