Hello friends, it’s been a minute.
November was a little bonkers and I just didn’t have much to say. Well, not that I would publicize on the internet anyway.
Today though, I was the subject of one of my student’s photography projects and was reminded how much wiser this generation is about bodies than I was at 15…or 42 for that matter. For the project, she asked questions about my life and took photos as I answered. In my mind I thought, “this is not a good angle for my double chin” but I kept that to myself (my issues are MY issues, afterall) and continued to answer her questions. When she was done with the interview she began looking through the photos and repeatedly said, “Ms Thach, you slay!” She then showed me her favorites and the first thing I noticed was how well she’d used the light from my windows, but the second thing I saw was my chins and belly and I cringed.
This is not the first time in recent weeks that one of these girls has challenged my fatphobic critique of myself. I am careful never to speak negatively about my body to my children or my students but it is an ever-present voice in my head from a lifetime of anti-fat programming. The way these girls exist in the world, not being self-conscious about curves or fat is inspiring really. I am in awe of the way they reject the standards being pushed on them and say “nope, not interested.” How different their lives will be without that pressure to fit a mold only made for a tiny fraction of the population.
I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it until my brain (and the rest of the world) has made the connection: fat is not the worst thing a woman can be. In fact, it’s not even a bad thing to be. It’s just something that some people are and is no one else’s business. Imagine that.