This topic, words fat people need to reclaim, comes from the incredible body.lib.robinhood, who I follow on Instagram. She referred to the pain of being told she was “too much”. I’ve also been told this. I can honestly say it broke my heart. Despite the facade I display when I’m out in the world, I am not naturally a people person. I suffer from depression, anxiety and social anxiety. I find being “on” and acting as if I’m bubbly, happy and outgoing exhausting, and I can only do it for so long. So when I go to all that effort to be a nice person to be around and not inflict my issues on others, to be told I’m “too much” is incredibly hurtful. So here we go!

Fat

An obvious one, I grant you, but it is crucial. Fat is an adjective, a word that describes a person or a thing. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, fat should be just a word with no more significance than tall, blonde or fair. Fat has become one of the worst insults you can throw at a person. In one study, a group of nine-year-olds questioned were more afraid of being fat than losing one of their parents. This needs to end, and words have power. So I am taking back the word. From now on, if someone calls me fat, I will confidently and sassily answer, “Yeah, so?”. I AM FABULOUS. Genuinely. And so are all of you.

Too Much

I’ve already explained how hurtful this term is. Have you noticed, though, that it’s almost exclusively used with large-bodied people? I have a friend named Hannah. She’s very blonde, very Cumbrian, and one of the loudest people you’d ever meet. No one ever calls her too much, though. They shouldn’t because she’s so lovely. So why would a fat person who acted the same be seen differently? Simple! We’re supposed to be ashamed of being fat and ashamed of taking up space. So we’re meant to be quiet and self-deprecating and not draw attention to ourselves. If we are loud, then we’re not playing by the rules, and we’re too much.

Today I say, screw that! I am going to be me. I have spent so much of my life hating myself and having low self-esteem. Hiding away and never striving for anything because I was afraid of getting it wrong. I am going to have faith in my abilities and allow myself to be as bright and bold as I want to. I might even get a t-shirt that says too much and proud of it 😃

Healthy

I know that might sound strange, as healthy is not an insult. It is a word that is literally never applied to fat people. The fact is there are healthy fat people just as there are unhealthy thin ones. It is impossible to tell if someone is healthy or unhealthy just by looking at them. So I am reclaiming healthy because a lot of my behaviours are and my health, in general, is good. I eat loads of vegetables and have a fairly balanced diet. When I’m well, I’m at the gym three times a week. I say when I’m well because I returned to the office for one day recently and have my first cold in a year. 🙄 Maybe I should consider life as a hermit?

Any More?

I am confident there are many more words fat people need to reclaim so please let me know what you would add to the list. I admit today’s post is shorter than normal because I’m not feeling great. Hopefully I’ll be in fine fettle by Thursday and normal service will resume. Til then remember to wear masks and wash your hands. I got a cold but COVID is still out there. Stay safe!