It’s fat-tastic!

free for chubbies
Originally uploaded by mo pie

It’s an old-timey Lane Bryant ad! One of the Creepiest Vintage Ads of All Time.

Personally, I think the creepiest one is the Love’s Baby Soft ad. But a case could certainly be made for “is it always illegal to kill a woman?” Or… most of the other ones, really. (”Douche with Lysol!” is also quite a winner.)

Of the Lane Bryant ad, Retro Comedy says:

Who needs self-esteem when you can have a free fashion book for chubbies? Also, proving that advertising weight representation has always been screwed up, the girl pictured is totally not chubby.

I also think that skirt, pointing out madly to the sides, is a little bit crazy. Also, I’m not sure what exactly is “free” for “chubbies.” Is it the “Chubby Style Book”? Yay?

Via Dan Chaon via aych.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Advertising, Fashion, Feminism, Old Timey | 8 Comments »

In a “Perspective” a radio piece for KQED public radio, Lisa Lyon compares the effects of driving a new car to the effects of losing a lot of weight: people treat you differently depending on how you look and what you drive. Big surprise. But I was most interested in the car talk; it made me feel slightly guilty for occasionally judging people based on what cars they drive. (Such as, if you have a Prius, you’re probably a hippie. If you have a Hummer, you’re probably a jackass. If you have a VW Rabbit, you are almost cerainly awesome. Etc. etc.)

I also wonder what kind of cars people tend to drive proportionate to their size. Do small people choose small cars? Do big people choose big cars? Do you like your cars like you like your women/men?

My younger cousin, who is petite and rail thin, has a giant truck that is on oversized wheels, and I think she needs a trampoline to get into the truckbed. I had a friend in L.A. back in the day who drove a hearse. And who did I know who bought a fire engine on eBay to take to Burning Man? My favorite cars are little hatchbacks with lots of headroom and legroom, which tells you not much, I guess. If I were a car, though, I probably wouldn’t be a hatchback. I’d probably be a… um… okay, where’s a Facebook quiz when you need one?

Thanks to Michael for the link!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Humor, Media, Personal, Question, Tidbit | 23 Comments »

So this is a teen (tween?) band called Chair, with a song called “I’m Fat And Nobody Likes Me.” Finkbuilt describes it as “Awesome teen angst comedy mischief pop by Chair. Kind of NSFW, sophomoric and juvenile.” On YouTube, they are being compared to everyone from Jack Black to Moldy Peaches. Take a look (again, lyrics are slightly NSFW):

Here is a sampling of comments from BoingBoing:

That kid and that song kicks ninja ass.

I don’t know if this is terrible, or absolutely amazing…

Just to rain on the parade, if this song had been “I’m a geek/nerd and nobody likes me” with the same type of comments about being bullied and humiliated would it still be seen as funny here at BB? Maybe this is just adolescent males being adolescent males, but as a fat person I’m not too amused.

What makes this so uplifting, in a media culture that gives fat kids such a rough time, is that he gets to make his own media and its so clear he will be so well liked.

I really AM fat, and have often felt no one liked me, especially in high school. I think this is great.

I have to say I come down firmly in the pro column on this song. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and think it’s if anything, empowering. This is a kid who has managed to turn being fat and being picked on for being fat into a cool thing. And that rocks, as far as I can see. Thanks to Mary for the link!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Humor, Kids, Music, NSFW, Video | 11 Comments »

Nia Vardalos, star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding who is married to Ian Gomez from Felicity, talks about “fatist” Hollywood (bolding mine):

On the publicity tour of My Big Fat Greek Wedding I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.

I thought I was attractive when I shot My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Studio executives and movie reviewers let me know I had a confidence in my looks that was not shared by them. In other words, they labelled me with words like, overweight, unattractive, unappealing. Hey, just say fat. I love the word fat. I used it in the title. It’s actually not a naughty word.

I have sat through many a movie like Sideways, where nobody blinks an eye when Paul Giamatti gets together with gorgeous Virginia Madsen, and Knocked Up. I mean the visual of Seth Rogen on top of Katherine Heigl made me put the popcorn down and reach for my purse… because I knew the film was about to stop and Ashton Kutcher would now jump out and go, ‘Aha, you’ve been punked.’ I waited, but no Ashton.

