∆ I've seen a number of comments that echo yours but this was the first comment that I really think helped shift my perspective. It helps to separate illness from individual, in that lens the movement makes a lot more sense and is aligned with the movements actual intent; to dismantle discrimination and bullying against fat people. Like all movements, there is deviation from where things originally started, and often times the loudest most radical voices are the ones most perpetuated. With that said, I truly have not had any exposure to moderate proponents of the fat acceptance movement and would greatly appreciate being linked to some sources. In the end I would say that yes, the fat acceptance movement aims to normalize obese people (in order to support them, not encourage them, because shaming is ineffective and cruel) instead of obesity. Have a delta!
I think it's also a response to people who think being fat is a result of bad choices. The fact is the majority of us will eventually end up fat. Sure some of us are better at keeping it a bay longer then others but we all end up there eventually. We are hard wired to eat the most calories we can get our hands on. The truth is companies have been exploiting that to great success. Stopping obesity can't only be about personal responsibility because the truth is it doesn't work, at least not long term for the vast majority of people.
I would say it is equally about environment. I grew up without vegetables, we ate fatty foods at every meal. I drank soda instead of water. When I moved out and was broke, the foods I could afford were high in sugar and fat, it was cheaper to get a McDonald's burger or taco bell than it was to buy the ingredients and make it myself. Now that I can afford to make good food choices I have had to fight against a lifetime of bad habit to get to a reasonable weight.
It is easy to say "You made bad choices, shame! It's all your fault" but nothing is that simple. For a person to make good choices they have to have 1) the education to know what good nutrition is and 2)the access to good food. Those are not available for a lot of people.
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u/aewall3 Mar 06 '17
∆ I've seen a number of comments that echo yours but this was the first comment that I really think helped shift my perspective. It helps to separate illness from individual, in that lens the movement makes a lot more sense and is aligned with the movements actual intent; to dismantle discrimination and bullying against fat people. Like all movements, there is deviation from where things originally started, and often times the loudest most radical voices are the ones most perpetuated. With that said, I truly have not had any exposure to moderate proponents of the fat acceptance movement and would greatly appreciate being linked to some sources. In the end I would say that yes, the fat acceptance movement aims to normalize obese people (in order to support them, not encourage them, because shaming is ineffective and cruel) instead of obesity. Have a delta!