two plus size women in a pool hugging

“But why is a healthy, natural attraction to fat bodies so difficult for us collectively to believe? Why do we so readily accept that thin bodies are universally desired and lovable, while so certainly rejecting the same prospect for fat bodies?”
—Aubrey Gordon, What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat

Anti-fat bias is a huge problem in our society, as Aubrey Gordon points out. This reminds me of all of the ancient statues of fat gods, goddesses, and other exalted entities. To be fat was not always to be stigmatized. To be skinny was not always to be worshipped. In many cultures, it was exactly the opposite. Which just proves that there are all kinds of ways to love and revere the human body. We must actively resist what our culture is telling us about the lovability of people based on size. What a ridiculous way to view the world. All people deserve respect. All people are lovable.

We all have internalized biases of one sort or another. We can’t help it. What are yours? Can you flip them around?