Friday, June 14, 2024

when fat acceptance goes too far

I'm fat myself, so of course I'd rather live in a polite society that doesn't rake fat people over the coals all the time. Alas for me, I live in South Korea where, as with much of the rest of East Asia, fat shaming is the norm. I'd like to say I've developed a thick skin about it (possible fat pun intended), but the fact is that the remarks and insults still hurt, and part of the hurt comes from the fact that I agree with most of the barbs. To some extent, fatness can trace itself back to genetics, but to a greater extent, being fat is indeed a lifestyle choice, which is one reason why fat people are still hounded. So while I'd advocate for a degree of fat tolerance, I don't agree with fat acceptance, especially the aggressive type in the States (and other Western countries) that plays into the whole "the emperor has no clothes" dynamic. It's an overcompensation for the equally toxic "beauty myth."





No comments: