Upon opening my web browser this morning, I came across a clip from ‘The Early Show’. They were discussing the Marie Claire blog post where some bitchy blogger ranted about how she didn’t want to see fat people making out. I’ve read the blog and a lot of responses to it, but I was surprised to see ‘The Early Show’ make mention of it at all, considering that I tend to be surprised when mainstream media cares about the fatties. Their response was about the same as everyone else: Seriously?
The Marie Claire blogger was talking about the show ‘Mike and Molly’, a sitcom revolving around two fat people who meet in Over-eaters Anonymous and fall in love. She felt that the show was promoting obesity (cuz damn, those people ain’t fat, they be O-bese!), and that fat people are generally disgusting and should not be seen doing anything. She stated in the post that clearly anyone who is fat is lacking in self-control, much like an addict or alcoholic, and if we want, we fatties can send her an email and ask her how she stays so gosh darn trim. The blogger later came back, after a near internet riot and several O-bese women canceling their subscriptions to the publication, and apologized for contributing to the ‘bullying’ fat people receive on a constant basis, and stated that it might be her past of battling anorexia that colored her judgment. She probably needed to say that in the first paragraph of the post, so we could all go ‘Oooh, ok.’
I’d been mulling over talking about this for a few days, because there were a couple of things I wanted to address. I didn’t want this to be just some rambling post about me being angry with no real point to it. I’m going to do my best to make as much sense as possible, so bear with me.
First, the subject of fat sexuality. The thing that offended me most about the Marie Claire post was the fact that this woman seemed to believe that we as fat people had no right to public displays of affection, or to express ourselves in any kind of a sexual manner. I wish I could believe that this was just one person’s opinion, but living in the real world as I do, I notice that when I see a round couple doing things like holding hands and kissing, or cuddling up together, people either look away seemingly uncomfortable, or gape at them openly. I often wonder what goes through their heads. Is it like watching a car wreck for them? I have been on the receiving end of many stares as of late, as I am currently 8 months pregnant. I have watched people throughout the months playing the Is-she-pregnant-or-just-fat game with their eyes. People stare at me with this fascination I cannot explain. I wish I could say it was because the glow of motherhood made me look like some sort of curly haired earth goddess, but I think it has more to do with my size.
People of the internet, possibly the world, I have only one thing to say on the matter. Yes, fat people have sex, and often. Fat people have sex with other fat people, and they have sex with non-fat people. There are even people out there who willingly want to have sex with fat people, and seek them out. And sometimes, when a fat woman has sex she gets pregnant.
In the same way that gay men and women should not have to hide who they are or their sexuality, fat people shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed because we too are sexual creatures. We’ve all got body image issues, even that Marie Claire blogger. No one, be they fat, skinny, male, female, or other, should be ridiculed for looking as they do and wanting to do something as mundane as kiss in a bowling alley.
I think I’ll make this a two-parter, and stop for now. Come back next time where I address ‘Mike and Molly’ themselves, and my issue with fat people on TV.
Til then, dear reader.
