To the Jerk at the track, from the Fatty.

There was a charming piece on my Facebook last night, shared by some athlete’s page, and linked to me because a friend “liked it”.it came from a site page here

When I read it my heart sank, because not only was it the usual bullshit fat tropes, but it expected me to treat the writer like a hero for realising fat people are, well… people.

This isn’t a news flash to some of us, and I was inspired to respond. I hope you enjoy it.

 

To the D-bag sitting on the side-line judging others….

There's something you should know: I know I rock, and you have NO IDEA.
Every shallow thought you have about someone else’s body, every insight you think you know about me based solely on my size, every hateful thought that flickers through your synapses when you see someone bigger than you… you are contributing to a stigma that stops people like me living better.

To go for a run people overcome a lot of things; apathy, discomfort, judgement, lack of time, fatigue. I had to start overcoming things before I even go for a run.

To go for a run I have to find a shop that sells size 18 or over running tops and shorts… comfortable ones that look nice and feel good and wash well. Ones designed to wick perspiration away from my body, because as you so kindly pointed out as you stared at me, I sweat when I do exercise (JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE). They don't often make them in my size, and when I go into those shops looking, people stare at me, because why does a fatty need exercise clothes?

Why do we need exercise clothes? Because we are out there, just like everyone else.

We are on your softball teams, in your gym, doing martial arts, in your dance classes. We are everywhere.
And if you came to the pool with me I would wipe my butt with you, because my buoyancy is epic (thanks to my fat!), my technique is amazing, and in spite of all your assumptions based on how I look, my cardiac fitness is pretty damn good.
My body is just bigger than yours. That weight isn’t "begging to be shaken off", it's part of my goddam body - stop wishing it away. What part of your life would change if there was less of me in the world? I can tell you no part of my life would change, because I’ve experienced life both slim and fat, and other than how the world treats me, my life is no different.

And since you so oddly speculated on my lack of headphones… When I exercise without music, I day dream. Your weird fantasy that I’m driven by self-hatred is SICK and you should look into professional help.

Without music, my mind wanders. I think about my amazing partner, I worry about work, I fantasise about what life will be like when I complete post-grad. I day dream about my last scuba dive, and think about when my next will be and where I will go.
My life is full and awesome, just like my body, and I don’t waste a second hating either.
It just makes me sad that without knowing anything about me you can project all that rubbish.

I know I’ve got this.
But thanks for making me realise that the world thinks LETTING ME EXERSIZE WITHOUT PEOPLE HATING ME is a prize winning moment.

Yours sincerely,

The fatty.