Positively Smiling!
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 actually do this a lot and have rarely had a bad experience in return. Of course, a lot of it depends on where you live and how people tend to interact in that place. I live in Leave It To Beaverland where people tend to smile and nod a fair amount of the time (well, at white people, anyway, humph), so it’s easier for me than it might be in, say, certain parts of New York City or Oakland.
When Mr. Twistie, who is not as white as I, tries this, he is often met with suspicion and fear.
Awesome! I used to be more giving of my smiles, but lately have spent so much time in my own head that I stopped, unwittingly. I don’t know NYC, but I don’t think you’d get a bad reaction in Oaktown, I mean, I’ve smiled at people there without a problem. But I admit, I get hit on in Oakland more than any other town. Ha!
8love this discussion. I am just naturally smiley I guess. #ometimes it does feel abit like im fuckin with the minds of the haters, but that’s ok, too. Just had to jump in on Oakland and fat girl smilin….I lived in east oakland for 5yrs…smiling frequently while fat.
When other weird white girls asked me about staying safe on the streets, I always told them to make a point of trying to look everyone in the eye and make a positive greeting. Didn’t necessarily keep the horn dogs at bay, but I did feel a lot safer, connected and in control. Plus I met a lotof cute older folks that way.
Maybe its my history with suburban bullies, but I feel much less safe making that contact in whitesville.
Kinda fun to see what happens, though!
Even though I’ve only lived in suburbia (though it never felt that way to me) I know what you mean. I always say if there’s too many white people alone together you know trouble is a-brewin’! (Yes, I’m white, not proud, wev.) I love your approach to look people in the eye. So bold! I will have to try this.