Mama Cass was Different

It has been way too long since my last RTFO.  I miss it!

(Previous RTFOs: Jill Scott, Beth Ditto, of Gossip.)

And I haven't yet taken the time yet to tell you what RTFO stands for.  How rude!  If you're curious, you can take a look at this helpful link to decide for yourself on the best fit.

So for those of you sitting at your desk, wishing you had some delightfully strange, inspiring children's music from the 60s, I am pleased to present Mama Cass on the kid's show, Puff n Stuff.

In fact, I'm going to devote a little more space than usual for an RTFO to one of my all-time favorite singers, since the above song-while not out of character-is not representative of the majority of her work.

All I can say is, what a voice.  Here's "Dream a Little Dream".

I'm a little wary of writing this entry, as excited as I am to share old videos of Mama Cass.  Because I think it's totally condescending to write blog posts about specific fat people and write that they are awesome, therefore lending credence to the idea that fatness and awesomeness are generally mutually exclusive.

So bear with me.  I know of a study, or survey - I wish I could find it - where the subjects said that race and fatness are the first thing they notice about some one when they walk into a room, and the last thing they would want to include in a description about them.  But I truly think that as any of us befriend some one who is outside the norm - either fat, a different race, funky-haired and/or croc-wearing - we eventually become blind to their differences.  Or, at least, we see an entire person.

In that vein, every once in awhile I like to highlight people who were defined by their differences in the public eye, and made every one realize that their differences are not a big deal.  (Every one except, I guess, Internet people.)

credit casselliot.com

Mama Cass was definitely different.  And as a result, she faced discrimination, a drug problem, an unlucky love life, and crash diets that made her very ill.  The ultimate insult to her legacy is the persistent myth that her cause of death was choking on a ham sandwich - it was actually heart failure caused by excessive dieting.  I remember hearing an allusion to this story in Austin Powers.  (Sound clip can be found here.)

But she was upbeat, funny, and charismatic.  In the spirit of the era, she celebrated herself and the wonderful aspects of her physical size and personality that made her unique.  And she inspires me to this day.

BONUS: Cass singing with Joni Mitchell and Mary Travers.  Enjoy!

Regan Chastain, "Fathelte" supreme

[Trigger warning for really mean trolls.  But it's nothing you haven't heard before.]

I want to turn your attention to Ragen Chastain, size activist who blogs at Dances With Fat.  (Also the author of the incredible Why I Quit Dieting: True Stories from Real Women: How I Quit Dieting.  My post can be found here.)

credit motherhoot.com

I actually just remembered a post that I read on Socimages last year, from before I recognized Ragen's name.  She wrote this guest post about trying to convince trolls that she is in shape.

Okay, so we all probably know that persuading trolls that fat isn't bad for you is one of the most thankless tasks on the planet.  This is one of the more tame comments that Ragen received on her blog:

5’4 and 280 pounds is not healthy and you’re just deluding yourself if you think it is. There is no way that you can work out the way you say you do and eat the way you say you do and still be that fat.  You are not healthy and you need to get real, stop gorging yourself and get to the gym.

Here's the thing, Ragen is really fit.  When the trolls aren't convinced by pictures and videos showcasing her incredible flexibility, strength, grace, and stamina, Ragen writes,

Many of the people who posted weren’t satisfied with disagreeing with my Health at Every Size lifestyle or calling me a liar, but actually felt the need to diminish my accomplishments. I can only assume that they were trying to avoid some sort of cognitive dissonance. In addition, the comments reflect an intense desire to convince me that no amount of accomplishment is enough if I am fat — as if being fat is such an utter failure that it eclipses anything else that I could possibly accomplish...Remember Jennifer Hudson’s commercial where she said “Before Weight Watchers, my world was can’t” even though before Weight Watchers she had won a Grammy for her first CD and an Oscar for her first film?

Ragen is an inspirational figure and excellent writer, so after reading this blog post, I enthusiastically refer you to her blog, Dances With Fat, also on the blogroll on the right-hand side of this page.

