Queer. Fat. Political.
Sunday night I was fortunate enough to attend Queer. Fat. Political.: “a flabulous star-studded, politically inspired evening of fierce fattitude and performance sponsored by the GLBT Historical Society’s Womyn’s Committee.  Commemorating the life and work of fat activist Judy Freespirit (who has an archive at the Historical Society) and will feature performance from the legendary FAT LIP Readers’ Theater, Jezebel Delilah X and others! Performances will be followed by a discussion/Q&A and is meant to create dialogue between generations of fat queer activists.”
It was one of the most powerful evenings of my life! It is right up there with the flesh mob I participated in for International No Diet Day. THAT GOOD! I was asked by Virgie Tovar to video tape the evening’s performances and little did I know that this would have such an impact on me. Did I already say “Wow!?” Because WOW!!! We’re talking about a room of radical feminists of varying ages, fat liberation activists from the 70’s, 80’s and now! But I don’t want to get into the who’s who and all of that…
I felt a great responsibility standing in the back of the room. A responsibility to do more, to be more out there and active and public and political. To keep fighting the good fat fight! The feminist fight! To liberate us all and create equality in a nation built upon the opposite. Heavy task, certainly, but I now feel more compelled than ever to organize and do more! These women created these huge radical, very public and very political actions! But I feel that this is something left behind and that pisses me off, for myself and for them. There is no second wave of fat liberation activism because nothing has changed! We’re still dealing with the same shit they did back when.
I love attending fat events. I LOVE IT! I look forward to them and after I am high on fat positivity! But then I go home, I work, I blog, I live. Nothing truly happened, ya know? But when I participated in the flesh mob for INDD? I changed! We made an impact on actual people! I do feel that these more social events (performances, swaps, etc) are great for the uninitiated or for those who are intimidated or would like to reengage in fat liberation/fat acceptance. They recharge my batteries for sure. But what else? You eat cupcakes, maybe get some cool clothes, but no awareness was created, no waves made. We stick to online activism because it’s accessible, easy, fits into our collective schedules…and there is nothing wrong with that. I just want to do more!
The fire has been reignited and baby? I’m ready to start cookin’! Talking to Virgie and some other local fats all over the bay area, we all want to do more! It’s a fabulous feeling! So now we’re going to start researching and seeing what venues we can find and what things we can put together to keep people engaged, to become more accessible and to stay more political! I just couldn’t walk out of that building without having some sort of mission. I have big ideas, y’all! But I want some of yours, too!
What would you like to get involved in for fat liberation? Do you have a skill or talent or ability that may be useful or helpful for an organized fat action? Artists? Writers? Dancers? You name it! I wanna hear from everyone! What do you want to see happen to create more awareness? Do you think it’s all in vain? Do you think it’s bullshit? I wann hear it all! No judgment here! You know how I roll, honesty, baby, yeah! Ha-ha!
*swoons* I’m so jealous! That sounds so incredibly fabulous!
@Heather: I wish I had the words to express my exact feelings, but I think it’s one of those “had to be there” things. I hate that, but it’s true. I will say that I got all dolled up for an event where I could have most certainly come in any old thing. And I cried a lot…in good ways! It was like witnessing someone revealing their soul in front of your eyes and it being too bright to bear it? Okay, that probably sounds crazy. Ha-ha!
Not crazy at all! I’ve felt that way at some Pagan gatherings, honestly. Where I was there were no fat-activist type meetings or anything like that so I’m always happy to read about people getting to do this type of thing. Really I think the best thing people into FA and HAES can do is keep speaking up against fat prejudice when they see/hear it, and being happy with their lives and selves.
@JeninCanada: Yes! Thank you! And when I said that thing about baring their soul and it being too bright, I totally pictured a scene from Pulp Fiction and made myself laugh. Ha!
I think just asserting your presence as a fat activist whenever possible (You think you can scare me by calling me a fat bitch?! I’ll show you fat bitch! 🙂 is maybe not the most anyone can do, but is a hell of a good start.
@Rachel: Oh hell yes! (Writing you a long comment on your blog right now).
I think we need a bigger emphasis on planning and attending small-scale FA events within our community. Big events are great but they tend to take place in the same big cities and are not accessible to everyone. People with no local events are usually told to organize their own, but no one tells them HOW, so people don’t. Because meeting in person is such a great opportunity for togetherness that so many people are missing, I think we should put a focus on making community events a ‘thing’ that people do in FA and providing people with the tools, ideas, support, and general help they need to plan and hold their own events. Maybe this involves providing flier templates or blogging about creative ideas or themes for events. Maybe it involves a tumblr where people submit stories and pics from their events and get support, encouragement, and inspiration for other events. Whatever it looks like, I think FA could really benefit from emphasizing activism in the community and making an effort to equip people with what they need to host their own events.
@Jessica: Thank you! That is the best feedback I have ever received! I mean, you actually know what needs to happen and what keeps us from doing it. You rock! And I will begin working on such things.
My writing is give or take-some ppl hate it. I can do graphics though. I’d love to do it for Fat Activism.
@Not Blue At All That doesn’t sound crazy.. it sounds absolutely amazing! Mind if I bask vicariously through you? 😛
@Heather: Oh yes, please! Ha-ha!
@Not Blue At All: I’m glad you appreciated my long-winded response 😀 I know it’s very idealistic but we could start off small and maybe it’d catch on. Part of why I think it’s important is that it gives many more people the chance to contribute their talents. Big events can afford to enlist the best of the best but smaller events would draw on the talents/skills/abilities of local people who would otherwise be passed over. Then people at every skill level would have the opportunity to use their talents in FA.
@Jessica: No worries! Long-winded isn’t even in my vocabulary! I think you’re super right and since I’m about to begin the planning process of some local events here, I will soon have my own experiences to use for future reference and hopefully create some helpful resources through that. Woo!
I love that fire!
I’m working on a project with a couple of wonderful academics from the University of Queensland who are looking at a marketing/visibility/lifestyle strategy for fat people. It’s just so inspiring to work with people who totally get it and are full of their own enthusiasm and creativity. I’m going to have some fantastic stuff to share with folks over the next six months or so.
Then I hope we can take some international initiatives up too!
@Kath: That is fantastic news! I cannot wait to hear more about it. And I’d be happy to help/contribute in any way, just let me know! <3
[…] have found myself becoming more and more political lately. It began when I attended the Queer.Fat.Political. event at the GLTB History museum in San Francisco on July 24th. It was such an amazing feeling to […]