Fat and the Movement: What’s it all about?
This post was inspired by some comments I read on the “Dear Naafa” thread over at Shapely Prose. For reference, read the comments here, esp. starting with the user Kell. It’s also evolving, at least in part, from some discussions folks are having off-blog.
So I have some questions.
1. Should a fat rights movement be receptive to the political influences of the queer rights, feminist, anti-racist, etc. movements?
2. If not, does the ideal fat rights movement necessarily need to exclude folks who are coming to the board with fat feminist (etc.) agendas?
3. If fat rights should be a fight only for a few specific things, what are those things? And what are the things that are unworthy of our attention, or downright unimportant?
4. What is fat feminism?
Kind of broad questions, but I’m curious what peoples’ thoughts are.
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The criticisms of my students would serve as a good warning to visitors of Seeworthy: she talks too fast, she's too hard on us, she assigns too much work, and you have to be a dyke to get a good grade.
In other words, I'm a big, fat, queer, feminist meanie, and I am totally out to get you. Graaagh!
1. Yes, insofar as we are a pro-equality movement, we should absolutely be receptive to the influence of similar movements, wherever that makes sense.
2. I consider myself a fat feminist, but that doesn’t mean I see eye-to-eye with everyone else who self-identifies thusly. I certainly wouldn’t say we need to exclude fat feminists, ’cause, hi. I would, however, say that there’s nothing wrong with excluding people who want to change an existing organization to reflect their values, if those fundamentally conflict with said organization’s expressed values. (Shorter Kate: I just told Kell she’s barking up the wrong tree by trying to get me on board with her particular concerns. And I have no problem with being “exclusive” in that manner.)
3. I think fat rights should be a fight for everything — that in the big picture, we should shoot for the moon. And shoot for a thousand different smaller goals. I love that the fatosphere is decentralized and that we all have points of disagreement — it gives a broad picture of what’s happening in the movement, with a lot of different perspectives and concerns. But in terms of acting in an organized way, I think we need to pick fewer specific goals we can all agree on. Working for anti-discrimination legislation, organizing a body pride festival, creating a website to house all the best, most current information on fat rights and health at every size, etc. As a movement, I think we can be as specific or as unspecific as we like, but as an activist organization, I think we need a series of focused short-term goals that appeal to the broadest possible number of allies.
4. Hell if I know, and I don’t know that it’s worth trying to define it. I mean, you’d have to come up with a single definition for feminism first, so… good luck with that. Ultimately, I think it all just comes back to pro-equality, period.
I should also clarify that my response to Kell represented my feelings about a conversation taking place on my blog — not, obviously, the definitive position of Currently Non-Existent Fat Org. And if C.E.F.O. takes off in a different direction, than maybe I’ll be among the excluded, which is perfectly fine. I don’t want to be a part of an organization I have major, fundamental disagreements with, and I simply don’t understand why anyone else would, either. That was the take-away point there.
then, not than. Oops.
Part of me is glad to see Kell pop up because she has a ton of really positive things to add to the conversation. At the same time, I know how much she has been pushed down in the past and I know how it has affected the way she views fat acceptance. I sympathize with her a lot, though I feel her cynicism can be misplaced because she spent so much time being told to shut up instead of being really engaged to talk about her concerns and frustrations. Anyhow, addressing the questions:
1. I certainly think so, though I’m not as moved by those who suggest that this is all “one big movement” and we should subjagate our specific concerns for collective ones. I actually think all of us working towards our own goals is important, and that ideally part of that is identifying and encouraging alliances with other progressive civil rights causes. Clearly, fat issues intersects with issues of gender, sexual orientation, and race and I think that is a good means of building bridges to other communities who certainly have a lot to teach us.
2. Absolutely not. I think there a lot of good leaders who come from the intersections of race and gender or race and sexual orientation and I’d hope that fat liberation can have similar leaders. Feminism, as an example, is especially apt. The historical context of fat acceptance is completely interwoven with radical feminism. That is the origin of the political philosophy of fat acceptance and I’d like to see things taken back to those roots. I’m not someone who thinks men cannot be feminists. I consider myself a feminist. That being said, though, it disappoints me that the two existing national fat acceptance organization both were founded by men. A lot of groups that I’m much more excited by have feminist woman leadership and foundations which is probably more in keeping with the political origins of fat acceptance.
3. I’m not a fan of setting bounderies on what’s “important” and what’s “insignificant”. There is a LOT to fight for and I’m not sure we can get it if we just concentrate on one small thing at a time or if we exclude our focus. As a movement, there is a lot to do. Now, individual segments of this movement may see a need to have a focused goal and I think that’s a good thing as long as we don’t fall into the “my goal is more important than your goal” trap amongst ourselves.
4. Um, an awesome blog?
Seriously though, as I mentioned before fat acceptance was born out of feminism so there is a degree to which I’d think of fat feminism as a redundancy on the fat part. Fat politics are feminist politics from my perspective.
1. Should a fat rights movement be receptive to the political influences of the queer rights, feminist, anti-racist, etc. movements?
