I've recently been hearing a lot of people taking Fat Acceptance the wrong way, I thought i'd delve into what I believe it's about. I think the majority of people that aren't fat, don't entirely understand what it is. I have seen that others think it is promoting obesity, well, it's not. Just because we may be fat doesn't mean we want everyone to be fat. That's not what plus size blogs are about. All we are doing is showing others (I used to be one of them) how you CAN work with your body & that you don't HAVE to hate your self just because society is telling you to.
In no way are we condoning that fat is great and everyone should be fat, we are merely accepting our bodies and dealing with our self confidence. Many comments I've seen in the Fatshion world are patronising & dictating what a bigger person SHOULD wear. If we all stuck to the "safe" area, we wouldn't be able to express ourselves & build our self confidence. They seem to always begin with "You should worry about your health", "I feel sorry for you diseased people". Firstly, just because we are fat, does not mean that we definetely have problems with our health. Some people do, but so do others of all shapes and sizes? Pitying us is extremely patronising. We do not need your pity because we are fat. Why would people assume that because we are bigger, we hate our bodies? Plus diseased!? I've been seeing that a lot, we are not diseased. We are simply fat. We can all be just as unhealthy with our diets, I know alot of fat people that go to the gym and do exercise & eat healthily. Ofcourse there are fat people who hate their body, but there are also so many others in all different shapes that hate their bodies too. It shouldn't just be associated with fat people. 
I'm not entirely happy with my body and by all means wouldn't mind being skinnier. But for the meantime, accepting that I am fat and that I CAN wear nice clothes has helped me build my self confidence. It's still not 100%, but I don't believe anyone's is. There is no point constantly hating my body, it has no benefit to my mental state? I would just fall into societies fat hating hole, which is where I was a few years ago - I do not want to go back.
So to conclude, Fat Acceptance is not condoning being overweight but mentally accepting our bodies for what they are no matter how big or bumpy they may be.
Love Charlotte xx
Charlotte, I love this post, thanky ou for writing it, I hated myself at a size 12 as much as I have hated myself as a 22, my aim is to just love myself regardless of size, i will always still be me. x
ReplyDeleteI think that's the main problem people forget. I don't know one person that is entirely happy with themselves. In our own eyes we all have improvements we want to make.
DeleteThank you for the comments lovely :)
xx
Brilliant post Charlotte. It will take time to educate those that think we're delusional but as long as posts like this keep happening I'm confident it will!
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire! :)
DeleteDefinetely, hopefully more people will post about it and spread the word.
xx
What an inspiring post! If I hear one more person imply by just existing as a fat person I am promoting disease I will lose it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteI'm the same! It's that comment that really gets me, fatness is not a disease!? I just don't get how people think it is?
xx
Absolutely right on! You have said it well.
ReplyDeleteI`ve seen this strange attitude on people far too many times
and can`t believe how narrowminded they can be in their thoughts.
`You`re big, therefore you must eat like a horse, lack discipline
and be disgusting.` Most stupid thing I ever heard and really
does not apply in most cases even.
People told this to my mother most of her adult life...she put on weight because of drugs doctors prescribed her, which ruined her metabolism and she`s never been the same since. Now this is a woman who always ate healthy and was very sporty. But nope, people never bothered to see
past the `fat`, not even the doctors who ruined her health in the first place.
I`m also a strict vegetarian and eat as healthy
as possible, love excercise..and yet I`m bigger than ever, currently a size 20.
Ah well, it doesn`t stop me from enjoying myself and being proud, no matter what size I am. ^^d
My hubster, who has known me from a size 14 to 22, was nice enough
to tell me that `it never matters what size you are
because it will always be YOU, in any shape or form.` Sweetest thing. ^^<3
It`s a lot coming from a Japanese person because since living here,
I`ve often been more frustrated here than anywhere else, with people`s whispering and straightforward hatred towards anybody different, not to mention a fat foreigner. It`s simply not accepted in the land of skinny. Which is kinda weird because sumo wrestlers are worshipped here like gods. XD Make up your minds, will ya! ^^
Well, enough of my ramblings. Thank you for this post and sharing your thoughts. Couldn`t agree with you more! You`re fabulous the way you are and that`s the end of it. ^^d MMxoxo
Thank you for all your lovely comments! :)
DeleteIt's nice to see that I'm not the only one with the same views.
