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Archive-name: fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance Posting-Frequency: monthly to *.answers, bi-weekly to soc.support.fat-acceptance and alt.support.big-folks Last-modified: March 7, 1995 Version: 1.12 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Size Acceptance This document contains information about clothing for fat people in the U.S. and in Canada. There are three other related FAQs: fat-acceptance-faq/resources world-wide information about general resources for fat people, including books, magazines and organizations fat-acceptance-faq/clothing/uk-europe information about clothing for large people in Europe (and in the United Kingdom in particular) fat-acceptance-faq/clothing/us-canada information about clothing for large people in the U.S. and Canada There is some overlap in the topics covered by the FAQs. If you don't find what you're looking for here, try the other FAQs. If you have information you think should be here (either in response to an existing question or in response to a new question), send it to the maintainers. If you think another question should be addressed here, and you do not have the information for it, post the question to s.s.f-a or a.s.b-f and drop a note to the maintainers suggesting that it be in the FAQ. Also, please let us know if any of this material is incorrect or out-of-date. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes from Last Version * Added section on International No Diet Day. * Added artists: Fat Chance Theatre, The Fatima, Cynthia McQuillin, 4 Big Girls, Wry Crips. * Added information on U.S. lawyers who have handled size-discrimination cases. * Added many new studies on obesity and health. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents SECTION A: FAQ about size acceptance and being large A1) What is size acceptance anyway? A2) What books address issues of size acceptance? A3) What are some fat positive artists, musicians, sculptors, etc.? A4) What legal remedies are there for discrimination on the basis of weight? A5) What research exists on fat people and health? A6) What advice do you have on dealing with doctors? A7) What should I know if I'm fat and pregnant? A8) Who are some famous fat people? A9) What is International No-Diet Day? SECTION B: Information about this FAQ B1) Posting information B2) Availability of the FAQ B3) Contributors ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION A: FAQ about size acceptance A1) What is size acceptance anyway? Size acceptance is the notion that people are OK (and should be treated with respect and feel good about themselves and enjoy life) at whatever size they are: thin, fat, or in-between. Size acceptance usually includes the notion that consciously manipulating one's weight (either gaining or losing) is not desirable and may even be harmful. It usually includes the idea that dieting for weight loss leads, in the long term, to higher rather than lower weights. The political side of size acceptance includes calling for public accommodations and public products to be accessible to all people, regardless of size. (This means, among other things, movie theatres should have seats that are wide enough for large folks, and clothing stores should carry attractive clothing in large sizes.) The political side also tries to address the discrimination that fat people often face because they are fat. It tries to propogate a wider range of beauty than is usually shown in the media. It tries to publicize the existing studies that indicate harmful effects of dieting and tries to educate people (i.e. doctors) about interacting respectfully and well with large folks. On the personal side, size acceptance involves feeling good about one's body and treating it well (good food, fun activities, nice clothing). It also involves feeling that one is entitled to be treated well (i.e., not accepting, or at least not internalizing, size-hating remarks). Not everyone who believes in size acceptance is totally accepting of their own size. This is a problem of a fat-hating culture, and one we are working to overcome. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A2) What books address issues of size acceptance? The books listed below deal with issues of fat and size acceptance. Most of these books focus on issues faced by fat women, though some may also be applicable to men. The Forbidden Body: Why Being Fat is not a Sin Shelley Bovey Pandora Press, 0-04-440871-4, $12.00 Overcoming Fear of Fat Laura S. Brown and Esther D. Rothblum, Ed. Harrington Park Press, 0-918-393-71-X, $14.95 I Like Me Nancy Carlson Puffin Books, 0-14-050819-8, $3.99 Notes: Children's book. A little pig talks about how much sie likes hirself (including hir curly tail, hir round tummy, and hir little feet). [skw] The Hungry Self: Women, Eating, and Identity Kim Chernin Harper Perennial, 0-06-092504-3, $12.00 The Obsession: Reflections on the Tyranny of Slenderness Kim Chernin Harper Perennial, 0-06-092505-1, $12.00 Breaking the Diet Habit C. Peter Herman and Janet Polivy Overcoming Overeating Jane Hirshman and Carol Munter Non-dieting, anti-dieting approach to overeating. Making Peace with Food: Freeing Yourself from the Diet/Weight Obsession Susan Kano Harper Perennial, $13.00 Great Shape: The First Fitness Guide for Large Women Pat Lyons and Debby Burgard Bull Publishing