Socially, the issue of men’s weight is simply not a big deal. Let’s face it, Russell Crowe is fat and no one ever talks about it. Alec Baldwin just orders his suits a size bigger and we continue to swoon. Meanwhile, I get hit with this awkward question about my weightloss daily and I have answered it in press interviews, at the grocery store, at the newspaper stand. Why? Because I see their (people) anxious, open faces needing the secret, the new pill, the cure, anything: ‘Just please share the secret’. So I hesitantly answer and I am always met with the same response: the glaze-eye, slack-jawed face.

They don’t want to hear the truth - I had a blood sugar problem, so my doctor ordered me to lose weight. It was really hard but I did it through diet and exercise, and it took a year.

I first heard about this interview in Entertainment Weekly, where I also saw that she’s reteaming with John Corbett in a movie coming out next month, which I might have to go and see, because I have a weak spot for My Big Fat Greek Wedding. (Not so much John Corbett since I hated Aiden on Sex and the City. Although… there was the whole plotline where Aiden lost weight and “got hot” and reunited with Carrie. But I didn’t like either version of Aiden.) Anyway, the point is, I can’t believe there were people who didn’t think Nia Vardalos was hot in that movie. Because she totes was.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Celebrities, Feminism, Gossip, Magazines, Media, Movies, Seth Rogan, TV, Weight Loss | 18 Comments »

ugly girlfriend ads
Originally uploaded by mo pie

BFD reader Kellie alerted us to a series of ads from Bacardi, which suggests that the perfect accessory for summer is an “ugly girlfriend.” As Kellie pointed out, “ugly” seems to be synonymous with plus-sized; of five girls pictured, three are plus-sized. AgencySpy talked about the text of the ads:

The descriptions of each girlfriend can be pretty harsh, perhaps the handiwork of a somewhat sadistic copywriter. A beach stroll with “Sally” for example, reads: “Upgrade your trips to the beach with Sally-97 kilograms of femininity, strength and double chins. No tires can disguise the lumpy rolls decorating that body.”

And the ads also feature “Lucy,” described as “a freckled pile of cellulite” whose “rubbing thighs…and drooping breasts will turn any trip to the mall into an unforgettable experience.” Yep, that certainly is ugly, alright.

(The ads have since been removed. Too late, Bacardi! From now on, I am making my mojitos with… pretty much anything else.)

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Advertising, Fatism, Feminism, International, Magazines, Media, Sex & Romance | 22 Comments »

Kate wrote a piece for Powell’s about fat characters in literature. I love fat people and literature! And I read it with great interest:

Truly fat women in books and movies are most often villains, mammies, overbearing mothers-in-law, or unlikable tertiary characters (think the irritable secretary with a box of donuts in her desk drawer). The chick lit boom brought us a handful of chubby to moderately fat heroines — the aforementioned Jones, Jemima J., Cannie Shapiro, Heather Wells — but you almost never see a non-thin female character in a mainstream novel whose weight is not a major issue for her. Jemima and Cannie struggle with their weight and eventually lose a lot of it. Bridget yo-yos within about a 10-pound, not-really-fat range, and only considers liking her slightly plumper self when a man comes along and says he does. Two of Meg Cabot’s three novels featuring “average-sized amateur investigator” Heather insist that she is “not fat” right in the title. You hear? Not fat! Don’t even think such an awful thing! Also, why the hell are a bunch of mysteries titled with references to the protagonist’s weight in the first place?

I just finished reading a cute fluffy book called Holly’s Inbox and I had the experience I often do, of trying to figure out what size the character is. She refers to herself as wanting to lose weight and being larger than a size four, but I think it’s a Bridget Jones-type situation, because she also talks about wearing a bikini at one point (dead giveaway that she’s thin). Weight is not mentioned very much at all in this book, but even when I’m reading fluff, I want to know where I stand, if you know what I mean.

So what was the last book you read with a female protagonist? What size was she? And how was it dealt with?

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Books, Feminism, Personal, Question, Tidbit | 35 Comments »

"not so little red riding hood"
Originally uploaded by mo pie

Artist Dina Goldstein is doing a provocative photography project called Fallen Princesses. Of this project, she says:

These works place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. In all of the images the Princess is placed in an environment that articulates her conflict. The ‘…happily ever after’ is replaced with a realistic outcome…. I began to imagine Disney’s perfect Princesses juxtaposed with real issues that were affecting women around me, such as illness, addiction and self-image issues.

