nilchance: original art from a vintage print; art of a woman being struck by lightning (you got that?)
Laughing Lady ([personal profile] nilchance) wrote2009-06-18 03:57 pm

Seriously, fandom?

Chub!Jensen controversy and now a big-bang set in an obesity research center?

Trigger. Biiiiig trigger.

I am sore tired of catching this merry fat-hating bullshit every time I turn on the TV ("now on Dr. G, Medical Examiner: OBESITY CRISIS OBESITY FATTY FATTY FAT FAT DEAAAAATH!"), but fandom too, for serious?

Argh.

ETA: Also, okay. I understand that the underlying message is that Jensen has to come to love himself. HOWEVER. It comes with the understanding that Jensen is expressing his love for himself by losing the weight "for Jared", to go find Jared and love and enlightenment and that.

Here's the thing. Very rarely do fat people actually get that way by cramming fast food and abusing their bodies. They get there through genetics, or thyroid issues, or antidepressants (hi there!), or a history of yo-yo dieting that resets their resting point of ideal weight. A history of eating disorders. So forcing one's body into a thinner shape by exercising to exhaustion (thus making exercise an unpleasant chore that one HAS to do to BEAT OBESITY), or limiting calories to deprivation, is a shock to one's system. It's not necessarily self-love, though it may be motivated by the desire to be lovable or to live longer (because of fear of obesity killing them) or because they can't be happy until they're thin.

Self-love is unrelated to a number on a scale. It's recognizing one's worth, unconnected to one's weight. The beauty of your body as it is, flaws and all, not as it could be. Pursuing health is an awesome thing, and a great way to love yourself, but pursuing thinness is not the same thing.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
*grabs poms poms and cheers you on!*

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, the whole thing did great damage to my calm. I still am glad that I said something. Thank you.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
If you hate yourself when you're fat, why do you think you'll feel any different about who you are just because there's physically less of you?

WORD. I lost 25 lbs a few years ago, and yet all my Thin Fantasies (I'll be smarter and I won't hurt and people will LOVE me!) didn't come true. I still hurt. I actually hurt WORSE then than I do now. Thanks, Weight Watchers!

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. Apparently that dialogue was inspired by actual words from an actual doctor, which just makes me sad.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, honey. *hugs* Yeah. It's so hard to remember to be angry on your own behalf, to think critically when something is hitting you emotionally. I had the same issue, plus my problems with letting doctors rant for 45 minutes about omg OBESITY without calling them out. It's just... it sucks.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
THIS. Yes. I really need to keep a list of all the times I hear anti-fat messages throughout the day.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, honey. *hugs* You're lovely. Your spirit shines through everything you say. Please don't let them get you down.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Yep.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I hear you. I mean, it wouldn't be ideal for them to write this with Hurley either! But with Jensen, I just... *sigh*

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, thank you. *smush*

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
if you threw eight hours of exercise daily at me I would end up with a few torn ligaments and out of comission for a while.

This is an excellent point. I'm pretty sure I'd vomit and pass out face down. So sexy! So romantic!

No, it was very well written. I just didn't enjoy the story. But apparently that is a bad thing to say.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
... I think I love you.

Yes. Yes, to all that, and you said that better than I could myself.

[identity profile] nilchance.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
N'aww. *love* I love you, too.

[identity profile] quiet000001.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
...

There's a part of me tempted to spam the author with links to that Junkfood Science blog and Health At Every Size stuff.

[identity profile] quiet000001.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
... I also think I love you.

[identity profile] deathangelgw.livejournal.com 2009-06-23 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll try hon *hugs her back*

[identity profile] allthelivesofme.livejournal.com 2009-06-24 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
:-D

I've started working up an outline, actually. I just publish my books through lulu for my friends to buy, so I'll keep you updated on this one. *s*

[identity profile] siubhlach.livejournal.com 2009-06-24 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, Weight Watchers. They have a lot to answer for. I have a set of weight watchers scales here at home. They are the only set of scales I have ever seen that weigh not only in stones and pounds, but also in ounces. In a way, they terrify me. The concept of being so obsessed with weight that the ounces matter just seems so fundamentally wrong to me.

[identity profile] sorcha-r.livejournal.com 2009-07-01 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
I love you man. So much.
helens78: Cartoon. An orange cat sits on the chest of a woman with short hair and glasses. (Default)

[personal profile] helens78 2009-07-01 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I got here by way of a link from a friend, and I love this:

Self-love is unrelated to a number on a scale. It's recognizing one's worth, unconnected to one's weight. The beauty of your body as it is, flaws and all, not as it could be. Pursuing health is an awesome thing, and a great way to love yourself, but pursuing thinness is not the same thing.

Yes! Seriously, just yes.

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