Co, 0-923521-01-1, $14.95 Notes: Excellent, excellent, excellent. They talk about fitness and movement as a right. They talk about barriers that keep people (particularly fat women) from exercising. Probably also applicable to men. [skw] Style is Not a Size Hara Estroff Marano Notes: Practical clothing tips, brand names. Highly recommended. [eb] Such a Pretty Face: Being Fat in America Marcia Millman Norton The World of Christopher Robin A.A. Milne Notes: Contains a charming poem "Teddy Bear" written from Pooh's perspective about being short and fat and handsome. [skw] Belinda's Bouquet Leslea Newman and Michael Willhoite Allyson Wonderland, 1-55583-154-0, $6.95 Notes: Children's book. Belinda is teased for being fat, decides to go on a diet, and later decides she's fine just the way she is. [skw] Fat Girl: One Woman's Way Out Irene O'Gaden Harper San Fransisco, 0-06-250727-3, $12.00 Fat is a Feminist Issue Susie Orbach Paddington Press Notes: More concerned with eating disorders than size acceptance. She seems to say that if you don't eat compulsively, you won't be fat. Which is questionable. [skw] Breaking All the Rules Nancy Roberts Notes: A delightful book with a lot about looking good *and* fat. Shadow on a Tightrope: Writings by Women on Fat Oppression Lisa Schoenfielder and Barb Wieser, Ed. Aunt Lute Books, 1-879960-25-7, $9.95 Notes: A fantastic collection of essays. One of the first fat activist works. [skw] Diets Don't Work Bob Schwartz Fat Girl Dances with Rocks Suasn Stinson $10.95 A fat 17-year-old girl get a summer job in a nursing home and meets people with various bodies and abilities. Before and After: Living Fat in a Thin Society Pattie Thomas (pthomas@luna.cas.usf.edu) P. O. Box 8507 Clearwater, FL 34620-8507 self-published booklet, available from the author $5 requested to defray costs, but no request refused for lack of funds (written for educational purposes) Notes: Collection of essays and poems from a feminist perspective about the author's experiences as a big woman. Journey to Self-Acceptance: Fat Women Speak Carol Wiley, Ed. The Crossing Press, 0-89594-656-4, $9.95 Women En Large: Images of Fat Nudes Laurie Toby Edison, photographer Debbie Notkin, editor/author ISBN 1-885495-00-5 Books in Focus P.O. Box 77005 San Francisco, CA 94107 1-800-463-6285 1-510-297-4012 US $24.95 plus $2 shipping and handling per copy Canadian $33.95 plus postage and handling Californians add $2.10 tax Notes: Collection of photographs of nude fat women, accompanied by radical text. Also has essays by and pictures of several a.s.b-f regulars. [skw] --------------------------------------------------------------------- A3) What are some fat positive artists, musicians, sculptors, etc.? 4 Big Girls Deb Parks-Satterfield 343 1/2 17th. Ave. Seattle WA 98122 African-American lesbian comedy troupe. Fernando Botero Contemporary South American artist whose works feathre very round and pear-shaped men and women. Works in a variety of media: drawings, paintings, and monumental sculpture. The Famine Within Documentary about weight as a cultural and class issue. Not entirely "pro-fat", but good nonetheless. It was made in 1990 by a Canadian filmmaker, and appears occasionally, at least in the U.S., on PBS. Fat Chance A film made by the Canadian National Film Board. A true story about Rick Zakowich, a 400 lb man who does music therapy for abused children, in addition to playing in a band and being an abstract painter. At the start, he is told he must lose 200 lbs for health reasons; he is also depressed, feeling isolated and alone. He ends up going to a conference on fat acceptance, and later begins a support group for overweight men. He comes to accept his body and discovers a fat-positive community in which he gets the support he needs to live his life as he is. The movie includes stills (of Rick and others) by a photographer he met at the conference who takes wonderful pictures of overweight people. Highly recommended. The movie is available from Bullfrog Films: P.O. Box 149 Oley, PA 19547 1-800-534 -3764 (610) 779-8226 Fax: (610) 370-1978 I'm not sure about the price, but I think a film copy is $275, and a videotape is $29.95. But don't hold me to it. Fat Chance in a Thin World NOVA episode, made by PBS. Features obesity researchers. Fat Chance Theatre Mimi Orner 418 Marston Ave Madison, WI 53703 Fat performance theatre. Fat Lip Reader's Theatre P.O. Box 29963 Oakland, CA 94604 Legendary fat feminist performance theatre. Travels around the country performing at feminist and lesbian gatherings to raise awareness of size discrimination and size esteem issues. Video of selected performance pieces available, titled _Nothing To Lose_. The Fatimas Ronda Wood Mor-2-Luv 9302 Valley View Ave Whittier, CA 90602 Work Phone: 310-693-1844 Fat belly dance troupe. Dawn French British actress, best know for her double act with Jennifer Saunders (French and Saunders). Owner of the women's store 1647 in London. R.C. Gorman Painter who specializes in scenes of the American southwest and whose works often include large women. Cynthia Mcquillin Unlikely Publications P.O. Box 8542 Berkeley, CA 94707 Work Phone: 510-843-6559 Home Phone: 510-843-6559 Email: c.mcquillin@genie.geis.com Fat feminist singer/songwriter. Has CD and tape titled _This Heavy Heart_ about dieting/body image/size issues. Daniel Pinkwater Writes children's books, and grown-up