This post is so FAT, it's HILARIOUS.
I Recently came across Haley Morris-Cafiero's Project "Wait Watchers". I find it intriguing and it gave me a lot to think about.
Sure, the people who are staring at her in these pictures might just be looking at her in a weird way because she stopped in the middle of a busy street to whip out her map or started digging through her purse on the sidewalk, if anyone did these things, they would get strange looks, sure, I get it. But there are some photos which clearly show people laughing at her while she is sitting in a place where everyone else is also sitting or quickly stopped to take a photo of something.
Like this guy and girl here, aiming to take a photo of her.
Now, people might say, "Oh, they seem to be laughing at how she looks, messy hair, clothes etc..." Okay, well let's look and see here... The first girl seems to be wearing PJ pants, and her hair seems to just be held back by a hair band and a little wavy and messy, while Ms. Caifero is wearing a T-shirt and Shorts and her hair wavy and short. So, it's cute if thin girls are wearing PJ pants or jogging pants with messy hair but it's absolutely absured if a large woman shows her arms and legs in a T-shirt and shorts? Fat women must always be completely well dressed and tidy to keep from being gawked at?...Goodness me, what would have happened if she actually did go out in jogging pants...Complete and utter chaotic disbelief, I'm sure.
Now this really pissed me off because I never actually understood WHY it is so funny to be fat. Seeing these people gawk and laugh at her for doing absolutely nothing except just sitting or standing there, is repulsive. Where is the comedy behind this? It bothers me because I, like many other people who are overweight have been the target of other peoples amusement solely for being overweight, which needless to say is extremely rude and insulting.
Let me give you an example. A few years ago I was at a party with a then guy friend of mine, it was a party with mostly his friends and the only other person I knew left early. So after a few hours of dancing and drinking, my friend got pretty trashed and fell asleep on a couch. Him being the only person I knew there and me still having a full drink to finish up and being some what of an introvert, forced me to just sit on the couch next to him while sipping on my drink and looking around at everyone enjoying themselves. A few moments later one of his thin and attractive girl friends comes over and starts shaking him awake and laughing while saying "hey! why are you sleeping? she's clearly attractive! HA HA HA!" and walks away laughing. Of course she was being sarcastic about the attractive part. She didn't even care that I was sitting right there and could hear her...My friend just kind of waved her off and mumbled something while half awake before falling asleep again...but I just sat there, I had no idea what to do..Why did she think it was so funny to ASUME that anyone could find me attractive? "wow, he must be sleeping because she is completely disgusting and there is no reason to socialize with a fat girl" seemed to have been the only explanation for her. In a mild state of shock I proceeded to finish my drink and leave the party, feeling completely ashamed and insulted. Unfortunately, this is not the only example, it's just one that really stuck with me throughout the years because I did have the hots for that guy at the time, and it just crushed me to be completely stripped of my confidence, right then and there.
Fast forward a few years aaaaaand I moved on to be a fat activist. However, I still don't know why it is funny to be fat? How does this translate to comedy? is it just as simiple as "haha that lady is fat" and that's the end of it? because that is extremely unintelligent of most people, surely most people are not that stupid? There must be a more complex process of thought behind this.... Why is it so hilarious and satisfyingly funny to laugh at someone for having different body proportions than the "average joe" not caring if their feelings are hurt, because they're fat, they don't have feelings, so screw em, right?
It baffles me. Which is why I absolutely love this project that Haley Morris-Cafiero is working on and I can't wait to see where it goes! Thank you Hailey Morris-Cafiero for sticking up for us and showing the rudness and stupidity of these individuals to the rest of the world, because like the background in the first picture says "Anonymity isn't for everyone." We have a right to feel beautiful and confident no matter how fat we are.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Over and out,
Anita
