Fat Heffalump

Oct. '12

Fat Body Politics: Announcement/reminder: "Health" is not a counterargument to the existence of thin privilege. Nor is "health" a reason to...

Announcement/reminder: “Health” is not a counterargument to the existence of thin privilege. Nor is “health” a reason to discriminate against fat (or any) people.

fatsmartandpretty:

thisisthinprivilege:

Dear fatphobics—

I’m not moderating this blog to give out prizes to people who’ve been successfully socialized by healthist moral crusaders, nor shall I pander to their ignorance.

The modern notion of ‘health’ (and especially ‘public health’) is utter bullshit. Wake the fuck up instead of spreading your bigot-poison on activists trying to make actual positive fucking differences in people’s lives.

I know healthism has socialized you to police the so-called deviants of the ‘obesity epidemic’ moral panic (fat people, people who don’t/can’t run/walk ‘enough’ or in the right way, people who don’t eat ‘healthy,’ poor people, people from the ‘wrong’ genetic and social backgrounds).

I know that you’ve internalized healthistic oppression, and may even be undergoing an intense ‘health’ regimen as a way to earn a place of superiority in the paradigm — so you might have a lot invested in maintaining the narrative.

I don’t care why you have so much invested in marching lockstep with healthist crusaders. You’re a bigot, you’re wrong, and your words and ideals are hurting people (not helping them). Every single time you pre/append “For your own good!” to your bigoted deviant-policing spew, you’re no better than the legions of moral crusaders who came before you, and who made it their life’s work to prop up oppressive social institutions far worse than sizist discrimination. You might just be a larval bigot, but the same hate feeding full-grown bigots also feeds you.

In summary: back the fuck off and leave the activism to people who are at least trying to open their eyes to the unpleasant realities of our modern fucking society. Stop trying to invade every single space that doesn’t align with the conformist bleats of your flock. I understand that you’re afraid. Actual Fucking Activists pose an existential threat to people like you. That’s why you’re so quick to try to undo any positive work we do. But we’re onto you. And we’re never, never going to let your rank hate and fear dilute our message. No matter how loudly you bleat.

Interrogating healthism is important for activists and fatties as well. If anyone is interested in engaging in a critique of “health,” here are some books I’ve read and found useful, enjoyable, important, and cool. I’m happy to recommend more books on my reading list, interrogate health via tumblr or email, and explain science jargon in everyday language.

Promoting Healthy Behavior: How Much Freedom? Whose Responsibility? by Callahan

The Imperative of Health: Public Health and the Regulated Body by Lupton

Biopolitics and the ‘Obesity Epidemic’: Governing Bodies

The Disability Studies Reader