Fat acceptance movement

The fat acceptance movement, also the size acceptance movement or fat liberation movement, is a grassroots effort to change societal attitudes towards individuals who are fat. The movement consists today of a diverse group of people, who have different beliefs about how best to address the widespread prejudice and discrimination against people whose stature is considered to be above average in contemporary Western societies.

Generally dated to the 1970s, the 1980s and 1990s witnessed an increase in activist organizations, publications, and conferences. The contemporary movement perceives negative societal attitudes as persistent, and based on the presumption that the rotund characteristics of a person's body reflect negative character traits of that person. Furthermore, these diet touting trends have lead to an increase in depression among those who feel that their weight is above the "socially acceptable norm".

Background

Obesity activism covers several fronts but generally can be described as attempting to change societal, internal, and medical attitudes about fat people.

The movement argues that large people are targets of hatred and discrimination, with plus sized women in particular subject to more social pressure. Hatred is seen in multiple places including media outlets, where fat people are often ridiculed or held up as objects of pity. Discrimination comes in the form of lack of equal accessibility to transportation and employment.

The movement also argues that people of all shapes and sizes should accept themselves as they are, at any size. Thus, it promotes "health at every size," which aims to place one's mental and physical health before physical appearance and size.

Through the works of authors such as Paul Campos and Sandy Szwarc, the fat acceptance movement has argued that doctors should treat health problems of people of all sizes, recognizing that health issues are not defined by weight and are shared by people of all sizes, fat and thin. Some in the movement have argued that the health risks of fatness and obesity have been greatly exaggerated, and used as cover for cultural and aesthetic prejudices against fat.

Fat activism faces challenges. Organizations such as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) and the International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) are small in number, and people interested in the movement tend to be clustered in larger cities and spread across medium- to small-sized web communities. NAAFA changed leadership around the turn of the century.

History

The history of this movement is difficult to chart because of its grassroots nature, although it originated in the late 1960s and 1970s. Like other social movements from this time period, the fat acceptance movement, initially known as "Fat Pride," "Fat Power," or "Fat Liberation," often consisted of people acting in an impromptu fashion. To offer one example, a "Fat-in" was staged in New York's Central Park in 1967. Called by a radio personality, Steve Post, the "Fat-in" consisted of a group of 500 people, eating, carrying signs and photographs of Sophia Loren (an actress famous for her figure), and burning diet books.

Several groups were formed in this period that promoted a fat acceptance agenda. The "Fat Pride" group, NAAFA, initially called the National Association to Aid Fat Americans, subsequently renamed the National Association for Advancement of Fat Acceptance, was begun in 1969 by William Fabrey. This group was at its inception more of a social club. A more radical group, the Fat Underground, was founded in 1973. The group had begun as a chapter of NAAFA, but had quickly developed an activist philosophy more radical than the group. To be more specific, they were inspired by the philosophy of the Radical Therapy Collective, a feminist collective that believed that many psychological problems were caused by oppressive social institutions and practices. The group consisted of a number of members including the founding members Sara Fishman (then going by Aldebaran) and Judy Freespirit, and subsequently Lynn McAffee. They quickly developed into a group that took issue with the developing science against obesity. One of their central sayings, "A diet is a cure that doesn't work for a disease that doesn't exist," reflects their dedication to fat acceptance as well as fat activism.

Shortly afterwards, Fishman moved to New Haven, CT, where she, along with Karen Scott-Jones, founded the New Haven Fat Liberation Front, an organization similar to the Fat Underground in its scope and focus. In 1983, they collaborated to publish a germinal book in the field of Fat Activism, Shadow on a Tightrope. The book consists of some activist position papers, initially distributed by the Fat Underground, as well as collections of poems and essays from other writers.

Obesity in pornography

A recently growing movement in pornography has been a push for "big beautiful women" [bbw]. These women are admired by many for their lush curvature and abnormally large breasts. Furthermore, many thinner men feel that a bigger woman is perfect for domination, and thus are attracted to them.