I think it depends on what that “political influence” entails. If it is advice, advocacy, and assistance then yes. But politics is in such a terrible state that sometimes people that you would think would make great allies are actually hurtful in one way or another. BUT, I don’t have enough experience to say that any of this could be true or not. I honestly can’t say, other than I could understand being cautious if it was only in the political arena.
2. If not, does the ideal fat rights movement necessarily need to exclude folks who are coming to the board with fat feminist (etc.) agendas?
No “rights movement” should exclude anyone who is willing to fight for their cause. So maybe they have feminist agendas, but the fact is that the entire idea of fighting against any discrimination would be ruined by discriminating yourself.
That said, I think it would be acceptable if they started using your organization for their own agenda and it doesn’t fit with the mission statement or stated ideals of the organization, to say to them “I’m sorry, but that’s not exactly what we’re fighting for. I understand your point, and outside our organization, I encourage you to fight for what you believe. But don’t do it in our name, or use our resources for it.” If that makes sense.
But only if it is something that truly detracts or damages what you’re doing.
3. If fat rights should be a fight only for a few specific things, what are those things? And what are the things that are unworthy of our attention, or downright unimportant?
While I don’t know if it should be only a few specific things, I think that one of those things should absolutly be the fight to educate the public on the facts as they are, to counter the media and their corporate bias, and to promote books like Rethinking Thin and things that show that the Obesity Epidemic is fraud. But I believe that as a whole, an educated populice is obviously a more intelligent one, which lends to being more open-minded actions and attitudes. So my solution to many, many things is educate and get the facts out.
4. What is fat feminism?
To be honest I don’t know, because I always thought feminism was about making a world where women were educated and intelligent and able to make their own choices. And a world where whatever they chose was a viable option for them. Rocket scientist or housewife, they could make their choice and pursue their own happiness without judgement from men OR other women.
I’m apparently wrong about that. Who knew. So I couldn’t define fat feminism.
1. I certainly think a fat rights movement (as well as any feminist-based movement) should be receptive to other political movements. My only concern is that we might broaden our spectrum so wide to be inclusive of so many struggles that we begin to neglect the group’s initial focus on fat rights. While people can be all things, one organization cannot fight for all things for all people.
I see this in my women’s studies courses - there are more courses available on queer theory as offered by my school than there are on women’s history. While I see the correlation between the two, I can’t help but think that the initial focus on women’s studies has been lost somewhat.
An example: When I first heard about the My Big Fat Queer Prom event, I felt excluded simply because I am not queer. Even their own disclaimer reads: “[Y]ou don’t have to be fat and queer to come to the prom, but it sure helps if you are!”
2. No.
3. I think our goal first and foremost should be to immediately combat this myth of fat as unhealthy. This is the fallacy that drives much of the fat discrimination currently out there today. Just as we’ve seen smoking demonized, so too has fat been vilified on the grounds of “medical health.”
4. Here’s my personal take on fat-feminism: Fat-feminism should embrace members of all genders and sizes (one doesn’t have to be a woman nor fat to join); it promotes health - not thinness - which comes in a variety of sizes, both thin and fat; it advocates for economic, political, social and educational parity for all people, regardless of size.
1. Should a fat rights movement be receptive to the political influences of the queer rights, feminist, anti-racist, etc.
movements?
Eeyup. It would be irresponsible to ignore the intersections of race, class, orientation , gender and ability. I firmly believe that all forms of civil rights/social activism are wobbly legs and arms of a greater body of activism en masse. Each org bites of what it can chew, tackles that issue with its particular sensitivities, and does the best it can to hear, take into account and be compassionate to the next org’s mission. It would be impossible, I think, for every organization to tackle every intersection. There’s so much to do it boggles the brain. But ignoring that they exist altogether would be irresponsible.
2. If not, does the ideal fat rights movement necessarily need to exclude folks who are coming to the board with fat feminist (etc.) agendas?
I think an org should stay clear to its mission. If anyone comes to a table with an agenda that detracts from or is in conflict with that mission, then conversations should be had and perhaps that person could choose another org to work with that falls more in line with their particular passion. But passion should never be squelched. Just redirected.
3. If fat rights should be a fight only for a few specific things, what are those things? And what are the things that are unworthy of our attention, or downright unimportant?
I can only give you what’s important to me:
1 - equal access to healthcare
2 - debunk junk science and confront debasing consumerism and media sensationalism in a way that is accessible to the mainstream public
3 - empowerment of individuals
4. What is fat feminism?
equality for all, regardless of gender or size.
I’m a vegatarian. I’ve never had a Big Mac in my life. Does that make me “okay”? Do I get to wear a badge that says I’m an “okay” Fat person to be treated with pity instead of scorn?
Screw that. Some fat people eat a lot. So do some thin people. Only one group gets their civil rights withheld. Some fat people don’t eat much. Some thin people don’t eat much. Again, only one group gets their civil rights withheld. Even if fat was a reliable indication of eating patterns, it still would justify rampant bigotry. That it is NOT a reliable indication of eating patterns simply adds another layer of unfairness to the whole system.