This morning, like many mornings, started with my tweeting an example of fat hatred I get in response to the #365feministselfie project. Naturally, this sort of garbage is designed in order to discourage me from participating, to shame me away from being fat and visible. And of course it could not backfire more spectacularly.
I will say again: The reason I post pictures of myself is because there is a dearth of imagery of fat women, especially fat happy women enjoying their lives. It's also because I want to be visible. I don't mean I want to be admired, or fancied, or famous. I mean I just want to be a person who is seen by the people around her, a person who isn't surprised when any other person speaks to her, a person who is fully human.
There are people (ahem) who want very desperately to deny fat people our humanity.
Who want us to disappear.
From their sight. From existence.
Nothing, but nothing, could steel my resolve more surely to be visible and claim my humanity than that.
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