Reinforcements Needed for the War on Shaming

A couple of weeks ago there was a thing. I'm not going to get into it, because I feel it's been covered really well here and their apology here. 

But when a plus size company, with stores all over the British high street, went for controversy, over common sense, the internet RAGED. 

At first, it was the fats who raised the alarm - we follow this brand (for obvious reasons) and immediately condemned them for this stunt, promoting body positivity AT ALL SIZES. 

Then other sectors of the Twitter-verse took on the banner of offense, which made me think. If somewhere like Zara had a #fatbirdwatching at a Plus Size event - would that many people be up in arms? I could be underestimating the general public, but more and more I feel that while the fats are willing to shout out about thin shaming, fat shaming is often left unchallenged. 

Apologies if you're reading this and thinking I'm over reaching here, but bare with me. 

I've started watching a 'comedy' on E4 recently, to fill my Melissa and Joey void. It's called Baby Daddy - and I had expected it to be a Three Men and a Baby sort of programme. And I LOVE that film. 

I was happily watching it, until the trope of the 'Girl Next Door' was introduced.

Here was the beautiful Chelsea Kane as Riley, the Law Student who is in love with the 'Baby Daddy' in question. 

But, when growing up, was fat. It's like Monica from Friends all over again. 

The jokes made at Riley's expense (and that Riley makes herself) are fat shaming, pure and simple. She is regularly called fatpants and Rigantor, her high school nickname.

I've since stopped watching, but a quick Google brought me this .gif, where the inevitable flash back episode obviously happened. This is meant to be Riley:

So where is the outrage over this?

Why, when Netflix are showing the whole catalogue of Friends episodes, are we not venting our anger over the 'Monica was fat' jokes?

Because it's acceptable to shame fats still, it's not seen as anything other than a joke, just as that campaign, was seen as a joke. 

I am not in any way supporting what that brand did. I'm still very much team Body Positive. But I'm a little batter weary, and would like some reinforcements from the general public when it comes to fat shaming - just as the fats support them when it comes to thin shaming. 

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

A Stand Up Dress

When I saw this dress pop up on my Facebook page, my heart swelled!! Well, not really, but it plucked at my dress-loving heart strings:

It reminded me of the gorgeous dresses Georgina of Fullerfigurefullerbust wears with ease. 

This delight is from a dress makers called "Polka Dot Polly" (their website is here).

They have some dresses ready made (this is one of their ready made dresses) but also offers to make them to your measurements. I was careful with the sizing this time (having learnt my lesson from this dress off eBay) and chose a size 24. 

It arrived and fit like a glove! I am wearing my Bravissimo Satine bra in black, which gives me a very east / west shape, but worked for the line of the dress:

I teamed it with a black cardi and no jewellry:

When I came to actually wearing it, it was to a Comedy club I was headed to straight from work, so the dress got placed in a bag to be thrown on in the works toilets!

I absolutely love everything about this dress - the cap sleeves, the fit and flare skirt (yet to be tried with a petticoat mind!), and the print! That beautiful tartan print! It made people spotting me much easier: "I'll be the girl in a tartan dress!".

It seemed that my choice of underwear made a nice addition to the finish:

I headed off to the delightful comedy venue, The Stand Newcastle (also available in Edinburgh and Glasgow), and had the best burger I've ever had sober (cos when you're less than sober, every burger is the best burger!):

Whilst indulging in this master piece I did noticed I had a bit of a bra issue:

I think this Ewa Michalak bra was being too good a bra for this dress, it needed east / west syndrome back again!

Not to be deterred mind, I went on to through caution and dignity to the wind and laughed with abandon! It wasn't hard, given the line up!

It was a 'chat show' style affair, with the great Steffen Peddie (otherwise known as Big Keith in hit BBC Comedy Hebburn) as host.

First up was Neil Grainger, otherwise known as Gervaise in the hit BBC Comedy Hebburn. Steffen guided us through Neil's career, taking in such delights as Cross Roads and Banged Up Abroad!

After a short interval, Chris Ramsey, otherwise known as Jack in hit BBC Comedy, Hebburn) took to the settee, ready for a range of questions, from Wasps Nests to Harlem Shakes. Video below:

(this was my first attempt at recording something. Please forgive me!)

Next up we had the two return to the stage along with Hebburn creator and star Jason Cook! Hilarity ensued! I can not put in words! It showed how difficult it must have been to get any work done with these 4 around!!

I've stolen the photo from a facebook page as I wasn't allowed to take photos due to house rules

I was unfortunately at the gig on my own, so pretty much stayed in my seat to ensure I kept it! I would highly recommend the venue, and the Big Owl Comedy Chat Show which is on every month at The Stand Newcastle. 

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

Equality

I've been thinking about this idea a lot recently.

Equal. 

Having the same right as another. 

The dictionary defines it as: "The state of being equal, esp. in status, rights, and opportunities".

But as we know, it is not as simple as that. 

I saw a great quote the yesterday, on Facebook of all places:

"I learned first-hand that fat people are the recipients of the last remaining socially acceptable prejudice. Racism and sexism will get you ostracised in more enlightened communities, but you can mock fat people all you want."

We're fair game, aren't we? A fat, easy target?

So often, us fatties use humour as a defense mechanism anyway, that we would probably laugh, or extent the joke further. By doing this though, are we not saying: 'YES! It's okay to make fun of me. Continue?'

I was watching, of all things, The Chase (if you're not familiar, it is a game show in the UK with Bradley Walsh), where the 'Beast' came on. I was very angry. Here, on prime time (7pm on a Sunday evening) telly, we had a popular face of TV mock the Beast for his sheer size. No other reason for this. The Beast responded in turn. I can't remember these comments, I was too shocked, and probably too busy frantically tweeting my fury. 

Why am I annoyed?

We know children learn behaviour they see around them. At 7pm on that Sunday, they saw that it was okay to mock someone for being FAT. If it had been race, or disability, or creed, it would have been an OUTRAGE across the social media world. I didn't see anything about it: did you?

No, and that is because it is seen as acceptable.

We are showing our children that bullying someone for their size is okay. That mocking them for eating a bag of crisps is funny. How do we know that that is the only food they'll have today? We don't. 

So I say we're not as equal as others, not while Fat Hating is rife. 

What I do say is: we can be Healthy at Every Size (HAES), and someone who is a size 2, could be more unhealthy than a person who is a size 22. 

Who are we to judge?

Much love my lovelies,

K x