Among other fairytale princesses is Little Red Riding Hood, who is represented as “not so little,” with a basket full of fast food. Does this speak to “self-image issues” and if so, how? Here are some of the comments on the page (the first one is from Brenda, to give you a context for the responses):

Excellent, let’s reinforce the stereotype that fat people gobble huge quantities of burgers and sodas. You suck. Really. No, I mean REALLY. Whatever rationalization you use for this piece, you’re still a creep for the attitude conveyed therein. This is not art.

I’m pretty sure that people who are 50-80-100 pounds overweight are not this way because they’re active, healthy individuals. I think you’re entirely incorrect, Brenda, for claiming that stating that people who eat massive amounts of food end up fat and unhealthy is a stereotype. That sounds like an actual fact, to me; most people who eat healthy and who live active lifestyles where they exercise like they should are not morbidly obese

Brenda has a point. I assume she’s complaining that it portrays fat people as consuming *huge quantities* of food all the time, that’s the issue. Eating a lot of bad food makes you fat, duh, nobody’s arguing that - I’m just tired of seeing fat people being shown as lazy, stupid, or thinking only about food.

However, Brenda and I are both guilty of jumping to a similar conclusion - that a fat person with a lot of food is going to eat it all themselves. The story of Red Riding Hood is that of a girl taking food to Granny, so why did we both assume it was all for Red in this image?

I really enjoy all of the photos in this series. But to the conversation going on above about portrayals of fat people, and the causes, I think there’s a middle ground between Brenda’s comment and the objections to her comment. Large quantities of soda and fast food can absolutely make a person fat…but that does not mean that consuming huge quantities of food is the only cause of obesity. Health problems, genetic predispositions, all sorts of other factors can contribute to someone being overweight, even “50-80-100″ pounds overweight, even on a diet that many would deem healthy and even with daily, intensive exercise. I think the juxtaposition of a fairy tale character with some of the consequences of fast food society is incredibly thought provoking. I just hope that everyone is not looking at the fat people around them and assuming they have a hidden basket of fast food causing their appearance.

And here is the chat Weetabix and I had about it earlier today.
Read more…

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Art, Fatism, Feminism, Media, Meta, Movies, Music, Sex & Romance | 25 Comments »

Sundry:

Blogher’s Discovery Health ads chirpily plug a show called “Obese and Pregnant”, wherein birth is described as “physically and emotionally treacherous”. This seems like … an odd way to promote the show.

fonticulus (who has a blog here):

Wow. I am obese and having a textbook pregnancy. It hasn’t been treacherous at all. Though I am sure that doesn’t make good TV.

Sundry:

@fonticulus Yeah, it seems really misleading and tabloid-y and ridiculous to me.

ParsingNonsense:

@Sundry That kinda seems like an odd show period. What’s next? Red-headed and Pregnant? Athletic and Pregnant? I Didn’t Know I Was Athletic?

Sundry:

@ParsingNonsense I agree. “Pregnant and . . . BLUE-EYED!” “Pregnant and . . . LEFT HANDED!” “Pregnant and . . . FEMALE!”

Here is the network’s description of the show:

Follow three pregnant women preparing for one of the most magical days of any woman’s life: giving birth. It’s an experience that can be both physically and emotionally treacherous for expectant mothers who are morbidly obese.

After her mother’s death a few years ago, single mom Melba’s weight topped 500 pounds. She managed to lose much of the weight, but now in her third pregnancy, she’s back to 360 pounds.

Mercedes, too, is struggling in her third pregnancy, and is the biggest she’s ever been. On her wedding day she was a slim size four, but now she weighs nearly 350 pounds. She suffers from gestational diabetes, which means she has to inject herself 13 times a day with insulin to prevent her baby from growing to an abnormally large size.

First time mom Christie struggled for years to become pregnant, and now that she is, her joy is dampened by guilt. She worries her 300 pound body weight will affect her baby’s health.

In this dramatic hour, we’ll watch three women struggle to overcome medical difficulties like diabetes and high blood pressure, plus emotional dramas and extreme delivery room dangers, all in order to give birth to a healthy baby.

