Zaftig
From Merriam-Webster: Definition of zaftig
of a woman
: having a full rounded figure : pleasingly plump
Isn't that a much prettier word? Fat... It just sounds ugly, doesn't it? And that's the trap.
Being overweight and being a smoker are the last two "acceptable" prejudices. There are no federal protections against discrimination. In fact, ridiculing those who don't conform to the media's definition of beauty has become somewhat of a sport.
It's okay, though, because being overweight is unhealthy we're told. Being fat will kill us. There's a whole diet industry out there making sure we know.
Many illnesses have a weight component, and many doctors tell their patients they must first lose weight. But one can be overweight and healthy. Or thin and sick.
But I digress. Like all the topics we've tackled from A to Z, we're only scratching the surface. And I've lost the whole point of why I chose this for Z.
That is body positivity.
It's a shift of perspective. We've been told that we must be thin to be beautiful. We must be thin to be accepted. But with an average dress size of 16, more women are on the other side of "beautiful" and "accepted". Which is wrong. How did we get to a place where more than half of the population has been told they're ugly?
It's time to take back your power. We are all beautiful. And we all deserve all the good things. We don't need to put off the good things until we get thin. We are all we need right now.
The Militant Baker has been working this ground for some time now. There's a whole movement out there for fat acceptance.
Because the content of a person's character is more important than how they look on the outside. Look deeper.
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
of a woman
: having a full rounded figure : pleasingly plump
Isn't that a much prettier word? Fat... It just sounds ugly, doesn't it? And that's the trap.
Being overweight and being a smoker are the last two "acceptable" prejudices. There are no federal protections against discrimination. In fact, ridiculing those who don't conform to the media's definition of beauty has become somewhat of a sport.
It's okay, though, because being overweight is unhealthy we're told. Being fat will kill us. There's a whole diet industry out there making sure we know.
Many illnesses have a weight component, and many doctors tell their patients they must first lose weight. But one can be overweight and healthy. Or thin and sick.
But I digress. Like all the topics we've tackled from A to Z, we're only scratching the surface. And I've lost the whole point of why I chose this for Z.
That is body positivity.
It's a shift of perspective. We've been told that we must be thin to be beautiful. We must be thin to be accepted. But with an average dress size of 16, more women are on the other side of "beautiful" and "accepted". Which is wrong. How did we get to a place where more than half of the population has been told they're ugly?
It's time to take back your power. We are all beautiful. And we all deserve all the good things. We don't need to put off the good things until we get thin. We are all we need right now.
The Militant Baker has been working this ground for some time now. There's a whole movement out there for fat acceptance.
Because the content of a person's character is more important than how they look on the outside. Look deeper.
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
I've been overweight my entire adult life. It's a struggle, because society unfairly penalizes a zaftig woman in so many ways. On the other hand, as we get older, it becomes a serious health issue, and in recent months I've seen the horrifying effects of being overweight take their toll on too many of my friends. I have two adult daughters, both within the "normal weight" range. I tried very hard to not infect them with the craziness that goes on in my head, and I think I succeeded.
ReplyDeleteEven at a "normal weight" society's pressure to be "perfect" can take a toll. Body positivity isn't just about the overweight. (And when health is a concern, one needs to take care of oneself.)
DeleteVery true, and some of the thing I hear from my daughters about their own body image...but overall they don't seem to have that much of the craziness in their lives.
DeleteIt's all a wealth thing.
ReplyDeleteNot all that long ago, being overweight was considered attractive because that was an outward show of wealth: You could afford to eat well. So being "overweight" became aspirational.
Now, because of the horrible typical American diet, cheap food being unhealthy food, it is the wealthy who can afford to eat in a healthy manner.
Not to mention the other things that go along with that, like being able to afford to engage in activities that promote good health. As opposed to sitting around watching TV because you can't afford to do anything else.
Well, there's more to say about this, but the concept is probably its own post.