wisteriatree:

guesswhatsvegan:

lipstick-feminists:

rojaporcelana:

gandhilove:

Not all women’s bodies are oppressed equally. Just because all women feel fat does not mean all women are fat. There is something unique to being fat, whether a person is a man or a woman, that makes that person uniquely oppressed in this society. And failing to acknowledge that is thin privilege.

Consider some of the privileges you may own below: 

• You can eat in a fast food establishment without being pegged as the typical “Super Size Me” fatty.
• You can eat a conventionally “bad” food (i.e. hamburger, chocolate sundae) without it being attributed to your obsession with food, your slobbishness, your uncontrollable eating behavior, your lack of morality, or your failure to stick to a diet or other “healthy” lifestyle.
• You can go to a gym and not have to fear derisive snickers when you step on the treadmill.
• You can go to any general clothing/department store and know they will have clothes in your size.
• You can find more styles and options in clothing, no matter what store you go to.
• While no one likes to be jeered at, you are more likely to be catcalled than you are to be “cow” called.
• You are less likely to be discriminated against when it comes to job interviews. You are more likely to get call backs and become employed.

That’s just a short list. Click through for more. 

Let’s be frank though. I am one for acceptance, wholly. But in reality, we have to accept that there is a reason people don’t want to “accept” fatness. The points above can be readily countered as such:

• Eating in a fast food restaurant is relatively revolting, regardless of your size. And honestly, when you’re at a weight that is deemed “obese,” you really shouldn’t be eating food of that caliber, because you’re probably already prone to health issues, and I think being labeled a “super size me fatty” should be the least of your concerns, trumped by your health.

• See above comment. Be less concerned with how other people  see you, and really take a look at yourself.
• You should be going to the gym for yourself. If people snicker or make rude comments, then get a treadmill and walk at home. Or, simply walk outside. Those who would comment may be ignored with the thought, “hey, I’m out walking and doing good for myself, who are they that their opinion matters?”
• Actually, you can’t go to any store and know that they’ll have clothes in your size. Thin people who are very tall have issues finding clothes that fit well. As do short people. As do people who would be deemed “normal” size, such as myself, and are just built differently. There are plenty of people who have to search high and low for clothing that fits.
• You know what. This point is right. Because I have huge boobs, and there are no cute bras in my size. Not at any affordable price. And I have big legs, which means that I can only fit certain styles of pants. And this is a seriously huge issue…
• So many issues with this point. OH MY BAD. I forgot that it’s less degrading to be objectified and strictly sexualized than it is to be laughed at for being fat. Right. Okay. Whatever. Also, if you want to go on a strictly physical attractiveness stand point, you should remember that a lot of the reason we are attracted to certain people is because we’re biologically driven to be. For example, we like big breasts and butt and hips (i.e. that ever craved hourglass figure) because somewhere in our subconscious, our instincts say “she would carry a child well.” Plus, thinner women are more likely to be healthy, and being healthy is more attractive than the alternative.
• A lot of times, a job requires being able to lift things, or stand around for hours on end. Not to mention those jobs that require you almost literally run. If you are overweight and out of shape, you’re less likely to be able to perform the necessary tasks, and therefore less likely to get called back.

Don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not saying fat people shouldn’t be “accepted,” and I’m not a skinny bitch harping on the fatties. I’m in between, and could take or lose a few pounds in any case, because I know it’s not about my physical appearance, it’s about my physical ability. And for the most part, being fat isn’t healthy.

No, no, no, and no. You’re missing the point. The whole idea of this is to get people to realize that they are automatically given a social advantage or disadvantage based on their size/appearance. Try again. Pay attention.

