The Fatosphere is undergoing a rough patch. It's difficult to tell when it started, but the "infighting" has gotten too much and some bloggers are taking themselves out. There are some nasty issues bubbling away here - racism, classism, ethnocentrism. The Fatosphere is a diverse, complicated place (a recent excellent post on Babble discussed this in more detail). The lesson: conflict is bound to happen - and it can be a very good thing. It can also be bad. Personal attacks, sniping, rudeness, etc are not productive.
So here's my plea - try to keep it together, y'all. You're all different; your political leanings, colors, and various allegiances are many. However, there is one thing, at the very least, that unites you: you want people to like their bodies, just as they are; you're tired of people telling you how you "should" be*. Whatever else you might enjoy, be it protesting large gatherings of Republicans or hunting or collecting Victorian-era etiquette books, is part of what makes you you. It's part of what makes the Fatosphere, ideally, a vibrant, interactive place.
That message - it's okay to like your body, even if it doesn't comply with arbitrary social standards - is an important one. It's helped me immensely, albeit unexpectedly. I can't imagine all the other people - yes, of varying colors/political parties/sexualities/genders - who have also heard something valuable in your voices.
I'm not asking your to stop expressing your opinions; far from it. Just be respectful of others' as well.
*I'm really killing my AP English teacher.
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1 comment:
I don't keep up with the fatosphere but did venture over there last week and saw the posting about someone leaving. It's sad that this is happening, but I think every great thing has their growing pains.
Hopefully, things can come to a unification or at least acceptance and they can get back to posting what their message is really about.
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