Ragen receives a LOT of hate mail.  If you're interested in hearing what the trolls have to say, and the funny retorts that Ragen fires back at them, you can click on the link below; also, in doing so, you'll benefit HAES-friendly companies and organizations.

http://www.danceswithfat.com/hate/

RTFO presents Jill Scott, "Hate on Me"

Sometimes even I get tired of having a platform to vent my thoughts, and I just want to dance to this song.

Two BAFLs speaking out against fat hate

Happy anti-bullying month!  October is here.  And my non-fatosphere blog roll and facebook news feed was all abuzz about two awesome women using a public platform to speak out against fat hatred.  Do yourself a favor and check it out!

First, Jennifer Livingston, an anchor on a CBS morning station, speaks out against a man who sent her a letter critical about her body, saying that she is setting a bad example to her community.  Kudos to her for, instead of shrugging it off, calling out this e-mail for what it really is: bullying.  She says: 

If you are at home and talking about the fat news lady, guess what? Your children are probably going to go to school and call someone fat.

Of course, I dream of a world where "fat" is neutral description rather than a taunting insult, but that is not where we're at.  I absolutely agree with Livingston.  Parents set an example for their children, and we cannot accomplish anything in a world where kids are taught to be cruel.

Next is my permanent crush, Krista Burton, who blogs at the highly popular Effing Dykes.  Even if you identify as straight, I highly encourage you to read it - her long-winded posts are so entertaining and in equal measure compassionate and hilarious.  This entry's topic is about a straight woman who asks Krista to blog about how all lesbians are fat.  She pours her heart out about generalizing, the word "fat", and queer bodies.

The post is here.

Why I Quit Dieting: True Stories from Real Women

I love Substantia Jones.  SERIOUSLY!  I was just a wee university feminist when I saw her beautiful photoblog linked to feministing.  She was my instant portal into the world of size acceptance.   I've already linked her website, adipositivity, several times on this blog, and it's bursting with imaginative, colorful photography and warm and humorous commentary.  PLUS, I messaged her/friended her on facebook and SHE FRIENDED ME BACK.  What a woman.

So naturally, her link to this interview, put together by the excellent Ragen Chastain, appeared on my newsfeed, where she and a number of other women share their experiences with dieting.  It's brilliant, by the way, do yourself a favor and read the whole thing.

Text:
Substantia quit because:

"I was among the first people in the US to do Fen-Phen in the '90s.  That was the last of many diets for me.  I learned the diet industry is a massive and unscrupulous money-making machine, of which the media (and a many medical professionals) are complicit, often even participatory.

I actually phoned my doctor once, worried I might die from never putting food in my mouth.  I decided to quit dieting and be healthy instead.  I listen to my body, respect nature and human variation, and I focus on overall health, which includes happiness.

The shame associated with food and body have fallen away, making room for the pleasure and function provided by both.  The results of altering nature for the sake of misguided vanity are temporary, but the damages can last a lifetime.  I've developed a more critical eye when reading media coverage of medical studies, and find my methods supported there.  I also get regular medical check-ups and am reassured by my stats.  I think the best thing that you can do for your body is give it pleasure and attention."


I want to thank Substantia and these other wonderful women for sharing their experiences.  Even though I already mentioned in one of my pages that I'm on the fence about dieting itself (or "lifestyle changes" or whatever you want to call it), since we are living in a society where it has the power to make women feel like they can take control of their lives or feel better about themselves, I am overwhelmingly against the multi-billion dollar diet industry, which exists to sell itself at the expense of the physical and mental health of millions of women (and men).

And can you believe what a radical statement this eloquent, concise interview is?!  Conceding that overall health includes mental health, and that feeling happy is more important than being thin??  We're always told that thinness=happiness.  Happiness is magically granted upon arriving at that destination!  But it's people like Substantia Jones that can personally attest that that is not true.  She is letting herself be herself, fat and happy, which Melissa McEwan of shakesville.com has called "a radical act".

courtesy of flab-to-fab.com

Keep fighting that good fight, Substantia Jones!

courtesy of the adipositivity project

Even though you're swimming against a ridiculously powerful tide of fat-hating culture.