Well this sounds fun.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Advocacy, Fatism, TV, Tidbit | 17 Comments »

We’ve talked a little bit recently about how plus-size options are dwindling away because retailers are stupid and shortsighted and ought to be kicked in the head and it is all pretty angry-making, but here is something that sounds like kind of an antidote: the very first “Full-Figured Fashion Week” is being staged next week in New York, June 25-27 (which…is not so much a week?). Let’s ignore the cringey name and the bad math for a moment, and hear what the organizer has to say:

With over 10 years experience in fashion show production, Gwen DeVoe, CEO of DSE and Executive Producer of FFFWeek says, “It is time for designers, retailers, boutique owners and businesses with an interest in the plus size market to combine their resources and their talents to create a memorable event that will rival all other Fashion Weeks. We are uniquely qualified to make this event a success because we work directly with plus size consumers and know what they want. They want great fitting, fashionable clothing that is readily available in stores and online. The plus size consumer is a loyal consumer and because quality fashion items are so hard to find, they will be loyal to brands that they like.”

No! Really, is that what they want? That is a revolution! And you know what’s sad? As a rule, I hate the brutally materialistic consumer culture, the idea that customers are commodities, faceless wallets, numbers to be racked up and stacked up and counted down as cold, hard cash–but when it comes to plus size fashion, plus-size customers begging to be treated that way, as any other customer who ought to be wooed, who ought to be looked at as an advantage, a sales opportunity, another bump in their stock price. That companies need to be browbeaten, slapped around until they’re woken up and realize they have customers who are begging to be treated like fountains of money? I still can’t believe they’re that dumb, and willing to throw away that much business.

We believe that FFFWeek will not only provide an opportunity for independent designers to market their collections to a wider audience, and a unique opportunity for plus models to gain more professional exposure on the runway, but also a chance for the media, buyers and the general public to have access to collections that have not received the marketing and publicity they deserve. FFFWeek is also an excellent vehicle for those retailers and boutiques who want to expand their customer base.

And despite the name, I am hoping this works out for everyone they’re trying to reach–the customers, the designers, the companies, the stores, the models, that one guy named Joe. FFFWeek wants to make everyone happy! FFFWeek wants to happily impoverish the fat and gleefully poverish the smart designers who realize that fat is not a goddamn disease and put more big, gorgeous ladies with thighs and bellies and butts out on the runway and I salute Gwen DeVoe, CEO of DSE, and I hope she is rolling around in piles of money at the end of this week, ensuring that this is not the last of this kind of event, and outreach, and celebration. I guess we’ll have to see how this actually pans out–will it happen, and nothing will change? Or will it actually make a difference in how plus-size fashion is designed and marketed and sold? I have to admit, I’m the tiniest bit hopeful, I really am.

What do you think of FFFW? And is there anyone in New York? Go and report back!

Posted by jenfu

Filed under: Advertising, Cold Hard Cash, Fashion, Fat Positive, Media | 12 Comments »

SWAK sweater
Originally uploaded by mo pie

A while back, the kind folks at SWAK Designs offered to send me an item of clothing or two to try out (and be brutally honest about, of course). Since I’m always happy to find another source for plus-size fashion in these uncertain times, I said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Woo!”

In the picture, I’m wearing the Camille Tie Cardigan, in black, with a basic black Target tank top underneath. It’s super comfortable but also professional looking; I often wear it when I’m teaching. And it’s on sale for less than $25, which makes me think I should order it in brown immediately.

In this picture, in which you can’t really see the dress, but it’s the only picture I have at the moment, I’m wearing the Desi Peasant Dress in black. Love it. Incredibly comfortable. That picture was taken at a rehearsal dinner at a Mexican restaurant, so I felt festively thematic!

I know both of these things are basic black, but in browsing their site, I see they have a lot of different options, lots of styles, lots of colors… from browsing around, I feel like I could probably find some cool stuff. And Weetabix, our resident fashionista, has also given SWAK the official seal of approval, saying she has several of their outfits and dresses.

So there you go, a little fashion source, in case you hadn’t already heard!

