I am a fat girl. On one of my interpersonal communication journals I pointed that out, my teacher crossed it out and wrote "large mammal". Well I am sorry, I don't need to sugar coat things like that, I am what I am.
Of course I hear a lot of derogatory names, jokes, etc aimed at fat people and normally I don't get offended, but every once in awhile something happens where I do get offended and today in my creative writing class was one of those days.
Our teacher showed us the video "Window Seat" by Erykah Badu
where Erykah removes all her clothing on a public street. Our teacher pointed out that he likes the fact that Erykah is a real woman with a voluptuous back and and womanly hips. Suddenly people began to disagree with him saying they could see her "fat rolls" jiggling and it was gross. Afterwards we were looking at the people of wal-mart website and of course the same people would make comments every time a picture of a fat person was displayed, even if they weren't wearing anything too atrocious.
I think I was offended because first of all, Erykah Badu is thick surely but not fat and I feel that if people think she is disgusting then what does that say about me? Secondly, it seems to me that unless a fat person is covered completly from head to toe in long pants and sweaters, then people disapprove of us being in public. Granted some of these people on the people of wal-mart website were wearing clothes that NO ONE should be wearing inside of a public store, some of the pics simply showed girls wearing a tank top. Im sorry people, but when it's hot out, hell yeah I am going to wear a tank top. I don't really care if you find my fat arms disgusting.
In class I made some joking comments about how I was going to wear something risque to the next class and acted of course like I was not that offended because I didn't want to seem like I am uncool or overly sensitive (even though I totally am).
Coincidentally, after school I went to my jobs main office to attend a harassment and diversity class that is required for us to take annually. After this class I realized that I was not too off base for feeling offended. Now I will be one of the first ones to say that some people get too offended by things and take things to extremes to resolve. I have no problems with people not being attracted to fat people and having that opinion is fine, but I think that making extensive comments about how disgusting fat people are is crossing the line.
I think that overweight people are a group of people that many people in our society have been taught that it's ok to make fun of because we made ourselves that way and because we are not aesthetically pleasing on the eye. I admit that I did things to make myself that way but I did not wake up one day and decide I was going to be fat. I have a food addiction, and like any addiction I take it one day at a time. Until I am able to fully manage my addiction and become healthy again, I still have the right to fashionable clothes, going to the beach or pool in my swimsuit and being out in public without being harassed.
If having to look at my fatness is ruining your perfect day in your perfect world you have two choices; look the other way or kiss my big fat juicy ass!
I laughed at the very last line! I recall saying something similar to this blog just recently. I was on a forum discussing breastfeeding in public, and there were women who thought that there should be no problem if a woman discretely breastfeeds at say a table in a resturaunt. Then, other women were like, I am sorry, but you should have to take it elsewhere because I don't want to see your breast!"
ReplyDeleteMy reply was, "Whatever happened to: if you don't want to see it, don't look?!"
I am one of the fat people that doesn't want to wear anything less than fully covering clothes in public. It's not because I am afraid of people seeing my fatness, it's because I just don't like how I look in shorts and tanks. I don't particularly like the look of others in shorts and tanks either, but if I do happen to see someone wearing them, and if I don't like what I see, I just look the other way. What kind of society would we live in if the government sudden;y decided to pass a dress code?
I shudder to think of it!
Usually when a woman breastfeeds in public she is mostly covered. I have seen many women breastfeed public and not once have I seen their boob.
ReplyDelete