Why 'Fat' is Simply Fabulous

Recently, I fell upon a terrible moment of public nudity.

Long story short, I lost a men’s arm wrestling match and had to take my top off as a forfeit… I hadn’t worn a bra that day. Typically, I revelled in the moment of drunken rebellion. Heckled by the cat-calling crowd, the notion that what I was doing might even be slightly shameful had completely escaped me. Until a few evenings later, in an (again, drunken) argument with a girl who’d witnessed the event but who I’d never met before. She made various digs at my promiscuity (might I add, I had nowhere near been with or even flirted with a man that evening), and then, in such an original burst of insult, she called me fat.

Now, I’m not a small lady. I hold a good 5’ 10’ and average a size 12 to 14. Her claim probably has a lot of truth to it. But hell, I like to eat cake. No, I wasn’t insulted by the remark. It brushed off me just as many have in the past. What really got to me was the fact that “fat” has somehow become our go-to catfight insult. Is fat really the worst a girl can be?

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Fat isn’t worse that vindictive, spiteful or cruel. All of which my new friend would fall into the category of. In fact, I would say that fat is probably one of the more courageous ways a woman can live. Katie Hopkins, the lovely liberal lady that she is, has openly admitted to being “fattist”. Because, obviously, all fat people are lazy and unintelligent and she, in her words, wouldn’t ever consider hiring one. I don’t know about you, but this somewhat rings alarm bells in my little feminist mind. Does this not have the same tune as racism, sexism and homophobia? Sectioning out one particular sector of society because they’re different to your ideal? I’d really hoped we were past that, Britain.

There’s a very deep and complicated conversation somewhere here about the development of our society and the notion that thin is beautiful. But let’s not get too serious whilst I’m eating pie. My point is that it takes a lot of balls to be fat. Some people want to change, yes, but some of us are really very happy with our curves and the occasional food baby. And, even though many have, and would, argue that I’m nowhere near, I’d like to stand up and say that I’m proud to be fat. I’ll break the stereotype as much as I like, thank you. I don’t have any lacking confidence (clearly…) and I’ll slip in that I’m also very much still attractive to various love interests. Health wise I probably beat many a bone-thin “beautiful” model. And I like it that way. I like having my cake, I like eating it, and I like going back for more and sticking the finger to anyone who uses “fat” as an insult.

Fat is not the worst a person can be. I’m amazed that we still have to protest shit like this. Black rights, women’s rights, gay rights… fat rights? Be proud of who you are and be proud of who you want to be, however much someone tries to use it against you.

Now go eat some cookie dough and take your top off in inappropriate public spaces.

All comment pieces reflect the views of the writer concerned and not necessarily those of The National Student or its editorial staff.

Why 'Fat' is Simply Fabulous

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