books. Commentator for National Public Radio. A fat man who makes no apologies for his size. The Roly Polys A British dance group composed of older, larger ladies, founded in 1980. Four of the five are average height and about UK size 18-20. The fifth, Big Mo (Mo Moreland) is 4'11" and UK size 28-30. She's the "darling dumpling" of the Roly Polys. She's also very fat-positive. Peter Rubens Famous Belgian artist of the Renaissance period. Source of the term "Rubenesque". Saffir Diana Mackin Seattle Now Body Image Task Force 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Rm #222 Seattle, WA 98103 Work Phone: 206-784-1004 Home Phone: 206-632-8547 Saffir performs size-positive street theatre for public education. Sistah Monica Fat blues singer from the Northern California area. Sings fat-positive songs. Judy Small Singer. Wrote "A Song for the Roly Poly People". Sapphire: The Uppity Blues Women One black and two white women in the 30's and 40's, all of whom apparently abandoned careers to hit the road and sing the blues. Fabulous, fat-positive entertainers. Wry Crips Pandoura Carpenter P.O. Box 21474 Oakland, CA 94620 Work Phone: 510-601-5819 Size-positive and disability awareness performance group. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A4) What legal remedies are there for discrimination on the basis of weight? This section currently contains information relevant to the U.S. only. Information from other parts of the world is also welcome in this section. There are two main legal recourses for addressing discrimination on the basis of weight. On the federal level, there is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (discussed below), and on the state and local levels there are anti-discrimination laws. Michigan's anti-discrimination law explicitly lists weight as a protected characteristic (just like race and gender). There's a bill pending in the Massachusetss House of Representatives to add weight to their list of protected categories. Contact Project 2000 if you'd like to work on getting this passed, especially if you live in Massachusetts and have a story to tell about discrimination based on weight. "The ADA is a broad piece of legislation made up of five parts. Title I of the ADA prohibits discrimination against disabled individuals by providing equal employment opportunities; Title II provides equal availability and accessibility to public services and transportation; Title III prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, commercial facilities, and services such as hotels, restaurants and grocery stores; Title IV deals with telecommunications, and Title V contains miscellaneous provisions for individuals based on their rights under the ADA."[1] The ADA does not explicitly list which conditions are covered under the act, so what is covered and what is not covered is being worked out in the U.S. courts. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) guidelines include obesity as a protected disability. (This means that they believe the ADA should apply to obese people, and they will allow suits to be brought under the ADA by obese people.) One is generally considered obese if one's weight exceeds the norm (whatever that is) by more than 15-20%. One is considered morbidly obese if one's weight exceed the norm by 100% or more. The existing ADA case law applies to morbidly obese people. The ADA has not been tested with regards to simply obese people. Note that airlines are specifically exempted from the Americans with Disablities Act. Instead, they are covered under the Air Access Act of 1990. The Department of Transportation would have information on the Air Access Act. One person on a.s.b-f was attending a class at a local university which didn't have any chairs large enough for her. For a while, she sat on the flooor, because the various departments at the university kept going back and forth over whose job it was to provide a chair for her. When nothing happened for too long, she called the departmental dean, the dean of the college, the dean of students, student support services, and finally the ADA. The ADA required a note from her doctor (she was pregnant at the time), and then "proceeded to get ugly with a bunch of people in the most wonderful way." The ADA people got her excused from class until she receives adequate support materials. The ADA people are wonderful advocates for this sort of thing. Watch this space for updates on her case. I know of two cases where people have sued because of discrimination on the basis of weight. Cook v. State of Rhode Island (2 AD Cases 1147 (1992); 1993 WL 470697 (1st Cir. (R.I.))) Plaintiff Cook was a 5'2", 320 poung Rhode Island woman who was turned down for the job as institutional attendant at a state school for the mentally retarded. Although Cook held the same job for eight years previous to her reapplication, this time she was disqualified by the state agency, whose officials claimed her morbid obesity made her an unacceptable health risk and impaired her ability to evacuate patients in case of emergency. Cook claimed her obesity had no negative effects on her health and it did not affect her strength or agility. She sued the state agency claiming that she was discriminated against due to her weight. The district court found in her favor. She was awarded $100,000 and the right to the next available position of institutional attendant mental retardation. The case was affirmed on appeal by the state agency for the following reasons. First, the court claimed that Cook was powerless to manage her weight, citing the fact that even after years of extensive dieting, she regained all of her weight. Second, dieting and/or fasting could not help slow down her metabolism. Third, although Cook's condition is voluntary, other voluntary conditions such as alcoholism are covered under federal disabilities laws.