The movement today

Fat liberation has been addressed as well in a number of zines, many representing activist communities. Among them are Marilyn Wann's Fat!So? beginning in 1993, Nomy Lamm's I'm So Fucking Beautiful, and the collectively produced 'zine FaT GiRL -- the 'zine for fat dykes and the women who want them. More Recently, Sabrina Darling has collaborated with other members of the new generation of fat liberation to release the zine Two By Four, Krissy Durden has produced the zine Figure 8 since 2001 and Max Airborne and Cherry Midnight have produced Size Queen: For Queen-size Queers and Our Loyal Subjects.

In addition to zines, there has recently been a steady stream of books with a fat activist agenda including Wann's book of the same title as her zine (1998), Sondra Solovay's "Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination" (2000);'Largely Happy -- changing your mind about your body' by Lynda Finn; 'Don't Diet' by Professor Dale Atrens and a collection of short stories by fat people (What Are You Looking At? 2003). Beginning in the earlier literature, there were criticisms of the prevailing scientific view that fat is unhealthy. A number of writers and activists have attacked this viewpoint, including more recently Paul Campos in his 'The Obesity Myth' (2004) republished as 'The Diet Myth', and Sandy Szwarc's in-depth examination of obesity research in the online magazine "Tech Central Station."

In recent years, there is an emerging body of fat political and sociological studies, some with a fat activist agenda, developing within the academy. The American Popular Culture Association has an area in fat studies and regularly includes panels on the subject. In addition, student groups with a fat activist agenda have emerged in a number of colleges including Hampshire, Smith, and Antioch colleges.

Susan Stinson's novels and poetry such as Belly Songs (1993) and Venus of Chalk (2004) have integrated the insights of fat liberation into literature. Several collections of short writing on fat have been published in recent years, including 'What Are You Looking At?: The First Fat Fiction Anthology' (2003); Scoot Over, Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology' (2005); and Susan Koppelman's Strange History of Suzanne LaFleshe and other stories of women and fatness (2003).

Recently, fat performance art has made an impact in the fight against sizeism. Groups like The Padded Lillies, Big Burlesque and the Fat Bottom Revue and radical cheerleading groups like F.A.T.A.S.S pdx and The Bod Squad have received significant attention, as have drag troupes like the Royal Renegades: The Philadelphia Drag Kings, who feature a variety of body types in their shows.

There has been a flourishing of national conferences devoted to the subject of fat activism, including NOLOSE, the conference of the former National Organization for Lesbians of SizE (now just known as NOLOSE); NAAFA's annual convention held alternately on the west and east coasts; and the largest conference, Stacy Bias's FatGirl Speaks in Portland, Oregon.

Finally, in recent years, growing online bloggers are promoting the ideas of a moderate version of fat acceptance. Some examples include Kate Harding's Shapely Prose, Big Fat Blog, and The F-Word.

Issues within the movement

As it has expanded, the fat acceptance movement has faced internal issues.

One point of contention in the movement is found between those fat people who are attempting to lose weight and those who are not. Opponents of weight loss attempts cite the high failure rate of all permanent weight loss attempts (95-98%), and the many dangers of "yoyo weight fluctuations" and weight loss surgeries. (There are many citations, starting with Sandy Szwarc's list of links at [2], as well as books by William Bennett, Joel Gurin, Paul Campos, etc. as delineated below. A USDA discussion of the recent U.C. Davis study suggesting that fat acceptance maintains and improves health more than dieting may be found at [3].)

Due to intrinsic linguistic misunderstandings and differing definitions of the word "acceptance," some "fat activists" believe the phrase refers to any fat person fighting for equal rights and opportunities, regardless of whether or not that person believes that the pursuit of reduction in a person's body mass is feasible. Other "fat activists" define "fat acceptance" more strictly, applying that phrase only to fat people who are not pursuing a reduction in their body mass, and use phrases such as "fat activist" to describe fat people and "allies" working more generally on civil rights issues pertaining to fat people.

