the size issue

Ever notice how size - whether you're curvy or petite - takes up just enough time in editorial thought for one annual issue of a magazine?

Here we realize that the messages that are being sent every day create a whole lot of Size Issues. And other issues. Editorials, articles, commercials and even our own communities tell us things about acceptable body diversity every day. We like to celebrate when these things are broken down, and the way we can celebrate ourselves.

And of course, people are welcome to submit!

I love Fat! A fat acceptance blog: pluseyes: ... These people are really worried that part of being happy...

pluseyes:

Is Your Boyfriend Making You Fat?

ctrain:

“the fifth behavior is being happy:

Behavior: You’re Happy
Research shows that what’s good for your heart may be bad for your hips. A study published last year in the journal BioPsychoSocial Medicine found that happy people were less likely to succeed at losing weight than those with a “slightly negative and cautious outlook.”

The fix: Weigh in often

These people are really worried that part of being happy might be learning to love and be comfortable with yourself as you are. I know it’s unfathomable that fat women can be happy, but damn. The fix is so chilling—weigh in often so you can see if those numbers go up, thus creating anxiety and unhappiness, jarring you out of your happy “complacency.”

Hahahaha.

I mean, hell, it’s true; I’ve gained probably 40lbs since dating my boyfriend, because we’re irrepressible foodies that only egg each other on (often with eggs). Significantly, though, I had previously lost about 30 of those when I had first developed clinical depression and my loneliness was hitting fever pitch. So for me, yeah, I’d rather be fat and happy…

What the hell?? That’s TERRIFYING. “Behavior: Being happy. …Fix: Weigh in often.” Yeah, that _will _ fix it. I truly believe that society has a strong interest in giving women eating disorders.

More to the point, the idea that someone who is more happy with themselves, more happy with their relationship, etc could also be MORE HAPPY WITH THEIR BODIES and that this isn’t a terrifying disorder that needs fixing is so alien to people. Likewise, of course people who are anxious are more likely to diet and be thinner. Stress and depression are both things that (a)cause people to not feel like eating (chronic depression can take the place of a whole LOT of necessary activities, for that matter) and (b)induce compulsive behaviors in the least OCD of people.

Add in our fucked up social ideas about beauty and you’ve got the answer right there. Not to mention that someone who’s happy and unconcerned about their body is probably a lot more likely to be confident enough to get into a relationship than someone who hates themselves, and the fact that dating often centers around food - cooking, going out to eat, etc — and sure, someone who is recently in a happy relationship probably HAS gained a bit of weight.

WHY DO WE CARE? WHY IS IT NOT BETTER TO BE FAT AND HAPPY THAN THIN AND SAD? GET OFF THE FUCKING SCALE! THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW! QUIT WEIGHING YOURSELF AND START A REVOLUTION! /caps