[1] case in OR A 405-pound man is suing Denny's for $1.3 million, claiming restaurant workers made him feel like "a clown on parade." Gary A. Sellick, 36, also claims that he couldn't fit into a booth and the restaurant was unable to provide a chair big enough to hold him when he tried to eat there June 8. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, says the experience caused Sellick emotional distress. "With them pointing at me and laughing, I immediately felt like a clown on parade," Sellick said. "I don't want to be stared at because I'm large. It's humiliating."[3] Note that the ADA does not apply to military personnel, because they are not civilians. And, as such, they are not protected by civilian law. The military can and does discriminate on the basis of weight. [1] Brady, Teresa. "The Obese: A New Protected Class Under the Americans with Disabilities Act." _The International Journal of Applied Philosophy_ v. 8, no. 2., Winter/Spring 1994: (24). Note that this article is very hostile to the idea of obese people being covered under the ADA. [2] Lambert, Wade. "Obese Workers Win On-the Job Protection." _Wall Street Journal_ November 12, 1993: (B1). [3] "405-pound man sues Denny's Restaurant." _The News and Observer_, Raleigh, NC, Sunday, July 24, 1994, p. 5A, col 1. Here are some more citations on weight and employment discrimination in the U.S. TITLE(s): Weighing In Against Obesity Discrimination. Summary: Cook v. Rhode Island, Department of Mental Health, Retardation, and Hospitals and the Recognition of Obesity as a Disability under the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act. JOURNAL: Boston College Law Review. July 1, 1994; volume 35 number 4 Page: 927 AUTHOR(s): Brucoli, M. Andrea TITLE(s): Cook v. Rhode Island, Department of Mental Health, Retardation, and Hospitals: Morbid Obesity As a Protected Disability or an Unprotected Voluntary Condition. JOURNAL: Georgia Law Review. Spring 1994; volume 28 number 3 Page: 771 AUTHOR(s): Neff, Barbara C. TITLE(s): Expanding Liability for Employment Discrimination: Obesity as a Handicap. JOURNAL: For the Defense. April 1, 1994; volume 36 number 4 Page: 14 TITLE(s): Employment Law. Summary: Terminated employee denied due process Noncompetition covenant unenforceable where employment was at will Recovery under Rehabilitation Act for discrimination based on obesity. JOURNAL: Law Reporter March 1, 1994; volume 37 number 2 Page: 52 TITLE(s): Civil Rights--Handicap Discrimination Law--Pennsylvania Excludes Obesity From Protection Under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, 591 A.2d 281 (Pa. 1991). JOURNAL: Temple law review. Summer 1992; volume 65 number 2 Page: 623 AUTHOR(s): Rothblum, E.D., P.A. Brand, Pamela A., and C.T. Miller TITLE(s): The Relationship between Obesity, Employment Discrimination, and Employment-Related Victimization. JOURNAL: Journal of Vocational Behavior. December 1, 1990; volume 37 number 3 Page: 251 AUTHOR(s): Klesges, R.C., M.L. Klem, and C.L. Hanson TITLE(s): The effects of applicant's health status and qualifications on simulated hiring decisions. JOURNAL: International Journal of Obesity. June 1, 1990; volume 14 number 6 Page: 527 AUTHOR(s): Carlsen, Susan B. TITLE(s): Legal Issues--A Heavy Issue: Is Obesity Grounds for Not Hiring? JOURNAL: School Business Affairs. June 1, 1993; volume 59 number 6 Page: 41 Also here are some attorneys who have handled size-discrimination cases. Lynette Labinger, Esq. Roney & Labinger 344 Wickenden St. Providence, RI 02903 Phone: 401-421-9794 Fax: 401-421-0132 Was the attorney for Bonnie Cook in COOK VS. RHODE ISLAND, the case that established a federal precedent for fat people's inclusion in disability rights protection. Kenneth I. Friedman, Esq. Beck & Eldergill 447 Center St. Manchester, CT 06040 Phone: 203-646-5606 Fax: 203-646-0054 Yvonne G. Bach, Wsq. 2 Penn Ctr Plaza #1204 15th and JFK Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19102 Phone: 215-496-9900 Fax: 2150496-9902 For cases involving weight-loss surgery. James Loots, Esq. Karin Stackpole, Esq. Barrymore & Loots 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 125 Washington D.C. 20006 Phone: 202-466-4950 Fax: 202-466-4956 James Goodman, Esq. Persons with Disabilities Law Center 56 17th Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30309 Phone: 404-892-4200 Fax: 404-892-0955 James J. Parks, Esq. Gabrian And Parks, P. C. 2525 Telegraph, Suite 303 Bloomfield, MI 48302 Phone: 810-334-6464 Attorney who handles first size harassment case (settlement is not public); self-described advocate for size rights; has appeared on television to debate size discrimination; currently has several cases under litigation. Marilyn H Marchetti, Esq. Oppenheimer, Wolff, & Donnelly 2 Prudential Plaza 180 N. Stetson Ave Chicago, IL 60601 Phone: 312-616-5838 Fax: 312-616-5800 Maureen J. Arrigo-Ward California Western School Of Law 225 