An additional issue with regard to language is that many in the fat acceptance movement find the terms "obese" and "overweight" offensive, as they are often used to make overtly prejudiced statements seem more clinical or scientific. The word "fat" is generally preferred.

In practice, the only way to know the position of any particular individual member of the group on weight loss attempts is to ask, or read specific position papers on the issue.

Criticism

Fat acceptance advocates' positions have sparked criticism. Some critics, while acknowledging that fat and obese individuals are subject to inappropriate discrimination or pressure, contend that fat acceptance advocates' goal of unconditional acceptance of obesity is itself unhealthy.[4] They contend that accepting fatness will make people less likely to aspire to achieve a healthy weight. Other criticisms state that obesity causes medical problems. Public health officials regard widespread obesity as posing significant costs to society. Despite advocates' claims to the contrary, some studies show that fat people are more likely than others to be in poor health, at a time when health care costs are rising: In 2006, the CDC estimated that 10 percent of current health care costs are due to obesity [5]. However, a recent Dutch study came to the conclusion that while obese individuals cause higher annual health care costs during their lifetime, their total health care costs over the span of a lifetime are lower than the costs caused by "healthy-living" (non-smoking with a BMI between 18.5 and 25) individuals due to higher average life expectancy of this group. Additionally, the common fat acceptance mantra that "diets don't work" is considered by some critics to be an oversimplification that may discourage even responsible and potentially beneficial changes in eating habits. [6]

Notable advocates

• Jo Morley, founder of Big People UK [London, UK]

• Stacy Bias, founder of FatGirl Speaks [Portland, ORE]

• Paul Campos, author of books such as The Obesity Myth

• Charlotte Cooper: London-based writer [7]

• Laurie Toby Edison, photographer, published the book Women En Large: Images of Fat Nudes

• Nomy Lamm, performance artist and writer of I'm So Fucking Beautiful

• Debbie Notkin, writer of the texts for Women En Large and the body image blog Body Impolitic

• Judy Sullivan, author of Size Wise

• Sandy Szwarc, author of Junk Food Science blog and articles challenging widely-held beliefs on fat and health[8]

• Pattie Thomas, Ph.D., co-author of Taking Up Space: How Eating Well and Exercising Regularly Changed My Life Sociological memoir about the stigma faced by fat people (written in collaboration with Carl Wilkerson, M.B.A.)blog

• Marilyn Wann, author of FAT!SO? and Activism Chair of NAAFA

External Links

• NAAFA - National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, founded in 1969.

• ISAA - International Size Acceptance Assocation, founded in 1997.

• ASDAH - Association for Size Diversity and Health, founded in 2003.

• CSWD - Counsel on Size & Weight Discrimination

• COFRA - Coalition of Fat Rights Activists

• No Lose - "Where fighting fat phobia is seen as integrally linked to other social justice issues such as the women's movement, anti-racist and anti-imperialist struggles of people of color at home and around the world, queer and transgender movements, class struggle, disability rights movements and more."

• Big Fat Blog - The fat acceptance weblog, focusing on mainstream media coverage of fat, public policies that affect fat people, and fat activism.

• Junkfood Science - Skeptical analysis of the medical literature and health care policies on fat.

• Shapely Prose - Focusing on fat acceptance in the media, public policy, discussion of the personal experience of fat people, especially women, and the intersection of fat acceptance with other social movements/groups (e.g. feminism.)

• Notes from the Fatosphere - An aggregate feed of current fat acceptance blogs, including those listed above.

• Radiance Magazine Online - The Magazine for Large Women. Search their online back issues for articles relating to fat acceptance.

