Gaining

You might try looking to see if anyone is looking at you. Such as looking in mirrored surface to see who might be. Not all would be FAs butt some will.

The "eating emoticon" would make a nice feedee badge:

:G

For feeders, I suggest the fork:

--E

or simply:

I <3 :G

A non-serif font would look better for all of these.

Ok. I may get in trouble here, but I think that all FAs, regardless of gender, object choices, etc., simply need to make a habit of telling people they find attractive that they do. The only counter to not believing you're attractive is repeated messages to the contrary (and maybe some therapy/counselling). Consider the awkwardness of doing this and the discomfort of bad responses as your way of sharing the burdens we live w as fat folk.

As Ghandhi said, be the change you wish to see.

I was actually about to suggest this when I saw the thread, lol. I think something more discreet would be better than a badge however, something that wouldn't draw unwanted attention from the haters haha. Something that if you knew what to look for it would be apparent but if not it wouldn't stand out to you. I'm going to keep thinking on this, but I would be seriously down to do it if we can work this out.

Also, why does dimensions hate us?

As with all communities, there are people interested in feeding who are thoughtless at best and abusive at worst. But to tar us all with the same brush, and to then extend that to any practice of gaining in reality, is *quite* the leap of illogic.

Just like we don't judge all heterosexuals by the ones who beat their partners, we shouldn't all be judged by the thoughtless and abusive feeders. And just as people are entitled to pickle their livers in alcohol if they so choose, why shouldn't we be allowed to choose less healthful eating habits if we think the pleasure is more important than longevity?

Dimensions still has a weightgain section in their forums too.

How do you spot an FA?

If they have a fat partner chances are they are an FA!

As someone who is a long-time fat liberation activist and also practicing feeding, can you help me understand why the two are 'not exactly compatible'?

I agree that 'size acceptance' and 'fat acceptance' are weak phrases, and they suggest tolerance rather celebration, as Babybelly points out. I don't use them. I prefer 'fat activism', 'size liberation', and other similarly active and activist ideas.

@grim: I agree that there are feeders who are as coercive and as exploitative as any diet monger. My problem with the idea that you can't be thoughtful and positive about your body and still want to change it is that we don't think the same about any other practice. For example, if someone wants more piercings or tattoos, we don't think they're insecure. Of course some people gain from a place of insecurity. But can't it be possible to gain from a place of security, joy, celebration? I think it can.

If you have a nice-sized belly, put on a too-small t-shirt. Make sure the shirt is small enough so that it exposes a bit of your belly.

Go out in public. From time to time, "absent-mindedly" pull down the shirt to cover up your belly. Of course the shirt will immediately ride up as soon as you let go.

The FAs will be the ones gaping at your belly.