Hi friend,
I have a lovely announcement to share before we get to the heart of this week's letter:
Nic McDermid's Fat Positive Practice Guidebook
is now available! Nic has been speaking truth to power at the intersection of eating disorder treatment and body liberation for many years, and this is your chance to learn directly from Nic and to support her work.
Also, there will be no Body Liberation Guide next week due to the holiday this week in the U.S.
Now, moving on:
My heart remains so heavy for the Palestinian civilians being slaughtered in Gaza. A population already made up of 50% children, which speaks to the violence they have endured for so long now.
And heavy for Jews, particularly those in the diaspora, who have no say in what the government of Israel does and are also at risk of violence from Hamas and antisemites around the world.
Y'all know I don't often comment on current events, but oppression of any kind is a body liberation issue.
Body liberation is about fighting and dismantling oppressive systems, and colonialism is no exception. Body liberation also means freedom from violence, from being pushed from your home or land, from racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism.
The state of Israel must stop killing civilians in Gaza. Now.
Slaughtering civilians is wrong, no matter whether it's Hamas or Israel doing it. Saying that Israel needs to stop murdering thousands of people is in no way condoning violence elsewhere.
That said, despite all the research and thought and soul-searching I've done over the last month before speaking out, I'm having such a hard time coming up with words, rather than just intense grief. So I'm turning to other voices.
One of these voices is the organization Fat Rose, who says:
"
We are here to say, regardless of what crumbs of power these systems decide to give some of us today, regardless of who they tell you is your enemy or who you deserve control over, we know
serving colonialism, capitalism & white supremacy will only ever bring us more unthinkable horror, suffering and death.
History shows us again and again: the root of our collective suffering is the same.
When we call for an end to Israel’s occupation, we are recognizing every human’s right to a sovereign life free from subjugation, surveillance, and control.
As fat liberationists, we know it is hard to unlearn what you’ve been taught is natural, unbreakable truth. We know how much of an uphill battle it can be to deprogram the propaganda out of our friends and families and neighbors, especially when systems are working overtime to maintain the status quo (and TRUST they are in overdrive right now). AND that makes it all the more important that no matter how hard it is to see a clear path forward, we must refuse the imperative that complacency is our only option.
In this time of emergency, in this sea of catastrophic grief, we must act with urgency, and bravery, with clarity and with unwavering care. We must move in fervent belief that colonialism and genocide are not innate human nature, divine right or inevitable outcome. We must act with the confident knowledge that another world, a world free of colonialism, a world with a free and thriving Palestine, is for real possible; it has happened before and it will happen again."
The second voice is that of Phedre Devereaux, who's written a guest piece
specifically for this letter on Palestine and body liberation. I'm including an excerpt here; please click on the magenta button below my usual postscript to read the rest.
“As a community that cares deeply about body liberation and bodily autonomy, this is our lane. As human beings who care about the loss of life of other human beings, this is our lane. And for those of you like me, as white settlers living on stolen land, with a government that is funding and supporting this genocide, this must be our lane. It's time we join the global community and human rights organizations from around the world in calling for a ceasefire. Medical treatment, food, water, fuel, and humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed in.
We are not free until we are all free. We cannot fight for body liberation while ignoring what our government is doing. Do no harm is not good enough. We must do active good."