:D xx
Charlotte, it is as though you stepped in my mind and wrote what I think. Just because I'm fat I don't think I should hate myself. I have tried to lose weight and it's a constant battle but in the menatime I am not going to waste the rest of my life wearing awful clothes and trying to 'blend in' because that's what society feels I should do. When i wear pretty clothes I feel better about myself, more confident and I think that's important for anyone regardless of their weight. xXx
ReplyDeletePS. You look beautiful in your swimsuit. xXx
Aww thank you Tracey! :)
DeleteCouldn't agree more! No matter what weight people are we all deserve to be able to dress fashionable and feel more confident!
xx
That is such a well written post! I have seen so many people get it wrong, but in the end fat acceptence is just body acceptence. It is about getting to know your self and your body better, to connect with it again and to feel great and thankful because you have it!
ReplyDeleteRight on!
ReplyDeleteI'm not one for posting a lot of words, so I'll just say that you hit it spot on and I agree. People should mind their own business.
Thank you for the comments! :)
ReplyDeletexx
Amen!! Very well written...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, wonderfully written and I think I can safely say, speaks for a lot of us in the plus size community. I just hope this message reaches a wider audience and people listen to how we feel. X x
ReplyDeleteSlim/Slender or curvy, you are still a truly beautiful lady, Charlotte. Both you and Georgina are lovely ladies. I applaud you in your courage to speak out in this way. Even a male like myself knows beautiful when he sees it, and you are beautiful in your posts. I even once did a blog post regarding beautiful plus/curvy/extended size women. Showcasing your style the way you do shows great self-esteem and confidence. Let haters hate- you're beautiful regardless.
ReplyDeletejohnbmarine.blogspot.com
Thank you for the comments everyone :)
ReplyDeletexx
brilliant post charlotte :) i wasn't happy with myself at size 18 & i thought that losing weight would make everything better. i'm still not happy with my body at size 10. its definitely down to your own mental attitude rather than what size you are. hopefully one day i'll be able to accept myself no matter what i weigh. i agree that clothes make all the difference and that people should be able to wear pretty clothes whatever their size xx
ReplyDeleteWell said darling! Love you! <3
ReplyDelete- Marisa
vivavoluptuous.blogspot.com
I don't believe, sorry. I've been fat for 20 years of my life (now I'm 23). 3 years ago I decided - "I don't wanna be fat anymore". My weight was about 112 kg (246 pounds), now it's 73 (160 pounds). I feel better, healthier, much more attractive and HAPPIER.
ReplyDelete^^^ what she said.
Deleteand that is YOU.... some of us actually are happy, healthy and we ARE incredibly attractive right now in the bodies we have. I am sorry that you never found that place of love and self acceptance until you had to change yourself (and probably do some damage in the process), I truly am because it is so wonderful but your experience doesn't make it true for everyone else. So regardless of whether you chose to believe or not it doesn't make this any less true. There are actually a whole lot of people out there who have found happiness, health, and strength in Fat acceptance and rejecting societies messed up messages. I am sorry that you aren't one of them, but either way I am happy you are happy, but your experience doesn't negate the experiences of the rest of us :-)
DeleteThank you for the comments Caroline & Marisa :)
ReplyDeletexx
Limonka, you're totally entitled to your opinion.
I'm not disputing the fact that when people lose weight they feel happier, but from the above comments, that's obviously not the way it is for everyone.
I also said I wouldn't mind being skinny, I don't think anyone could honestly say that they would. But accepting my body in the meantime is what I've chosen to do. Until I feel I'm ready to lose some weight.
That's every individuals choice.
Thanks for your post, it's specially great.
ReplyDeleteSome months ago I started my own blog as a way of "therapy", I mean, my self confidence is practically non existent in me, but reading blogs similar to mine has helped me a lot.
A year ago I would never thought possible to post a picture from myself but right now it is not so hard to do it.
Sure I have a long way to go, but it is a start.
Well, I do not know if I am making any sense, I just wanted to share my thoughts with you.
