This is Fat Talk Free Week. What is that?
Fat Talk Free® Week (Oct 19 – 23, 2009) is an international, 5-day body activism campaign that draws attention to body image issues and the damaging impact of the thin ideal on women in society. This annual public awareness effort was borne from Tri Delta’s award-winning body image education and eating disorders prevention program, Reflections: Body Image Program™.
Fat Talk Free Week is sponsored by Delta Delta Delta. When I heard this I honestly got a chuckle because when I was in undergrad, I didn’t join a sorority because I thought I was too fat and they would judge me. And the TriDelts? They were one of the most popular sororities at my school and surely I’d NEVER get a second glance there. Does this campaign change those doubts in my head? Not really. Could this be my own negative talk and thoughts that are influencing this opinion? Absolutely.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the concept. I LOVE that they’re encouraging people to End Fat Talk and to start focusing on health and ending eating disorders. FANTASTIC. And I LOVE the video. But unless people End Fat Talk all day, every day, and really hold their friends to it, things won’t change.
And what about those of us who really ARE fat? Do you honestly think that people will change their snickering, rude comments and silent judgement because of ending fat talk? Unfortunately, no. Will people look at us who are actually fat and think of us as anything other than unhealthy? Most likely not (unless they are a HAES advocate). Does that mean we should allow that behavior to happen? Hell no. But it’s up to us to correct our own actions to prove others that they are wrong- that we aren’t less than they are because we are bigger.
I don’t know if I’ve really said anything in this post, other than 1) good on them for trying, A for effort!; 2) I wonder what they really think about actual fat people “talking fat”; and 3) we must live this every day in order to make a change.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts- whether you’re really fat, not fat but talk fat, or think you’re perfect. Comments below!
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