Well, let me ask an apparently stupid question to all of you who are afraid (which includes me, since many people *don't* know, even though many do). When you imagine telling a particular person, what do you imagine they will say in response? And how do you imagine that would make you feel? And can you imagine a way for you to respond that would feel positive?

Thanks for these, huge help!!! I want to compile the recent ones and use them in the text of a response, and then put the whole list in a 'bibliography' to attach. I can't believe how smug they were, and I just want to show them that it wasn't all about them.

After that I'll try to place it there. I had a piece in Ms. in 1993; might be amusing to try again. (To be honest, I didn't even know it was still publishing.)

What did she recommend? How high was it? What's your family history of heart disease?

Whatever the answers are to these things, the first thing I did when I got that news was buy an at-home meter, to keep track of patterns over the time of day, how much was white-coat, and so on.

You can lower your salt intake, you can get on medication, you can try to be more active. All of those things will help at least somewhat. And then just keep watching.

If it were serious s/he would've put you on meds.

Is it really true that none of you knows places where we've been trashed by fat activists? I know it has happened a number of times...

Silver Fox posted this link in a thread in the General forum, and I just watched it:

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I haven't watched the whole show, but I certainly will. Did anyone else see it? or watch it on youtube? What do you all think of it? Is it a good view on fat people?

Would love to hear any and all thoughts...

Yeah, she'd interview you by email or phone or in person. Totally anonymous, you can make up your name. She wants to talk about the usual stuff--when did you start having the fantasies, do you act on it, why or why not, how does it fit in your life, blah blah blah. Basically all the stuff we talk about in the forums.

She's really nice, and definitely looking to do a sympathetic story. Ruby had the same vibe, and I doubted her until I talked to her, but she's the real deal. Let me know if you have any other questions, but you could always just email her and see how it feels.

Aren't Brad Pitt and George Clooney routinely dragged out as proof of that?

When I first read that, I thought you said 'My last name is palindrome', and I though, 'I don't believe you.' But *a* palindrome, that's certainly believable.

Mine's boring--and I might have posted it ages ago and forgotten. Many years ago, I wanted to use the yahoo bbw chatrooms, and I wanted a name that meant 'fat', but that felt too aggressive. When I thought of all the euphemisms, they all seemed embarrassed and apologetic, which I didn't want. Then I came upon the translation of 'zaftig', a Yiddish word often used for fuller women, which is 'juicy'.

And here I am, ever since.

We're going to lose a chance at a sympathetic story if someone doesn't step up, team...

From the always wise Bella:

To me it makes more sense to work on respect. Respect for diversity and respect for the individual. Getting the general population to accept fat people not to mention feederism requires people to learn respect as a first if anything is going to happen. Some things simply can't be understood, and it's a lost cause trying to convince everyone, however learning to respect that people are different, have different dreams and desires and that diversity is a good thing, a sign of a healthy society should be achievable.
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I agree completely. The question, then, is: how do we go about that? I think on some level all efforts--whether militant or legislative or whatever else--have all been trying ultimately to reach that point. How do you get people to respect each other?

Does anyone have any ideas?