I had a really bad day. First, the guy
I was dating told me he was embarrassed
to introduce me to his friends because
I'm fat. Then, I got a letter from Blue
Cross of California telling me that,
even though I'm in perfect health and a
non-smoker and young and all-a that, I
wasn't going to get health insurance
because of my weight, which is 250
pounds, thank you very much! I was
hurt, stunned, outraged. Now, hurt and
stunned are compelling emotions, but
they're not very useful. Since it's
impossible to feel all three of these
things at once for very long, I decided
to go with outrage. I started a 'zine
called FAT!SO? - for people who don't
apologize for their size. It's the best
thing I ever did. Since then, I've only
dated guys with backbones, who are able
to stand up for their attraction to a
cool fat chick like me. And I finally
got health insurance. (I just have to
pay twice as much as thin people do.)
Plus, I've spoken out in high schools
and colleges, on the radio, in print,
and on TV. I've told millions of people
what I weigh, that I'm not ashamed of
it, and that they shouldn't be ashamed,
either. I've gone toe-to-toe with
Richard Simmons and former surgeon
general C. Everett Koop. When they
express their bogus concern for my
health, I quite happily say to them,
"The only thing you can diagnose by
looking at a fat person is your own
prejudice!"
I feel like a fat freedom
fighter. But I'm not just doing this
for fat people. I'm doing it for my
thin sisters who moan about needing to
lose five pounds because they're afraid
of turning into me. I do it for
everyone who's ever said, "I hate my
thighs." Well, honey, I say, apologize
to your thighs this instant for saying
mean things to them. What did they ever
do to you but carry your sorry self
around everywhere you wanted to go?
Expand your aesthetic. Don't buy into
conformity! Because life is too short
for self-hatred and celery sticks!
Yes! I want to read more from Real Life Heartless Bitches
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