Written by Alisha Michele for The Ability Toolbox. January 11, 2023
I know it is hard to see all the diet and supposed “fitness” ads on TV, streaming, radio, and social media. The not-so-subtle message is that your body is bad, disgusting, unacceptable, showing its age, not worthy of love or care, substandard, not white enough, and so on. It is also telling you that you are unhealthy, lazy, diseased, and an economic burden. The ads suggest that the only way to redeem yourself is to lose weight to an acceptable standard (even if that means disordered eating) and get your abs and biceps ripped and your belly flat. The ads say no matter how you go about weight loss, it must be done if you are to be viewed in a positive light. Otherwise, you are deserving of self-loathing and everyone else loathing you too.
I am here to tell you that all of these messages are the result of an industry that makes $60 billion off of you hating yourself and feeling pressured to change yourself, whether it is in your mental or physical best interest or not.
Those ads are all lies!
I want to tell you that:
- You are good enough.
- You are pretty.
- You are deserving of love.
- You do not have to hate your body.
- You deserve to not be judged for your size.
- You are worthy of love. You are smart.
- You are not lazy.
- You are not loathsome.
- Your body is fine just the way it is.
- You do not have to look younger; aging is normal.
- You deserve to be free of health trolling (everyone pretending to be concerned about your health when it is really about your appearance).
- You deserve body peace.
- You deserve stylish clothes that fit, seats that are not too small, and doctors who respect you and provide compassionate care.
You are powerful and you are allowed to be angry about all of this. Express your anger and fight back against the oppression of fat, BIPOC, disabled, trans, and other marginalized people. You deserve to be on this earth and to be treated with dignity and respect and nothing less.
I am in your corner. You are not alone. We can do this together. You are extraordinary just the way you are. I wish you all the body liberation you can handle in the New Year.
About the author: Alisa Michele
I am a proud Black, lesbian, disabled, fat, feminist, liberal, mentally ill, mother, woman who is constantly fighting for my and your liberation