• Yes, eating fast food is revolting and should not be done. But the fact that there’s a difference in the way people are judged in this category are undeniable. Example: I’m a very skinny girl. Last night I went to Taco Bell and ordered Nachos Bell Grande, a supreme taco, AND a side of rice — all for myself. This is ridiculously disgusting, I know. But because I’m perceived to be ‘healthy’ no one thought twice about it. If I were a heavier girl, anyone who saw me ordering so much food would immediately think about my weight and attribute my binge to my lack of self-control, laziness, unhealthiness, etc. Guess what? This is true for me AND I’M SKINNY. But did anyone attach those characteristics to me? Probably not. 
• “Be less concerned with how other people see you” is easier said than done. Who’s to say that bigger girls aren’t trying their damnedest to do just that? The thing is, it’s hard to ignore other people when it becomes obvious that you’re being treated differently from others. It’s not just about the way people look at you — it’s about the respect you’re given, the amount of time people take to get to know you, the number of people who genuinely take you seriously, etc. People are capable of turning the other cheek and not caring to an extent, but when things like this happen so much that it’s affecting your everyday life, it becomes VERY difficult to separate these circumstances with feelings of self-worth. Perhaps you can’t imagine this being your life; if so, accept that this means you’re benefitting from these privileges. 
• Obviously all bodies are not created equally; we all have problems finding clothes that fit perfectly. But it’s important to not deny the fact that bigger girls are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to buying name-brand clothes. Where I’m from, almost everyone in junior high and high school wears Hollister, Abercrombie, etc. I weigh 105 lbs and when I bought from these stores I had to wear a size medium, sometimes large, which is just unbelievable. Girls who are not much bigger than me simply can’t go into these stores. I know, your immediate reaction is to laugh — who wants to wear those stupid stereotypical name-brands anyway? That shouldn’t matter! No, it shouldn’t — but sometimes IT DOES. Especially during adolescence, those hateful years where everyone is trying to fit in, some girls just aren’t given the opportunity to look like everyone else. And that can be very damaging, especially in terms of judging one’s self-worth. 
• First of all, the beginning of this point was clear: “While no one likes to be jeered at…” You’re right. It sucks to be objectified and strictly sexualized. It’s awful and degrading and it’s complete bullshit. While this may not seem like a privilege, it certainly is. If you’re objectified in this way, at least you know it’s because something about you is desirable. Women who never experience this form of degradation don’t have the chance to feel that they are desirable, whether they would like it or not (and let’s not deny the fact that some women do like it just a little bit, even if we’re simultaneously enraged. It’s a form of validation for some people, and while that shouldn’t be the case, it’s a fact). And your following points are just completely misguided. As if we’re not completely socialized to be attracted to a certain body type?! Some of this is biological — in fact, the point that women with larger breasts, butts, and hips can carry children better suggests that we should be more attracted to larger women, or at least those with curves, instead of skinny women. Then why the hype about being healthy and thin? And this statement — I shall quote: “Thinner women are more likely to be healthy, and being healthy is more attractive than the alternative” — is WRONG WRONG WRONG. Perfect example of how you’ve been socialized to perceive skinny as healthy and fat as unhealthy. It’s just so misguided. I’ll use myself as an example. I am skinny and extremely unhealthy. I eat junk food, I don’t exercise, I’m out of shape, yet no one suspects it because my body processes food in a way that keeps me small. There are big women who work out, eat healthy foods, and so on but are perceived as unhealthy because we’ve been socialized to believe that it’s impossible to be both large and in shape. IT’S NOT TRUE.
• Once again, I’ll use myself as an example. I am small yet out of shape — I can’t lift heavy objects, I can’t run for shit, and because I’m slightly underweight and anemic, I tire easily and don’t like to stand around for hours on end. Yet I am more likely to be hired than a person who looks bigger but may be in much better shape than I am. These are just common misconceptions and we CANNOT rely on them. We CANNOT make assumptions about people based on these characteristics — but we do. 

Challenge yourself. Question what you think you know about the world. Most of what you’ve been led to believe is wrong. We can’t work to change our society if we can’t accept that things may be different from what we’ve learned to be true. Don’t get defensive. It’s uneccessary. THINK.