Cedar Street San Diego, CA 92101 Phone: 619-525-1430 Fax: 619-696-9999 Email: marrigo@cwsl.edu Law professor who has written about size discrimination in legal journals. Carole Cullum, Esq. 290 Nevada St San Francisco, CA 94110 Phone: 415-863-5300 Fax: 415-863-8596 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A5) What research exists on fat people and health? This section contains a list of studies on fat people and health that seem relevant. "In Search of a Satiety Factor", Timothy J. Rink. Nature vol. 372 number 6505 December 1994 pp. 406-407. New England Journal of Medicine, 1986 (Stunkard et al., "An Adoption Study of Human Obesity", Volume 314, pages 193-198) Ernsberger & Koletsky, Journal of the American Medical Association Volume 269, page 1116 1993 Health Hazards of Obesity and Weight Control in Children: A Review of the Literature" by M.J. Mallick (American Journal of Public Health, Volume 73, pages 78-82, 1983). Studies collected by Sharon Curtis (sharon.curtis@comlab.ox.ac.uk): [1] D.M.Garner & S.C.Wooley "Confronting the Failure of Behavioral and Dietary Treatments for Obesity" (1991) Clinical Psychology Review, Vol. 11. pp. 729-780 [2] P.Ernsberger & P.Haskew: "Health implications for obesity: An alternative view" (1987) Journal of Obesity and Weight Regulation, 6, pp. 58--137 [3] T.Wilcosky, J.Hyde, J.J.B.Anderson, S.Bangdiwala and B.Duncan: "Obesity and mortality in the lipid research clinics program follow-up study" (1990) Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 43, pp. 743--752 [4] S.N.Blair, H.W.Kohl,III, R.S.Paffenbarger, D.G.Clark, K.H.Cooper & .W.Gibbons "Physical Fitness and All-Cause Mortality. A Prospective Study of Healthy Men and Women" (1989) Journal of the American Medical Association, 262, pp. 2395--2401 [5] E.A.H.Sims, R.F.Goldman, C.M.Gluck, E.S.Horton, P.C.Kelleher & D.W.Rowe "Experimental obesity in man" (1968) Transactions of the Association of American Physicians 81, pp. 153--170 [6] E.A.H.Sims "Experimental obesity, diet-induced thermogenesis and their clinical implications" (1976) Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 5, pp. 377--395 [7] Manson, J. E., Colditz, G. A., Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W.C., Rosner,B., Monson, R. R., Speizer,F.E., & Hennekenes,C.H. "A prospective study of obesity and risk of coronary heart disease in women" (1990) New England Journal of Medecine, 322 882--889 [8] National Research Council "Obesity and Eating Disorders" in (1989) Diet and Health: Implications for reducing chronic disease risk (pp. 563--592) Washington DC: National Academy Press [9] M.Borjeson: "The etiology of obesity in children" (1976) Acta Pediatrica Scandinavia, 65, 279--287 [10] R.A.Price, R.J.Cadoret, A.J.Stunkard, E.Troughton: "Genetic contributions to human fatness: An adoption study" (1987) American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1003--1008 [11] Drenick et al. (1980) Journal of the American Medical Association, 243, 443--445 [12] P.Ernsberger and D.O.Nelson (1988) "Refeeding hypertension in dietary obesity" American Journal of Physiology, 254, R47--R55 [13] D.O.Nelson and P.Ernsberger (1984) "Feed-starve cycling in dietary obesity induces moderate hypertension via alternations in the autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function" Society of Neuro-sciences Abstracts, 10, 716 [14] R.B.Haynes: "Is weight-loss an effective treatment for hypertension? The evidence against" (1986) Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 64, 825--830 [15] P.Hamm, R.B.Shekelle & J.Stamler: "Large fluctuations in body weight during young adulthood and twenty-five year risk of coronary death in men." (1989) American Journal of Epidemiology, 129, 312--318 [16] R.P.Abernathy & D.R.Black: "Is adipose tissue oversold as a health risk?" (1994) Journal of the American Dietetic Association, June, 94(6):641--644. [17] Craig R. Janes & Ivan G. Pawson: "Migration and biocultural adaptaion: Samoans in California" (1986) Social Science & Medicine. Vol 22(8) 821--834. [18] NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research: "Methods for Voluntary Weight Loss and Control" (1992) Technology Assessment Conference Statement, March 30 - April 1, 1992 gopher://gopher.nih.gov/00/clin/tech_conf/items/10.ta-wt.fmt.txt [19] P.Sorlie, T.Gordon & W.B.Kannel "Body build and mortality: The Framingham study" (1980) Journal of the American Medical Association, 243, 1828--1831 Studies gathered by Largesse (75773.717@compuserve.com): Steven L. Gortmaker, Ph.D., Aviva must, Ph.D., James M. Perrin, M.D., Arthur M. Sobol, A.M., and William H. Dietz, M.D., Ph.D.: "Social and Economic consequences of Overweight in Adolescence and Young Adulthood", New England Journal of Medicine, 1993:1008-1012 "Obesity and Socioeconomic Status--A Complex Relation": Editorial by Albert J. Stunkard, M.D. and Thorkild I.A. Sorensen, M.D., Dr. MED.SCI.A5), New England Journal of Medicine, 1993, Vol. 324:1036-1037. L. Lissner, P. M. Odell, R. B. D'Agostino, et al: Framingham Heart Study, New England Journal of Medicine 1991, Vol. 324: 1839-1844. "An Adoption Study of Human Obesity": New England Journal of Medicine, 1986, Stunkard et al., Volume 314:193-198. "Muscle Tissue in Obesity with Different Distribution of Adipose Tissue. Effects of physical Training",M. Krotkiewski and P. Bjorntorp, International Journal of Obesity, 