My sweet sweet blog.
I need to talk to you. More like vent.
My first article on Madame Noire aimed to celebrate those plus sized actresses that are making history in Hollywood. I wanted to acknowledge them and speak on how proud I was of them. After the article posted I made the mistake of reading the comments people wrote.
Out of over twenty comments only one joined me in celebrating these women. The others made sure they gave the women their personal medical diagnosis and threw around the term obesity like fresh $1 bills in a stripper joint. People commented that they cringe when they see Gabourey Sidibe on screen and anticipate hearing she has died from a heart attack. But my favorite one said we need to stop celebrating fat women, these women could die from being so over weight.
I didn't really have it in me to be on the defense about the comments because the fact is: when you are fat, you know you are fat. Period. You know the health risks involved with being fat. You are scared of dying from diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Everyday you look into the mirror you can see how fat you are. And I'm pretty sure with all of the reminders we fat girls get from our doctors, family, and friends we don't need an extra reminder from keyboard happy, internet junkies, who spend their lives making useless and insulting comments on blogs. Hell, my own grandmother wrote a letter saying she didn't want a fat granddaughter so these comments are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
Let's clear up some misconceptions, shall we?
I am just as irate about this issue as I am about racism across the world and gender inequality. If you are Black, a woman and overweight you might as well be the scum of the earth because that is how we are treated and why?
Since when does a number on a scale determine the type of person you are?
Since when do rolls, muffin tops, and spare tires determine if you would be a good employee or not?
Why is the size of your waist a determining factor of beauty?
I recently took a trip to New Orleans. One of my favorite cities. New Orleans is a city rich in Black history, culture, and southern hospitality. Its one of the few cities I can honestly say I feel free in. Just free to be me...no judgement. I can walk down the street, fat, and not have to worry about whispers, strange looks or sly comments. Most importantly New Orleans reminds me that in spite of a disaster in your life you can rebuild and still be great.
I arrived to the Southwest Airlines terminal at DCA headed to New Orleans and was ready to have a great time! As I was waiting at the gate for my flight to board a Southwest Airlines agent approached me and asked me was I going to New Orleans? I said yes, and she then asked to see my boarding pass. Now with all of this new technology in place you can have your boarding pass on your phone. I pulled my phone out and she looked at it and walked away. They called the flight to board and I was brought over a paper boarding pass and a ticket that said "place this reserved ticket in the seat pocket next to you." I was a bit confused but thought nothing of it.
Preparing to come home from New Orleans I was unable to check-in to my flight the night before as I usually do. When I called I was told that I had been pre-assigned a seat and would have to check-in at the airport. This was strange to me because Southwest has a first come first serve seating arrangement. I get to the airport and I am handed a boarding pass, the same reservation ticket reserving the seat next to me as my departure flight from DCA, and a pre-boarding ticket for "disability" reasons. No one would tell me why this was done.
Then it became clear I had been labeled disabled because of my size and I had to reserve the seat next to me because no one wants to sit next to a fat girl on the plane. I am judged not only because I am Black, not only because I'm a woman, but add being fat to that equation and you have degradation at its finest.
I could use this section to argue how far from disabled I am and how my fat cells aren't spewing over to the plane seats next me but I'll refrain. What I will do is go back to the comment that we need to stop celebrating fat girls that an ignoramus wrote under my article. Ain't nobody celebrating us bruh! We are ridiculed, labeled, demeaned, humiliated, judged, tormented, and the butt of every damn joke.
So if writing articles to uplift and motivate another Black woman who happens to be fat is what I have to do, then that is what I'm going to do! Somebody needs to say hey you are smart, talented, beautiful, motivating, remarkable and your weight won't ever change that! The world may be against you but don't let that stop you!
I am so sick of this consistent attack against difference in humanity by the most inconsistent groups of people!
Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 hundred dollars...just make sure you are dressed appropriately for the heat in hell.