<image pending>

"They just don't understand that bigger people can be elite athletes"

Readers, it looks like we have yet another BAFL (Bad Ass Fat Lady), here to offer us some fantastic words of acceptance and wisdom.  Her name is Cheryl Haworth.  OLYMPIC MEDALIST Cheryl Haworth!! Heard of her?  Seen her?

thank you, pbs.org

Damn, she is so inspiring.  I highly encourage you to read the entire article.  She discusses having to face people who are confused by a woman who is both very fat and in excellent physical shape.  She also shares about weightlifting and other experiences.
They also discuss the fantastic documentary about her experiences, STRONG, linked below.  I haven’t actually had a chance to watch the entire thing yet, but it’s not too long, under an hour, and it won’t be streaming for much longer!  Be sure to check it out.

Interview

Documentary

Legitimate Voices in Fat Acceptance: Regina Benjamin

Even for those of us who believe in the system, political discourse about fat is pretty disappointing.  I mean, there is almost no discourse.  Fat acceptance is not a mainstream issue, even in the progressive world.  We only really hear about "the obesity epidemic".

I'm not sure what fat acceptance legislation would look like.  Cracking down on weight-related discrimination in the workplace?  Regulating the diet industry?  (Weight is not a protected class.  I did not realize that.)

These are serious problems, although I know government spending has other priorities right now.  Fat acceptance does not necessarily ask for laws to change, but it asks people to change their very firmly-held world views.  And in order to ask people, largely women, of all shapes and sizes, to reexamine their societally-imposed self-hatred and constant feeling of competition with one another, we're going to need public figures with strong voices, a lot of influence, and a respectable knowledge base to add their voices to the cause.

Look, I may be an ally, and I may be Phat as hell, but my influence is quite limited.  (A brief shout-out to my 5 followers, you guys are the best.)  My knowledge is limited by my own non-fat/non-professional experience and my reading.

So there's some one I want you to meet.

Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, the 18th Surgeon General of the United States.
Google her.  I mean, you don't have to.

First, let's take a look at her undeniable credentials.  First of all, she is our first Surgeon General appointed from a private practice (non-military appointee).  What did she do at her private practice?  She campaigned for health access for the poor in Alabama, her home state, and is a strong, ongoing advocate for women's reproductive rights, encouraging all medical schools to encourage abortion training.  Her awards include a Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, the honor of being the first person under 40 (and first black woman) to be appointed to the board of the AMA, and, oh, a MacArthur Genius Grant. 

(For a great post on this, check out Unapologetically Fat.)

Of course, many major mainstream news outlets did not lose a chance to celebrate this historic nomination.  Oh, who am I kidding: I mean the very important news story that a fat woman had been nominated for Surgeon  General. 

There's this gem from ABC: Critics Slam Overweight Surgeon General Pick, Regina Benjamin. 

Bloggers on Salon.com speculated that Benjamin is 40 pounds overweight, perhaps a size 18. The nominee didn't return calls from ABCNews.com, so there is no information about how much she weighs or her eating and exercise habits.

Well, isn't that surprising.  And the always-classy Michael Karolchyk, featured on Fox News:

Would you want Michael Jackson's doctors to be in charge of drug control at the DEA? The bottom line is it's a symbolic position and obesity is the number one issue facing our country in terms of the health and wellness and she has shown not that she was born this way, not that she woke up one day and was obese, she has show through being lazy, and making poor food choices, that she's obese.

And of course, a bunch of stupid concern-troll stuff all over the Internet.  This one is from Washington Post Voices:

Some even say that her weight may help her better understand other people's struggles to maintain a healthy body size and in turn may help the general public relate to her better. Think Oprah.

To me, this epitomizes our society's obsession with obesity as *the* most important health concern of our generation, and the obesity narrative as one of loss of control and willpower.  

But may they be right?  Just listen to her radical ideas on health, hatched from her evil plot to keep America obese.

now let's RTFO

And now, an interlude from the deliciously weird and overall fantastic Beth Ditto, of Gossip.  Also, she speaks German?  Without breaking a sweat??