1986,Vol.10:331-341. Susan C. Wooley and Orland W. Wooley: "Obesity and Women II: A Neglected Feminist Topic", Women's Studies International Quarterly, 1978. Susan C. Wooley and Orland W. Wooley: "Obesity and Women I: A Closer Look at the Facts", Women's Studies International Quarterly,1979. Susan C. Wooley, Orland W. Wooley, and Susan R. Dyrenforth: "Theoretical, Practical, and Social Issues in Behavioral Treatments of Obesity", Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 1979, Vol. 12:3-25. "Obesity, Dieting, and the Expression of 'Obese' Characteristics": John A. Hibscher and C. Peter Herman, Northwestern University, Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1977, Vol. 91, No. 2:374-380 "Anxiety, Restraint and Eating Behavior"C. Peter Herman and Janet Polivy, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1975, Vol. 84: 666-672. "Starvation and the Behavior of the Obese": Richard E. Nisbett, Obesity and Bariatric Medicine, 1972, Vol.1:28-32. "Unusually Low Incidence of Death from Myocardial Infarction...": C. Stout, et al, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1964, Vol. 188:845-849. Rothblum, E.: "I'll die for the revolution but don't ask me not to diet: feminism and the continuing stigmatization of obesity", Feminist Perspectives on Eating Disorders, Guildford Press, 1994:53-76. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A6) What advice do you have on dealing with doctors? The first and most important thing to remember when dealing with doctors is "You are the customer." If they do not treat you with respect or do not treat you as an adult or keep pushing you to lose weight when you have explained that this is not an option, take your business somewhere else. If necessary, walk out of their offices. And don't pay for services not rendered. If they won't treat the problem you are there for, don't pay them money. With that said, there are good doctors who are not fat-phobic. It's probably worth the hassle of looking around for one. Ask your friends which doctors they like. Interview doctors before making an appointment with them. Tell them that you are a large person and that you are not interested in losing weight. Ask them what they think about large folks, dieting, and so forth. What can you do if your doctor tells you your problem is weight-related and the only way to treat it is for you to lose weight? If this is clearly not true, i.e., you are there for a sinus infection, you probably want to find another doctor. If it is possibly true, ask them, "Do you mean to tell me that thin people _never_ have this problem?" You are not being obstinate by asking this question. Losing weight is an incredibly energy-intensive process. Losing weight and keeping it off is even more so. If there's any other way to treat whatever condition you have, you want to find it. Besides, being heavy may contribute to your condition. But there are probably other factors that contribute as well. After all, it is not true that every single fat person in the world has whatever problem you do. So start with the other factors, and see if they help. An example. Say your feet hurt all the time, and your doctor tells you you need to lose weight to fix it. Ask your doctor, "Do you mean to tell me that thin people's feet _never_ hurt?" Your doctor will probably admit that some thin people's feet hurt. "And what do you do for thin people whose feet hurt?" you ask. And your doctor will tell you about analyzing how they people walk (to see if they're doing something weird), and applying contrast baths, and getting orthotics and whatnot. And then you tell your doctor that you would like those same things done for you. What about getting weighed at the doctor's office? There's usually no need for you to be weighed at the doctor's office if you don't want to. Doctors want to weigh you every time you come into the office for two reasons. First, they want to keep track of whether you've had any sudden changes in weight, as this is generally a bad sign. Sudden changes in weight up or down should be reported to your doctor. (Even if you don't weigh yourself regularly, you'll probably notice significant weight changes because your clothing will fit differently.) Unfortunately, some doctors assume that any loss of weight for a large person is positive. If this happens to you, explain to them that you were not dieting and this is not usual for you, and make them look into it. Also, some doctors assume that weight gain by large folks is simply evidence that they're eating too much. Again, insist that this is not the case, and insist they run tests for conditions that could cause it. Second, they want to know your body weight so they can prescribe the correct amount of drugs. However, almost no drug scales linearly with weight, and the dosages for most drugs don't depend on weight at all. If it turns out they need to prescribe you one of the few drugs that they do prescribe differently for different weights, they can weigh you then. Or they can ask you how much you weigh, if you know. So whether you get weighed in a doctor's office or not is totally up to you. Some people on a.s.b-f don't get weighed because they think it is unnecessary, they want to head off possible lectures, or they don't want to know what they weigh. Other people on a.s.b-f think that being weighed is no big deal, provides the doctor with useful