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Why is there a fat acceptance movement?
Why isn't there a pro average BMI movement? Nothing good comes from being underweight, overweight, or obese. Personally, I'm overweight, and trying to lose weight to put me less at risk at developing type 2 diabetes, which I am genetically at high risk for. All the fat acceptance stuff and "size 14 is not fat" stuff pisses me off because it's literally life or death for me, and likely many others. I'm a size 8 and even my doctor says I need to lose weight or I'll have to start taking meds. Ive lowered my blood glucose, but being overweight still puts one at risk. I still have issues with junk food, but I'm better now that a lot of junk has calorie labels that discourage me some. Trying to be less of an emotional eater. It's more than whether curves are sexy or not. Someone can be skinny and still curvy, anywyays. Candice Swanepoel and a 90s Tyra Banks, for example, are curvier than my size 8 self. I don't get what positivity comes through fat acceptance, whatsoever. Yeah we're being complacent about our health, high five! It's all down to diet and exercise, we can't wonder why there's an obesity epidemic and simultaneously accept obesity. It's not that obese people should go die or something, everyone can lose weight. I gave up junk food for lent and went to the gym 2-3 times a week and in 1 month I lost 10 pounds. Even models lose weight, the whole "naturally skinny" thing is a myth. It takes dedication, and in time, you'll get used to it. I'm still getting there, and I'm not hopeless, and no one should be, to the point where they consider their health flaw a source of empowerment.
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Heres the thing.
You may be overweight and a size 8, but sizes don't determine whether you are overweight or not. I am a size 11, but still in the normal, average range bmi wise, so size isn't a good indicator. Health wise is between you and your doctor, but beauty is irrelevant to health. You can be beautiful and underweight, or beautiful and overweight.
Health is something that should be considered separately than beauty.
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It's might sound like a senseless movement, but it gives the obese people peace. Just let them be, they've suffered too much bullying, and now they just want to be accepted. It wouldn't work as they hope, but at least it gives them hope. Just try to understand them and accept them for who they are.
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Fat acceptance is about accepting that fat people are utterly valid, valuable human beings. Worthy of respect and love, and not to be subjected to the judgement or ridicule of others because of their fat.
Really, it's that damn simple. All it is, is the belief that you can't determine a person's worth based on their size.
When you talk about fat people as though they have a flaw, or less dedication, or less willpower than you have, that is what you doing. You are calling them less than you. Less good than you. Less worthy of respect.
That is why there is a fat acceptance movement, because people keep associating fat with lazy and stupid - and yeah, sometimes it is that - but also sometimes it's not, and no one else should make that judgement about others based on their bodies. Their bodies are not enough information and you have no business making those judgement, and it's never okay to devalue a human being because of their body.
EDIT IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK.
You aren't getting it. It doesn't matter that if it's a genetic thing or not. It doesn't matter if someone is choosing to be fat or not. You still MUST respect the person regardless of the state of their body. That's the point. You don't have the authority or the information to go around thinking of less of other people because of what you see in their eating behaviours, or in their bodies.
I'm not putting words in your mouth. I'm pointing out to you what you don't realize you are actually saying with the words you are using.
When you say: "It takes dedication, and in time, you'll get used to it."
What you are saying is that fat people aren't dedicated enough and willing to suffer to change the way you are - which may or may not be true - but doesn't matter because it is a value judgement about the person. That is a way of saying a person is less than you. That's a lack of respect.
When you say "Everyone can loose weight"
What you are saying is that anyone who can't - and some people really struggle and maybe don't want too - is weak or has less willpower or intelligence than you. That is a way of saying a person is less than you.
You don't have the information, or the authority to make those judgements about other people. Those judgements are a lack of respect.
You need to learn to be proud and comfortable of your own achievements and choices without ripping down other people and making judgements about them that you have no right to make.
You might feel in your heart that you are loving and respecting others, but your words aren't actually reflecting that. Your words are why we need fat acceptance movement, because you are still using language that labels fat people as dumber, or weaker than everyone else.
Thats the problem right there; You do not have the right to determine a person's character, or moral worth, or value based on their body. Whether or not they are choosing to be fat, or it physically unavoidable for the, whether they trying to loose weight and succeeding, or trying to loose weight and failing, you still need to not use your words to imply they are weak, stupid, or less than others.
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Fat acceptance isn't about being complacent about your health - in fact, it actually promotes the opposite.
In fat acceptance, or health at every size (HAES), people are encouraged to take charge of their health without tying it to a number. There have been a number of times when I've had very unhealthy behaviour (extreme dieting, etc) suggested to me for the sake of losing weight. Once I stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing on my health and overall well-being, things got a lot better. I don't punish myself for being fat by restricting my food intake to an unhealthy degree and I'm healthier than ever, despite being at my highest weight ever.
It is possible to be healthy and fat. I eat healthy food for the most part, and I'm more physically active than most thin people. My non-weight related numbers are well within the healthy range and I feel good mentally and physically. I accept the fact that I am fat, just like I accept the fact that I have brown hair. As a person who follows the principles of fat acceptance, I give myself permission to exist in the body I exist in, and to enjoy living the way I live.
Your doctor has said that you need to lose weight for medical reasons; heck, if I was told that being fat was contributing to me being ill I would definitely do something about it. Until that point, I don't see why people should treat me as less than a person (ironically enough).
*** POST-FEEDBACK REPLY ***
Some more helpful and probably unwanted advice - you probably shouldn't post questions asking for someone else's perspective, then berate them for having that perspective. You do you, by all means. I'm going to continue to do what's right for me.
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