Hi friend,
This Thursday, May 19, I'll be at Third Place Books (masked) with Summer Michaud-Skog in Lake Forest Park, just north of Seattle, WA.
I'm excited to be stepping in for this free event to ask Summer some questions about her brand-new book Fat Girls Hiking: An Inclusive Guide to Getting Outdoors at Any Size or Ability!
Find out more and sign up
here.
On May 18 (this Wednesday), I'm talking about building size-inclusive businesses for Everybody Belongs in Bozeman (Montana), though you don't have to be in Montana to tune in.
The “Every BODY Belongs in Bozeman” campaign is a week-long community initiative and fundraiser, taking place May 15-21st, 2022, during Mental Health Awareness month.
The week will include in-person and virtual events, special Every BODY Belongs in Bozeman cookies for sale at Wild Crumb, learning opportunities, as well as a virtual silent auction. All proceeds will be donated to Suffer Out Loud and Project HEAL.
Now, on to this week's thought:
It's a privilege to have a body that's seen as worthy of self-acceptance. Content note: raw, vigorous bigotry.
Folks, I have been around the block a time or three as a fat activist. I'm aware of how much fat people are hated.
But sometimes I still run across something that's a little shocking, like I did recently when doing some SEO keyword research.
Here are the search terms I started with: fat activism, fat activist, fat politics, fat acceptance, fat positive, fat positivity.
The results included some terms I expected, things like "charlotte cooper fat activism" (she wrote the literal book), fat liberation, fat rights.
And then there was the hatred, the raw and honest terms that people really search for involving fat people.
đź’© fat activist dead
đź’© fat acceptance is unhealthy
đź’© fat acceptance is bad
đź’© fat acceptance is wrong
đź’© fat acceptance is dangerous
đź’© anti fat acceptance
đź’© i hate fat acceptance
There was also a sick fascination with the "death" of fat acceptance speaker Kelli Jean Drinkwater (who is very much alive) in 2019. Many of the related searches had to do with her; I won't detail them because I've seen enough and so have you.
When thin and average-sized people accept their bodies, it's seen as empowering and admirable and sweet.
When fat folks accept their bodies, it's bad. It's wrong. It's dangerous. People hate it so much they search for communities of others who hate us, too.
This is one of the many reasons we have to end weight stigma.
Warmly,
Lindley
P.S. Share this week's letter or save to read later here. It's only possible to offer the Body Liberation Guide and all its labor for free because people like you support it. If you find value here, please contribute for as little as $1 per month. Every dollar helps. 