• Hanne Blank - notable author of Big Big Love and Zaftig, erotic works of fiction for people of size is also considered a size acceptance advocate, even though she recently came under fire for her attempts in fat reduction, which she documents in her blog The Fickle Finger Of Fat

• Cat's House of Fun- Changing the World's View of Fat Chicks One Visitor at a Time

• For visual resources of people diverse in size, shape, race, etc., try Laurie Toby Edison's work:
  • Women En Large: Images of Fat Nudes
  • Familiar Men: A Book of Nudes

Further reading

• Berg, Frances M. (2000). Women Afraid to Eat: Breaking Free in Today's Weight-Obsessed World. Hettinger: Healthy Weight Network. ISBN 0918532620

• Braziel, Jana E. (ed) and LeBesco, Kathleen (ed) (2001). Bodies Out of Bounds: Fatness and Transgression. University of California Press. ISBN 0520225856

• Campos, Paul F. (2004). The Obesity Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health. New York: Gotham Books. ISBN 1592400663 (Later issued in paperback as The Diet Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health. ISBN 159240135X )

• Cooper, Charlotte (1998). Fat and Proud: The Politics of Size. Womens Press. ISBN 0704344734

• Fraser, Laura (1997). Losing It: America's Obsession with Weight and the Industry that Feeds on It. New York: Dutton. ISBN 0525938915 (Later issued in paperback as Losing It: False Hopes and Fat Profits in the Diet Industry. ISBN 0452272912 )

• Frater, Laura (2005). Fat Chicks Rule: How to Survive in a Thin-Centric World. Gamble Guides. ISBN 0975251716

• Gaesser, Glenn A. (1996). Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health. New York: Fawcett Columbine. ISBN 0936077425

• Gard, Michael (2005). The Obesity Epidemic: Science, Morality and Ideology. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415318963

• Goodman, Charisse W. (1995). The Invisible Woman: Confronting Weight Prejudice in America. Gurze Books. ISBN 0936077107

• Kater, Kathy (2004). Real Kids Come in All Sizes: Ten Essential Lessons to Build Your Child's Body Esteem. New York: Broadway Books. ISBN 0767916085

• Kolata, Gina B. (2007). Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss -- and the Myths and Realities of Dieting. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. ISBN 0374103984

• Koppelman, Susan (ed) (2003). The Strange History of Suzanne Lafleshe: And Other Stories of Women and Fatness. Feminist Press. ISBN 1558614516

• Kulick, Don and Meneley, Anne (2005). Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin. ISBN 1585423866

• LeBesco, Kathleen (2004). Revolting Bodies?: The Struggle to Redefine Fat Identity. University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 1558494294

• Manheim, Camryn (1999). Wake Up, I'm Fat! New York: Broadway Books. ISBN 0767903633

• Oliver, J. Eric (2006). Fat Politics: The Real Story behind America's Obesity Epidemic. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195313208

• Poulton, Terry (1997). No Fat Chicks: How Big Business Profits Making Women Hate Their Bodies-How to Fight Back. Birch Lane Press. ISBN 1559724234 (Also issued as No Fat Chicks: How Women Are Brainwashed to Hate Their Bodies and Spend Their Money. ISBN 1550137409 )

• Saguy, Abigail C. and Riley, Kevin W. (2005). "Weighing Both Sides: Morality, Mortality and Framing Contests over Obesity." Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law. 30:5, pp. 869-921.[9]

• Schoenfielder, Lisa (ed) and Wieser, Barb (ed) (1983). Shadow on a Tightrope: Writings by Women on Fat Oppression. Iowa City: Aunt Lute Book Co. ISBN 1879960249

• Seid, Roberta Pollack (1989). Never Too Thin: Why Women Are at War with Their Bodies. New York: Prentice Hall Press. ISBN 0136156002

• Solovay, Sondra (2000). Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination. Amherst: Prometheus Books. ISBN 1573927643

• Thomas, Pattie and Wilkerson, Carl (2005). Taking Up Space: How Eating Well and Exercising Regularly Changed My Life. Pearlsong Press. ISBN 1597190020

• Wann, Marilyn (1998). Fat!So?: Because You Don't Have to Apologize for Your Size. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 0898159954