information, and they do it without a fuss. How the people in the doctor's office react if you refuse to be weighed may be a good indicator of how a large patient will be treated in that office. If they are not open to being educated, you may want to find another doctor. If you are being weighed, and you have an idea of what you weigh, you may want to set the scale to the correct numbers yourself, rather than weighting for the person weighing you to slowly increment the scale. If you don't want to know what you weigh, there's no need to look at the numbers on the scale. Look in the scales section in the Big Folks Resources FAQ for how to be weighed if you're heavier than the highest number on the scale. (People in doctor's offices should know how to do this, but a surprising number don't.) If you are a large person, tell them you want large-size gowns and large-size blood pressure cuffs. (You may want to inquire about these when you interview the doctor at first.) It is vitally important that they use large-size blood pressure cuffs, since conventional-size cuffs give high blood pressure readings when they are used on large arms. It may also be possible to measure blood pressure in the radial or ulnar artery -- use a regular-size blood pressure cuff but put it on your forearm, rather than your upper arm. It's apparently harder to hear, but it can be done. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A7) What should I know if I'm fat and pregnant? Some doctors advise their patients to lose weight before attempting to get pregnant. Other doctors simply recommend that patients maintain a stable weight for the last year or so before attempting to get pregnant. Given how difficult it is to lose weight and maintain it (especially when you are trying to eat well and you have morning sickness), the second option is probably more sensible. Many large women (including some who post to a.s.b-f) have had babies without any problems. You may not gain as much weight over the course of your pregnancy as a thin person might. However, it is a very bad idea to deliberately try to lose weight, or deliberately try not to gain weight, while you are pregnant. The baby can't get all the nutrition it needs from your fat stores, and it needs the same amound of food as the baby of a thin person. Your doctor should run frequent checks for gestational diabetes, but they should be doing this for all their patients. In general, most of the suggestions about dealing with doctors (above), apply to dealing with your ob-gyn when you're pregnant (or trying). Insist on being treated as a full person. Some common misconceptions * Fat women are often infertile/don't get their periods. If you are having trouble getting pregnant, have a doctor try to figure out what is going on. Lots of other fat women have become pregnant; almost certainly, a woman who is fatter than you has become pregnant. There are lots of reasons that one might not become pregnant immediately. * It's hard to do an ultrasound on a fat woman, so you have to press really, really hard. An ultrasound technician may have to press firmly to get a good picture. But ultrasound should not hurt. If the technician hurts you, tell them to stop, and tell them to find another technician (or your doctor) to do the ultrasound correctly. * You can't hear the heartbeat of a fat woman's baby (or see its picture on ultrasound or whatever) at the same time as you can do these things for thin women's babies. Have them try. They may be surprised. Another generally friendly and knowledgeable resource is misc.kids.pregnancy. You may want to check them out. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A8) Who are some famous fat people? Here are some famous fat folks whose names have come up on a.s.b-f or s.s.f-a. I make no claims that any of the information here is correct. The folks on this list are varying degrees of fat (from just slightly above average, to super-size). Since I don't know who all of these people are, some of them may not even be fat. Please send corrections, additions, etc. Dan Akroyd movie actor, Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers Saturday Night Live Louie Anderson comedian, author, The Sports Authority spokesperson Annabelle U.S. cartoon character, appears on Eeek Thomas Aquinas Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle silent film star Louis Armstrong jazz musician from New Orleans Tom Arnold U.S. TV actor, Roseanne Pearl Bailey Barney the Dinosaur children's TV character Ethel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore stage and early movie actor Kathy Bates actor, Misery, Fried Green Tomatoes Ned Beatty actor, Deliverance, Homocide Jim Belushi John Belushi actor, SNL, Animal House, Blues Brothers Sarah Bernhardt actor Joe Besser comic in 1930s films, also on Abbot & Costello Francis Bouvier actor, Andy Griffiths Show Marlon Brando Victor Buono movie actor, The Strangler, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, published poems about being fat Barbara Bush former U.S. first lady Delta Burke U.S. TV actor, Designing Women, Women of the House Raymond Burr U.S. TV actor, Perry Mason, Ironside, movie actor, gangster movies Lord Byron poet, manic-depressive Cabbage Patch Dolls children's toy Sebastien Cabot Sarah Caldwell conductor Boston orchestra John Candy movie actor, Planes, Trains and Automobiles Mary Chapin Carpenter