And if you’ve had any experiences (good or bad) with SWAK or have any pictures to share, feel free to share in the comments! In fact, let’s talk about any cute outfit you have worn recently. I want pictures and sources, people! It’s Feel Good Friday!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Fashion, Feel Good Friday, Meta, Personal, Question | 17 Comments »

Anyone who knows me knows what this post really is. It’s a flimsy excuse to mention Adam Lambert, my favorite American Idol contestant ever; sorry Clay, Kelly, Daughtry, whomever. (Adam Lambert, I make such a good best-girlfriend-of-a-gay-dude* ever; seriously, call me. I have references.)

*Avoiding the potentially inflammatory terminology here!

Anyway I LOVE HIM, is my point, and I read his new interview in Rolling Stone eagerly, and found this tidbit:

“I’ve finally checked in to my self-worth for the first time in my life, and the fact that it has coincided with ‘Idol’ is so sweet,” he says. “I mean, I still have moments where I think, ‘Oh, my skin is terrible, and I’m a little fat, I should really go to the gym more.’ But for the most part, when I look in the mirror now, I finally see someone who can do something cool.”

I’ve read things like this before, that Lambert has had self-esteem issues, that he’s had an eating disorder, that he’s self conscious about his weight and his freckles, and that he thinks he needs to lose fifteen pounds. Oh, Adam Lambert. Your insecurity makes you human, and thus even more perfect.

Also, while on the subject, I didn’t know Kara DioGuardi had publicly admitted a binge eating disorder. I admire that she’s spoken out about binge eating, and I do care. But she is not Adam Lambert, and therefore I only care briefly. Here is Adam again!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Adam Lambert, American Idol, Celebrities, Eating Disorders, Gossip, Personal, Sex & Romance, TV | 15 Comments »

I am totally addicted to Bravo’s Fashion Show (or as we call it at our house, Project Fakeway). Isaac Mizrahi is a delight, and I even like Kelly Rowland.

Last week, they had the obligatory “real” woman challenge. (Sorry, size zero models, that you are not “real.”) In this instance, the “real” women were actually pretty normal-sized; the largest person looked to be maybe a size 12.

In advance of the show, there was a preview that showed Isaac Mizrahi calling one of the designers “sizist.” The Rotund took note:

One of the designers goes off on the 43 inch hips of her person and another person is all, omg, my person has 45 inch hips like it’s the end of the world. And that’s when it happens. Isaac Mizrahi - designer for Target-That-Broke-My-Heart - busts out with “Frankly, I think you’re being very sizist.”

Like, he used the word SIZIST. I am all a-flutter! Dude! I know it’s just a preview, but it seemed like it was a part of a larger chewing out. Dare I hope that this was an actual factual fat positive (or at least general body positive) moment on television?

To answer the question, from the TWoP recap, here’s how it went down:
Read more…

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Fashion, Fashion Show, Fat Positive, Fatism, TV | 18 Comments »

We’ve all read ridiculous examples of hate towards fat people, and I know I shouldn’t be surprised or indignant at this incredibly stupid argument, but OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS. This woman, Deborah Coddington, actually comes out and agrees that anyone can be thin, because people in Nazi concentration camps were thin. I know we’ve heard this before, but, it hit me anew: are you fucking kidding me?

You do not see fat people in concentration camps. Why? Because they get hardly anything to eat and they have to do a lot of work.

Yes, people in concentration camps were thin. Because they were being starved and worked TO DEATH. That is not hyperbole. THEY FUCKING DIED. I mean, why don’t we just look at this (NSFW) picture of concentration camp survivors or go to Auschwitz and then go ahead and glibly use the holocaust as an analogy for fat people! Yeah, great idea! That is totally not tacky and gross at all!

And of course it is possible for we fat people to be thin if we starve ourselves to the point of malnutrition and death. This of course runs counter to every biological imperative, every shred of human decency, and every iota of self-preservation we might have. Because, uh, we are not prisoners of the fucking Nazis. And yet according to Coddington, this self-starvation is desirable because she finds fat people in need of “tough love.” That is GROSS. And she’s not even DONE TALKING YET.

Over-fat people eat too much for numerous reasons. They’re unhappy, unloved, lazy, don’t care, love food, are weak-willed, can’t cook properly, but they’re not obese for cultural reasons, or because they’re big-boned, have hormone problems, or other “it’s not my fault” excuses. Thankfully, we all come in different sizes - large, petite, slim, solid - but basically obesity is caused by eating too much food. As Birkbeck stated, our society is in danger of accepting over-fatness as the norm.

