The media prodding...

[AnnMarie]

It happens a lot, we get contacted, they see us here and reach out for info, details... I usually just decline and move on, but today I guess I was hot under the collar and spelled it out more clearly - how I feel, how a lot of my friends feel.

Query I got was (sure others got this today as well):

Hi There – I am hoping you can help me understand more about gainers for a story I am writing. I got your email off of the **** web site. Would you be willing to tell me more about the fat acceptance movement? I am happy to keep names out of the story. Perhaps you can help me talk to others. Please contact me via email or just call me on my cell today.

And my reply was:

I'm sorry, but I'm not a gainer ... and frankly every media outlet who tries to peek into our lives under the guise of "understanding" manages to do much more damage than good. Sweeping generalizations and media-juicy snippets are all that is ever done, and frankly I'm tired of all of us being treated like circus side shows.


We're just large people trying to navigate a world that is not built for us, in social lives that are set up to belittle and degrade us, and we try to maintain happiness, dignity, love, jobs, families, etc. We're only different because we aren't apologizing for who we are. We're only different because others want to keep making us feel that way.


I would love for your piece to prove me wrong but I wouldn't submit myself or anyone else I care about to be that guinea pig. Please let me know when it will air as I'd certainly like to see how we're treated this time around.


The media has the potential to give people a new way to see their lives, to empower big men and women to live now and stop waiting for "someday". It's a gift to start living for yourself and not hiding away or always hating yourself because everyone is taught that fat is ugly, worthless, stupid, lazy, smelly, etc. The media has the power to help, to let others know that it is ok to just "be", as you are. But when you mix in sexual fetish aspects for shock and awe, you do more damage because the very people who could helped by knowing there is another way to think about themselves don't want to be lumped in with "those people". It's sad.


Sensational sells. We get it. I just can't contribute to it anymore. Please don't take this as angry, we're just sick of the deception and editing that leads to exactly the opposite of what we'd want to accomplish, and I felt it was worth expressing the big picture to a national media outlet representative.

She replied nicely, also saying she wants to quote this part:

I'm tired of all of us being treated like circus side shows.

We're just large people trying to navigate a world that is not built for us, in social lives that are set up to belittle and degrade us, and we try to maintain happiness, dignity, love, jobs, families, etc. We're only different because we aren't apologizing for who we are. We're only different because others want to keep making us feel that way.



I haven't decided if I'm going to say yes (and it would be anonymous, I have *no interest in name involvement in this stuff)... I like the idea of that part of the story getting out, but I'm bothered largely by the fact that the first line of that quote isn't my entire sentence... it only tells part of what I was really saying. I suppose I could say include that whole first sentence or no thank you.


Sort of rambling, but figured I'd bring it up - any particular way you guys handle it?


**sorry for typos, this was all typed from my iphone, so anything is possible**

 

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