TW- weight loss

I have seen some pushback against people who have taken hard core no diet talk stances.

So let's talk about that a little.

To be clear- when I discussing intentional weight loss, I am not including people who are trying to lose weight due to medical gatekeeping

To me, that is a separate category, and I call it Coerced Weight Loss

Coerced weight loss is a massive problem that impacts

-trans people
-people who need organ transplants
-people who want to GIVE live donor organs for transplant to save a life
-people experiencing fertility issues
-people who need joint replacements

And others

No, I am only talking about weight loss that is chosen without direct coercion by an authority figure

And I do want to specify DIRECT coercion because we are all being indirectly coerced by cultural fatphobia and diet culture, all our lives

Ok so now that we are clear who we are talking about.

Let's tackle the body autonomy defense, aka "it's my body I can do what I want, so therefore I have the right to engage in diet talk"

Are you under the impression that I can make anyone do anything by tweeting?

I can't make anyone stop dieting.

If I was in the room with you, I couldn't make you not diet.

You can do whatever you want to, and you know that.

Which is why this is a full strawman.

Body autonomy arguments against fat activists are not valid in a situation where we have absolutely zero power to make anyone do anything

This is someone trying to slip past the actual argument fat activists are making by misrepresenting it.

The actual argument is that you can do whatever you like with to to your own body

But that the DIET TALK that always accompanies dieting should be seen as contributing to a culture of fatphobia that harms fat people.

Which it DOES

What people are flailing against here is a request to think about how your actions towards other people affect PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOU

Because talking to other people INVOLVES OTHER PEOPLE

That is what people cannot stand, knowing that they are hurting other people.

But YOU ARE THO.

Diet away, but if you can't stop spreading around fatphobia while you do it... because you can't stop talking about your diet bullshit

You should think about that.

Think about it HARD.

Why are people so incredibly defensive when spaces are declared No Diet Talk?

The entire rest of the world will celebrate your diet.

Why do you need literally every single person on board?

The existence of people who won't congratulate you is absolutely so threatening? Why?

I think it's because you KNOW that we're right.

Deep down, you know it.
And maybe you feel guilty.

So you lash out.

Diet culture harms everyone but it
M U R D E R S fat people.

It destroys our lives.

Is talking about your diet more important than that?

Why is your diet more important than my life?

Fat people are being killed by fatphobia every day

That is more important to me than someone's hurt feelings, and I am not sorry about that

Thin people make the mistake of thinking this is frivolous because it's frivolous TO YOU

Because thin people don't listen to fat people

I also wanted to add that discussions of "choice" when it comes to dieting are already missing the mark because people are not making decisions about dieting in a neutral environment.

They are making those decisions in a culture that violently & publicly punishes fat people

Queer people used to seek out ex-gay therapy when being gay would ruin your life

This discussion of "choice" was used to justify ex-gay therapy by medical professionals until gay people pushed back with the question--

How many people would choose ex-gay therapy in a more affirming world?

And now we know that the answer is very very few.

How would people choose to relate to food and eating in a world that wasn't violent towards fat people?

I hope we get to find out one day

I have a TikTok!
It's good and you should follow me https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJtpq27q/