I love that little bolded bit thrown in there. In the middle of telling us we’re “unhappy, unloved, lazy, don’t care, love food, are weak-willed, [and/or] can’t cook properly” she throws in a little “yay, size diversity!” Oh my god, fuck you, lady.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Fatism, International, NSFW, Science | 93 Comments »

So you guys will have to tell me if I missed any big awesome discussions or news items while I was away, other than MeMe Roth still existing and being more or less insane, which it looks like was pretty well covered already.

Today, I’m catching the buzz that plus size fashion options are yet again dwindling. (Target is apparently “testing out” plus-sized lines, sending a chill through my heart.) There’s an overview at Jezebel:

Additionally, Ann Taylor — and its Loft division — is now selling size 16 and up online only. According to reps from the company, this is due to “low demand,” despite the fact that the majority of women are sizes 14 and up, and they, too, want stylish clothes. Indeed, sales are down 8% in the last 12 months for plus sizes compared to the 2% drop in sales for standard sizes, but the real issue is the bottom line: On average, it costs 10% more to make plus-size clothes, due to special patterns and more fabric.

(God, save us all from the “special patterns” they use to make plus sized clothes. Save money! Use fewer sequins!)

Anyway, the blame for this is falling on the recession (as is the blame for “recession obesity” in children). Once again this makes me think about the link between poverty and obesity. If poor people are more likely to be obese, then they are more likely to be the ones curtailing their spending on clothing in These Difficult Economic Times. And they are among those being punished with fewer clothing options as a result.

For those of you who know how to sew, however, there is hope: Sewing at Any Size, where JoGeek at Unapologetically Fat is posting little squiggles and instructions that mean absolutely nothing to me. But if you are sew inclined (ha ha! a pun!) head over there and sew like the wind! For the rest of us, thank god there’s Fatshionista.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Cold Hard Cash, Fashion, Fatism, Kids, Meta | 25 Comments »

While I was off hiatusing, Kirstie Alley was on the cover of People magazine talking about how she had gained 83 pounds after stopping her draconian Jenny Craig diet plan. To be more specific, she “fell off the horse” and became “disgusting” and “shlumpy.” Fatosphere (the blog, not the entire entity) had things to say about her article:

In the People interview she refers to herself as “disgusting” because at 5′8″ she let herself get up to 228 lbs. Yes, god forbid someone who’s 5′8″ should weigh that much. Can you imagine?! Jesus, how disgusting!! She also enlightens us all about how she got to such a disgusting size: she “went wild”, she banished her workout equipment to the garage, and for dinner she would eat two cups of pasta with six tablespoons of butter. Um, OK, actually that last part *is* disgusting. In fact it’s so disgusting that I’m going to go ahead and suggest that it’s an exaggeration (or dare I say a lie?). But even if she really did eat that much butter on her pasta, unfortunately the implication is that other people who weigh 228 lbs. eat six tablespoons of butter on their pasta too. And they just “go wild” with their eating, and of course they don’t work out. (Otherwise how could someone get to such a disgusting weight?!) This is just what we need, isn’t it?

I would also point out that she thinks she has to be “below 140 to really look good” but that her “real goal” is 128 pounds, because the producers on Cheers told her offhandedly one time that she should lose 20 pounds. Oh, Kirstie.

Anyway, the People article also pointed out that she has a Twitter account, so I went and checked it out. And here, for your edification, is what I discovered!
Read more…

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Advocacy, Celebrities, Cold Hard Cash, Food, Gossip, Humor, Kirstie Alley, Magazines, Media, TV, Weight Loss | 19 Comments »

Big fat thanks to Jenfu and Weetabix for picking up the slack during my unexpected and extended hiatus. Regular posting will resume soon, I promise!

In the meantime, I’ve been dipping back into the Fatosphere feed and loved The Rotund’s post this morning about getting used to seeing your body from many different angles.

An anonymous commenter in my personal journal expressed, in an anonymous secrets meme, that they were cool with how their body looked in the mirror but they saw a photo of themselves sitting down, taken from the side, and they could not recognize themselves.

