Finding Acceptance in the “Fat”osphere

Thin may be in on the runways, but the blogosphere is providing heavy men and women with a place to inspire each other–not to try the latest fad diet or lose that last 5 pounds, but to accept themselves as they are.

The fat acceptance movement has been growing steadily in response to the dwindling sizes of models, celebrities, and the average man or women who feels pressured to live up to those unrealistic standards. The primary message behind fat acceptance is one of health, not excess or loss of control. Because tools like BMI calculators do not take into account frame size or muscle percentage, many athletes and other healthy people are categorized as fat or even obese. This has contributed to shock figures like “6 out of 10 Americans are overweight“.

Some doctors, however, are not convinced. They say that the majority of people who are overweight are that way because of their lifestyle. Doctors are afraid that the fat acceptance movement might deter people from trying to lose weight and get healthy. This competes with the fat acceptance notion that some people are fat or skinny the way other people are tall or short.

Either way, the fatosphere can be a positive and empowering place for people who are sick of unhealthy dieting and snide comments about their weight. It’s a way for people who are comfortable with their bodies to push back against the growing pressure to lose weight, and find like-minded friends in the process.