"Fat-bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round."
--Queen, "Fat-Bottomed Girls"
There is so much I could say about society and fat-shaming. I could piss and moan about the impossibly-high beauty standards that we have in our society, or the jerks that try to shame bigger ladies into feeling bad about themselves. I could research and write a long, blistering report, delving into my own personal experiences as a Fat Girl, and my belief that the term fat shouldn't be negative, or shame-inducing.
I've been mulling it over, and writing ideas down, and finally, I came to one conclusion: I should let the "fat girls" speak for themselves. I am putting together some posts tonight highlighting my favorite Fat Girls.
I'll start with...well, me. Because, while I am on a fitness course that is helping me be healthier, and yes, thinner, right now, I'm still a fat girl.
This picture is from June 2008--almost a full year ago. It was taken by my friend Jamie as I showed her and Tiff around San Francisco. You can see I'm all bust and thighs and tummy. I also have a mischievious smile, good hair, and better taste in shoes (I was wearing adorable wedge sandals that day) than Forrest Gump. I've defined myself too long by my weight. It's time I stopped.
7 comments:
I love this idea. I hate the standards of beauty perpetuated by our society, and I totally recognize the thin privilege that I am fortunate enough to have. I look forward to reading what you have to say on the topic!
I'm scheduling a bunch of Beautiful FAT Girls posts for this week. They'll be there at 4:00 am (Pacific). Stay tuned!
Good for you! I agree that society's beauty standard is pretty much unattainable for girls who are built like us. And I hate how "fat" has become synonymous with "lazy" and "slob," all of which are not always applicable.
There really is no winning in terms of weight. My kid sister is a size 0, and she was bullied for being "anorexic" in one school - it reached a point where we had to switch schools for her so she could have a fresh start. I am decidedly average, and yet I hear from a lot of people, including my family, that I am fat. I wish we could all stop looking through this funhouse mirror - it lost its appeal a long time ago.
What a great idea! It sucks that this society has such an unhealthy (= anorexic/gaunt) beauty ideal. Even if you're only 15 to 20 lbs overweight, you can get that "guilt" thing that you're not thin enough (even if your significant other tells you differently). Buy yourself some posters of paintings by Peter Paul Rubens showing plump nudes. What would be considered extra poundage today was considered beautiful 500 years ago!
Dani--I'm sorry that your family perpetuates that for you. I think you are gorgeous the way you are.
Minka--I don't want to give away too many of my fat girls, but Venus, as portrayed by Reubens, is on my list!
Dani, I have been in the same boat as your sister. I was teased mercilessly for being thin. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me to "eat a cheeseburger" I would have had enough money to never have to work a day in my life. It's just as hurtful as being told you're fat, and it's not something I could help.
1) Love "Fat-Bottomed Girls" song by Queen. Freddie Mercury may have been as queer as they come but he knew what was hot and that is the Larger Lady. I just think of it as more to love :)
2) Society sucks. Media always has something in the headlines over in England about how anorexia one day is on the increase, the next day that obesity is going to ruin of nation and the National Health Service! Make up your minds! No wonder we are a world of body-conscious, confused and concerned people with a guilt complex about food.
Well done Meg- loving the blogs- BTW I love Beth Ditto too!
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