Oh, man, do I sympathize. You get used to seeing one vision of your body and when you’re presented with an alternate view, it can really blindside you.

That’s because we carry a certain image of ourselves in our heads. We have this “normalized” vision and anything that deviates from that? It’s a shock.

The key to combating this, though, is to normalize those other views. What do I mean? I mean, check out your other angles.

She goes on to give advice that is actually kind of brilliant. I love practical advice that can help us accept our bodies.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Fat Positive, Meta, Tidbit | 6 Comments »

The Gruen Transfer is an Australian show about advertising which dissects and analyzes the affects of advertising on the average human brain. As part of their show, they frequently issue challenges to agencies–create This Kind of advertisement. Sell this seemingly impossible-to-sell idea. This time around, it was make an ad about fat discrimination.

One entrant came up with an astonishing ad, and it is brutal to watch. (Click below for the link.)

Read more…

Posted by jenfu

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Fatism, International, Media, NSFW, Politics, Question, Race & Ethnicity, TV, Video, Weight Loss | 26 Comments »

Just a reminder on this very lovely Friday that you are beautiful, kids. Click on through this gallery of awesome art installations, take the message to heart (because it is a true fact), and have the best kind of weekend.

Posted by jenfu

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Art, Feel Good Friday, Media, Tidbit | 5 Comments »

They keep throwing the numbers around–the average woman, according to any number of sources from any number of surveys, is anywhere from a size 12 to a size 14 or 16 and up. They keep saying that plus-size fashion is the most under-represented and under-served segment of the retail market. They keep saying that plus-size women deserve a rainbow of clothing options and sizes.

And you know, I don’t know much about fashion, or fashion retailing, or retailing in general, but that sounds pretty reasonable to me. Rational, well-considered, right. And yet, somehow, all that wisdom and rationality never seems to translate into action, and retailers–Old Navy in particular comes to mind–keep dropping their larger sizes or shuffling them off to the internet. Ann Taylor’s the newest of the bunch. They’re dropping their size 16s from all their retail stores, though they’ll still offer them on the internet.

When stores do this, their rationale always seems to be that the demand isn’t there for plus-size clothing (ha! ha!), and that women aren’t buying them (ha!). But women aren’t buying much in the way of Ann Taylor anyway–sales have been declining, and they reported some spectacular losses last year. Somehow, though, I don’t think dropping their larger sizes is really going to turn their business around–and it’s never occurred to them, apparently, that it might hurt them even more.

Posted by jenfu

Filed under: Fashion, Fatism, Old Navy | 33 Comments »

I love to travel but hate to fly. I don’t overlap into the next seat and I can put down the armrest, but I’m also very aware of the discomfort (perceived or real) of my seatmate so instead I hold an origami yoga position for the duration of the flight, jamming as much of my top half into the spare few inches you gain by having the window seat. If I have to sit in a middle seat, I’ll take the next flight. There’s been a lot on the news about various airlines shouting j’accuse! at obese passengers paying the same rate for a seat as a thin person while justifying charging for baggage due to the extra weight, with all of the comment threads turning into a chorus of “fat people should buy two seats, ya fatties!”

Well, traveler Evan tried to do just that, but Delta has made it practically impossible. They can’t sell two tickets to one passenger and even if he buys it by using his middle initial on the ticket to differentiate the names, Delta might just use the seat for another passenger if they need it. They can’t even guarantee that the seats will be adjoining, so sorry, sir, 90% of your body will be in 7A, but the other 10% will be back in 28F.Evan is understandably flustered. He told Consumerist:

Okay, I’m big. You can hate me for it if you want, it seems to be all the rage, but if I’m willing to pay double, what’s the problem? Why isn’t my money good enough? By not allowing me to purchase the tickets, and by making it very difficult to find information or use online services, it really amounts to discrimination. Shame on you, Delta.

To be honest, I’ve flown Delta a few times and found them delightful (and their employees have been a shining example of customer service) but it sounds like some policies haven’t been fully sussed out by Delta yet. Have you guys had problems flying? Has anyone ever had to buy two seats, either voluntarily or been told by a, say, Southwest gate agent that they couldn’t fly without buying a second ticket?

Posted by Weetabix

Filed under: Uncategorized | 29 Comments »