Illustration: Katarina Kühl |
“This is unhealthy!”
“You’re gonna get diabetes!”
“You’re slowly killing yourself!”
“Look in the mirror, this isn’t beautiful!”
“Stop glorifying obesity!”
Just a few of the comments regarding fat people’s health. The commenters seem to be interested in their health but truth is: they’re not really concerned about me having any problems because I’m fat. They’re concerned about having to see me being fat.
And they’d actually love to see me feel bad because then they could say: “See, I was right, look at you now!”
If people are so interested in playing doctor with me, why don’t they also ask if I already visited my gynecologist? Why don’t they remind me to go to the dentist twice a year? Why don’t they ask me about my mental health? About my diabetes, which I already have because I was born with it and haven’t “gained” through being fat?
Why don’t they tell every smoker to stop smoking because it’s indeed unhealthy?
Why don’t they tell every ballerina to stop dancing because it ruins their feet?
Why don’t they tell every driver to stop driving because it’s dangerous?
Why don’t they tell every boxer to stop beating one another because of serious facial, head and therefore also brain injuries?
Why don’t they tell everyone in summer to stop sun-bathing because it causes skin cancer?
The thing is: people just feel uncomfortable seeing fat people who feel good and are stylish. Because we keep being told that fat isn’t good, that we need to lose weight to be beautiful and sexy. That fat people can’t look good, because fat is ugly.
So when these people see someone fat who’s not that society and media stereotype (fat and ugly, disgusting and not taking care of themselves, eating like a pig, not working out, not styling themselves and all those stupid prejudices), they just don’t know how to deal with the fact that someone fat DOES look good, that someone fat is beautiful and stylish, takes care of him or herself and just feels so confident about it that he or she shows it to the world.
So they come up with all those excuses that allow them to shame those people, calling them unhealthy and claiming that they glorify obesity, which is complete bullshit.
Please let me explain why I (and pretty sure other plus bloggers too!) do all this – the blog, my outfit posts, the Private column, encouraging my readers to wear whatever they want, whenever they want:
I blog because I want people to know that you should love yourself and your body, no matter which size you wear – because it’s about feeling good and you can definitely feel good with a larger size too. And as I always say: being healthy and feeling good are the most important things in your life! And if at least one of them doesn’t work for you anymore, you have to do something about it. Be it weight loss or something superficial, like a new outfit, a new hairdo or a new make-up – there are many options.
Above all, I want to celebrate diversity. Celebrate that there’s not only this one ideal but many other forms around it, bigger and smaller.
Glorifying obesity is not my message, and honestly: who gets the feeling “I have to gain weight and be fat too!” when he or she looks at my pictures? I dare to say: not one single person. Because my message isn’t to get fat or like being fat, but to feel good – even though you’re fat. And that’s something different.
I want to inspire, show outfits and “support” my reader’s – your! – creativity when you see me and my looks. I want you to feel that being fat is no stop sign for fashion, for feeling beautiful and loved and that being fat is okay, as long as you accept yourself like this and feel good and healthy. There’s no need to change for someone else and especially not for our society.
Nobody has to copy me, but everyone’s invited to do so.
Just a few lines about the illustration: Katarina asked me if she could do an illustration of me, and since I always feel truly honored and flattered that people really take their time to draw me (I mean: me, I’m not even famous or so!), I said yes and she surprised me with this incredible picture! I thought it’s funnily perfect for this post since I look like a saint (talking about glorifying). :) Thank you again a thousand times for this amazing illustration – can’t wait to put it on my wall. ♥