I think the world is in need of a different version of fat. Don't let the title of the post fool you, I am not looking to upgrade fat to a catastrophic level, I am just trying to imagine the new term that the media could use to strike fear into the hearts of the average weighted citizen to emphasize that the number of fatties are growing and the new hoards will eat them at the end of days. Morbidly obese is so overused, its almost lost it's effectiveness. Okay let me backup because already this post is about to derail into 'cynical fat person land' . I should practice to not do this so early. ::FOCUS::
I was inspired to write about fat and more specifically my fatness after hearing a shocking story of a man found grafted to his couch in Ohio after two years of immobility. He was discovered marinating in his own bodily waste along with a colony of maggots. He lived in this condition with two other adults, one being his girlfriend who fed him,basically enabling his lifestyle. The witnesses on the scene described the rest of the home to be less than desirable and basically said it was a deplorable site. I tend to assume that their assessment is correct, you don't achieve one-ness with your own couch without offending the sensitivities of a few people and killing some olfactory glands. The story is perplexing to say the least but the reports as well as the comments online that I have read in response to the story have left me speechless.(Well, not quite) This is the version of fat America is comfortable with seeing. This is the version of fat that makes it easier to dehumanize fat people into faceless nameless adipose blobs that clearly have no self worth. pssf
Now I am not here to make excuses for this man, or even justify how one could "let it get that bad" but I am here to combat and present an image of fat that folks are not that comfortable with seeing. I mean, I am not dedicating my life's mission to change the world's view of fat people but I am going to put myself out there and tell you kind folks the type of fattie that I am. Throughout this blog I hope to share the aspects of my life not defined by my weight and the areas where it clearly has an impact. I know people who love me don't see me as only fat, but to ignore my size is to ignore a significant part of who I am. I am not counting calories, I am not walking around with my head hung in shame in unflattering clothes, and I am not hiding myself away in my home nurturing an intimate relationship with my armchair. I am living, laughing, loving, travelling, off roading, gyming, sauning, baking, sewing, crafting, blogging, youtubing, clubing, socializing, dating, working and doing it all loudly and with a strong sense of pride. I do all this not in pursuit of approval by the maintstream but out of love and acceptance for myself.
awesome article Nicole!
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