Fat Stereotypes - Tumblr Posts
A thin co worker of mine struggling with an eating disorder scoffed at me, a plus sized person, when I told him I have trouble eating enough as well. I admitted this to him in an attempt to reach out, relate, be kind and offer a safe space for him. Yet that's the reaction I received because I'm fat.
I'm so done with fatphobic stereotypes.
Can we take a moment to address the fact that fat people aren't allowed to have a type or taste unless it's other fat people?
If a person with an "acceptable" body type (thin, midsized or muscular) is typically most attracted to another one of these "acceptable" varieties of body that isn't their own... for example a thin person having a type for muscular people... it's normal.
It's just a preference, right?
If anyone with one of those "acceptable" body types listed above is attracted to fat people, it can either be seen as odd or cute. Toxic attitudes towards it range from:
"Aw, I love that you look for personality!" to "Seriously? Look at you! You could do so much better, don't settle for less!" to "Good for you, giving them a chance anyway!"
Even if some of that sounds positive, it's all horribly fatphobic. Not healthy. Not equal. Yet, for the most part, being attracted to fat people when you aren't fat yourself isn't seen as a huge issue or really discussed at all. People might just tell you that you're selling yourself short or have bad taste.
BUT.
If you're fat, all those rules change.
Into muscular builds? Skinny bodies? Midsized frames?
"That's not fair, how do you expect him to stay in shape and be sexy for you when you don't even try to take care of yourself? You would swallow him. He deserves someone who keeps themselves as trim as he is. You should be with someone more your size."
Just because I'm fat, that doesn't mean I suddenly lose all capacity for taste as to what I'd prefer my partner to look like. I'm not less worthy of having a partner I'm attracted to. I don't deserve less say or lose rights to my opinions because of my body type.
I'm attracted to skinny men. That's my type.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't go out with a fat guy or a muscular guy or a midsized guy. Doesn't mean I think fat guys are ugly or muscular men are gross. I'm generally not particularly inclined to other builds rather than thin ones, but if he was sweet to me and checked all my boxes, I would totally go out with him! Without hesitation! Despite his body type.
No one is ugly for their appearance. "Ugly" is something inside you. I don't think that shallow. Fatphobes? They're who's truly ugly.
And racists, sexists, punkphobes, etc.
But still... generally... I have a preference.
It was okay for you.
Why not for me?
YES! YES! MORE OF THIS! ALL OF THIS!
I don't post about it much, so most of my followers probably don't know, but I'm currently working on a novel with intent to publish and have been for the past few years. When I was initially doing my character sketches in the beginning, my main goal was to avoid toxic, overdone stereotypes- specifically punk phobic and fatphobic ones. And to avoid the godforsaken "all the main characters are traditionally hot" syndrome.
The result of this is four plus size characters:
Ken; an athlete whose kindness gets taken advantage of.
Hyro; an opinionated nerd and fierce leader.
Akari; a caring emo girl with a mentally unwell boyfriend.
Hibiki; a seemingly lazy bum with a secret.
Is there a bummy, dislikeable fat character? Yes. There's also multiple lazy thin characters, including Jin who is traditionally sexy and attractive. It's all about fair representation and equality.
I have three alternative characters and not all of them are mentally ill or unstable or pagan or self harmers. In fact, Akari is none of the above. She's gentle and sweet.
My main character, Youko, is not aggressive and sassy and sarcastic as has become the one-size-fits-all for female protagonists. She's quiet, talented, insecure, and autism coded. Her possible love interest, Tomo, is one of the most average looking characters.
Gotta say, as a fat person and a writer, one of the most healing things I've done is writing fat characters of my own and giving myself the representation I never got to have. My two favorites are: a stereotypical 80's/90's skater guy who calls everyone "dude" or "bro" and fucking loves classic rock and has fluffy bleached hair that always covers his eyes and he's kind of got Bill and Ted vibes, I'm just realizing.
And a chronically ill lesbian whose weight is viewed as super positive because it's a sign she's recovering from her most recent bout of illness and she's artsy and passionate and geeky and her girlfriend absolutely adores her soft, round face because it reminds her of the moon.
We need more fat characters who get to be more than just The Fat Guy, I don't get why people just seem to refuse to give their OCs actual human traits and instead revolve everything around their fatness and how funny or bad it is to be fat.
I'm glad to know there are people who are actively working on bettering the miniscule positive fat representation we have in media currently. I especially love when people make fat characters who are the opposite of all of the stereotypes and tropes forced on us. The athletic character being a fat person whose body has stayed fat all these years, a fat video game character who isn't forced to be a tank, the fashionista character is a fat person who grew up having to sew their own clothes and now is a sewing master with the best sense of style on this side of the Mississippi river. The fat person with an eating disorder who actually gains weight in recovery, the popular girl in school who's fat and not the bully, a love interest who isn't stick thin for once. I hope you continue to write fat characters you enjoy!
-Mod Worthy