Thanks for you blog and for being the way you are.
Angie
http://rincondeangie.blogspot.com/
PS: Sorry for my English, it is not my first language (I am from Spain) and sometimes it is hard to express what I have in mind...
Thank you Angie! That is very sweet of you.
DeleteThat's great that you started your own blog and can now post photos with ease! I know how hard it is with low self esteem. But it's great to hear that you're starting to accept yourself.
It's a step by step process, but it'll be worth it once you get to where you want to be! :)
Charlotte xx
You have summed things up brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteI think what a lot of fat haters choose to ignore is that some fat people are fat because of ILLNESS or disability, not ill because they are FAT. I had a stupidly busy job, walked 20-30 miles a week, went out socially several times a week and was the life and soul of every party. Then I got ill (Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and now life is pain and fatigue that makes me want to cry. I was a little bit fat before the illness, but I'm much fatter now. Do you know what though? Last week I took some photos of my semi-naked body and I think I look beautiful. My boyfriend thinks I'm beautiful, and that's all that matters. I don't advocate this lifestyle for everyone as we must all follow our own path, but then I wouldn't wish Fibro and CFS on anyone either!
The thing which puzzles me most about fat haters is why they're so concerned about other people's lives. I think they need to spend time worrying why they're so nasty rather than being horrible to people they don't know. Big hugs xoxo
Great post, you're gorgeous and have every right to feel as fabulous as you look x
ReplyDeletehttp://foreverfabulousinbows.blogspot.com/
Thank you for the comments! Means a lot! :D
ReplyDeletexx
this was a great post. very well written and so very right too! i agree with everything you said. and although i chose to get surgery and lose my weight, i do not in anyway expect others to take that route. i did it for me to feel confident in how i looked because i was miserable before. if you or anyone else can find a way to be confident and happy with how they look without surgery then congrats! thats awesome. society seems to ignore the fact that most 'skinny' girls are just as unhealthy or just as unhappy with their body shape too.
ReplyDeleteyou and your sister (ive only jsut started reading your blogs, but am a big fan already!) are wonderful, funny and creative girls. very inspiring also!
caris-l xx
(sorry for rambling :p)
Hi. Im from méxico and i have been reading your blog. Sorry for the bad english if i have mistakes in my writing.
ReplyDeleteI have a question for you. What is you weight?
And i have a comment: I use to be 126.5 kgs, that is 250 lbs aprox. Mi height is 1.72 mts. Im a little above the average for a girl.
Three years ago, when I was 18 years old, one day, my doctor tell me that i was pre-diabetic. I use yo eat 10 eggs in one day, 5 hotdgos for dinner and basically, all the food of the entire world.
After that i left all that food. I just eat fruits and vegetables, drink water and milk and started making 1 hour of exercise everyday.
In 2.5 years i lost 59 kgs/120 lbs aprox. I lost the half of my body, literally.
Now im 67 kgs/134 lbs and i can tell you that im very happy now. it was horrible when i cant walk more than 2 minutes because i cant breathe for the effort that was for me.
You are a beutifull girl. Im pretty and now y look okay, but you are 1000 times more beutyfull than me! I admire you because you accept yourself in that way. But i think that if you are THAT strong for accept yourself (that i know its not easy) you can make the effort for loosing wieght. Im not telling you that you have to be totally skinny. Buy if you where 150 lbs... you could look really really beutifull! with all that pretty clothes you can buy. You could be the queen of the world.
Im saying this with all my heart. I hope that someday you can find the inspiration for doing that. I will continue watchin your blog because i love all your clothes and your beautifull face. I just want to express my feelings. I have mixed emotions because i was in a similar weight and i know how difficult could be that.
Kisses :*
Its true what you say nobody is completely happy with their body, I am a size 6 and I don't like my body. Kate moss had awful cellulite so I guess she doesn't like her body either. Everyone is the right size for them and if you feel healthy then that's what matters :) x
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog...it's amazing! So cute and beautiful! Your confidence is very important. Your are so great! I love it!
Kisses!
www.vintageblog.cz
Your fantastic! I could spend all day reading your posts! Love this one in particular!
ReplyDelete