Out of over twenty comments only one joined me in celebrating these women. The others made sure they gave the women their personal medical diagnosis and threw around the term obesity like fresh $1 bills in a stripper joint. People commented that they cringe when they see Gabourey Sidibe on screen and anticipate hearing she has died from a heart attack. But my favorite one said we need to stop celebrating fat women, these women could die from being so over weight.
I didn't really have it in me to be on the defense about the comments because the fact is: when you are fat, you know you are fat. Period. You know the health risks involved with being fat. You are scared of dying from diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Everyday you look into the mirror you can see how fat you are. And I'm pretty sure with all of the reminders we fat girls get from our doctors, family, and friends we don't need an extra reminder from keyboard happy, internet junkies, who spend their lives making useless and insulting comments on blogs. Hell, my own grandmother wrote a letter saying she didn't want a fat granddaughter so these comments are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
Let's clear up some misconceptions, shall we?
- Just because a woman is fat doesn't mean she is lazy.
- Just because a woman is fat doesn't mean she doesn't work out.
- Just because a woman is fat doesn't mean she is not making strides to live a healthier lifestyle.
- Just because a woman is fat doesn't mean she spends her days eating all the time.
- Again, she is perfectly aware that she is fat. She knows her health risks and she doesn't need you to remind her of them.
I am just as irate about this issue as I am about racism across the world and gender inequality. If you are Black, a woman and overweight you might as well be the scum of the earth because that is how we are treated and why?
Since when does a number on a scale determine the type of person you are?
Since when do rolls, muffin tops, and spare tires determine if you would be a good employee or not?
Why is the size of your waist a determining factor of beauty?
I recently took a trip to New Orleans. One of my favorite cities. New Orleans is a city rich in Black history, culture, and southern hospitality. Its one of the few cities I can honestly say I feel free in. Just free to be me...no judgement. I can walk down the street, fat, and not have to worry about whispers, strange looks or sly comments. Most importantly New Orleans reminds me that in spite of a disaster in your life you can rebuild and still be great.
I arrived to the Southwest Airlines terminal at DCA headed to New Orleans and was ready to have a great time! As I was waiting at the gate for my flight to board a Southwest Airlines agent approached me and asked me was I going to New Orleans? I said yes, and she then asked to see my boarding pass. Now with all of this new technology in place you can have your boarding pass on your phone. I pulled my phone out and she looked at it and walked away. They called the flight to board and I was brought over a paper boarding pass and a ticket that said "place this reserved ticket in the seat pocket next to you." I was a bit confused but thought nothing of it.
Preparing to come home from New Orleans I was unable to check-in to my flight the night before as I usually do. When I called I was told that I had been pre-assigned a seat and would have to check-in at the airport. This was strange to me because Southwest has a first come first serve seating arrangement. I get to the airport and I am handed a boarding pass, the same reservation ticket reserving the seat next to me as my departure flight from DCA, and a pre-boarding ticket for "disability" reasons. No one would tell me why this was done.
Then it became clear I had been labeled disabled because of my size and I had to reserve the seat next to me because no one wants to sit next to a fat girl on the plane. I am judged not only because I am Black, not only because I'm a woman, but add being fat to that equation and you have degradation at its finest.
I could use this section to argue how far from disabled I am and how my fat cells aren't spewing over to the plane seats next me but I'll refrain. What I will do is go back to the comment that we need to stop celebrating fat girls that an ignoramus wrote under my article. Ain't nobody celebrating us bruh! We are ridiculed, labeled, demeaned, humiliated, judged, tormented, and the butt of every damn joke.
So if writing articles to uplift and motivate another Black woman who happens to be fat is what I have to do, then that is what I'm going to do! Somebody needs to say hey you are smart, talented, beautiful, motivating, remarkable and your weight won't ever change that! The world may be against you but don't let that stop you!
I am so sick of this consistent attack against difference in humanity by the most inconsistent groups of people!
Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 hundred dollars...just make sure you are dressed appropriately for the heat in hell.
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