country western singer Nell Carter singer, U.S. TV actor, Gimme a Break Ain't Misbehavin' on Broadway Darlene Cates movie actor, What's Eating Gilbert Grape Harry Chapin 70's folk singer, Cat's in the Cradle, Taxi Chubby Checker early rock-n-roller, pioneer of the Twist Winston Churchill U.K. Prime Minister during WWII J.J. Clarke Canadian CJOH weathercaster Grover Cleveland U.S. president Patsy Cline country and Western singer Bill Clinton U.S. president Rosemary Clooney big band singer, actor James Coco Darlene Conley U.S. soap actress William Conrad Jackie Coogan child actor, Uncle Fester on The Addams Family Lou Costello Abbott and Costello John Crosbie Canadian politician. David Crosby Henry D Rap singer. Dom DeLuise Peter DeLuise U.S. TV actor, 21 Jump Street Brian Dennehy actor in Cocoon, Best Seller, Perfect Witness, Presumed Innocent "Curly Joe" DeRita Andy Devine actor Danny DeVito U.S. TV and movie actor and director Colleen Dewhurst actor Divine actor, female impersonator, Orlando, Hairspray, Pink Flamingos Fats Dominoe Marie Dressler stage, film actor, Min and Bill Mike Duffy Canadian CBC political commentator Harvey B. Dunne actor, Ed Wood films Christopher Durang playwright, cabaret singer Cass Elliot singer, Mama Cass of The Mamas and the Papas Conchata Farrell U.S. TV actor, LA Law, Hearts Afire Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York Gianfranco Ferre Cecil Fielder U.S. baseball player Totie Fields comedian W.C. Fields Harvey Fierstein actor, playwright, Torch Song Trilogy Ella Fitzgerald Aretha Franklin singer Dennis Franz Dawn French British comedian, author of Big Knits, Great Big Knits Frosty the Snowman song, cartoon character Artemisia Gentileschi Renaissance painter of the Caravaggist school, painted sturdy, realistic women Dizze Gillespie horn player Newt Gingrich U.S. politician, Speaker of the House Jackie Gleason actor, comedian, composer, The Honeymooners John Goodman U.S. TV and movie actor, Roseanne, Barton Fink Sidney Greenstreet character actor from the 30s and 40s Alec Guiness Buddy Hackett Alan Hale Sr. supporting player in many old movies, notably Errol Flynn version of Robin Hood, played Little John Alan Hale Jr. the skipper in Gilligan's Island, also appeared in the West Point Story, To the Shores of Tripoli Oliver Hardy Laurel and Hardy Heavy D rap singer Henry VIII founded Church of England Bob Hope Bob Hoskins British TV and movie actor, Roger Rabbit Curly Howard Jabba the Hut baddie in Return of the Jedi Mahalia Jackson singer James Earl Jones Mother Jones feminist, labor organizer Star Jones actor, Jones and Jury Wynona Judd country wester singer, The Judds George Kennedy Brian Keith B.B. King singer Konishiki sumo wrestler Yappet Koto actor, Homocide, Midnight Run, Alien John Kruk U.S. baseball player Fiorello LaGaurdia Ricki Lake U.S. TV/movie actor and talk-show host Hairspray, The Ricki Lake Show, China Beach Judy Lamarsh Canadian politician Ann Landers Newspaper advice columnist. Lilly Langtrie Mario Lanza sang opera and operetto in the movies in the 50s, The American Caruso. Queen Latifah rap singer Charles Laughton actor, played Hunchback in first sound version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, also played Captain Bly on Mutiny on the Bounty Rush Limbaugh U.S. right-wing political commentator Emmanual Little Rita MacNeil singer Marjorie Main character actor, Ma Kettle of The Egg and I and Ma and Pa Kettle series of movies Hattie McDaniels movie actor, Gone with the Wind Spanky McFarlane 60s pop musician William McKinley U.S. president Meatloaf rock singer, Bat Out of Hell album, also in Rocky Horros Picture Show, Leap of Faith Ethel Merman The Michelen Man advertising spokesperson Barbara Mikulski U.S. politician, senator Bette Midler singer, comedian, actor Oliver Miller U.S. basketball player Michael Moore Canadian movie and TV director, Roger & Me, TV Nation Zero Mostel comdian, actor, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Waiting for Godot Kathy Najimy comdian, actor, The Kathy and Mo Show, the two Sister Act movies, Witches of Eastwick Nero Jessye Norman opera singer Carroll O'Connor U.S. TV actor Tip O'Neill U.S. politician, Speaker of the House Sandi Patty opera singer Luciano Pavarotti opera singer William "The Refrigerator" Perry U.S. football player The Pillsbury Doughboy advertising spokesperson Elvis Presley rock star Paul Prudhomme chef Anthony Quinn actor Rob Reiner U.S. film director/actor, When Harry Met Sally, Bullets Over Broadway Edgar G. Robinson Linda Ronstadt Roseanne U.S. TV/movie actor (nee Arnold, nee Barr) Roseanne, She-Devil Babe Ruth U.S. baseball player Marianne Sagebrecht movie actor, War of the Roses, Bagdad Cafe Santa Claus fictional character Beverly Sills Anna Nicole Smith model Kate Smith singer (sang God Bless America during WWII) Burno Ve Sota actor in B-Grade horror movies Wendy Jo Sperber U.S. TV actor, Designing Women Elizabeth Cady Stanton 19th centry feminist writer and lecturer Sally Struthers singer, actor Sharon Sweet operatic soprano, lead in Met's production of Stifelio William Howard Taft U.S. president Elizabeth Taylor actress Big Mama Thornton Mel Torme Liz Torres U.S. TV actor, Mahalia on John Laroquette Richie Valens singer, La Bamba Abigail Van Buren Newspaper advice columnist, Dear Abby Vivien Vance Lucille Ball's sidekick on I Love Lucy Luther Vandross singer Fats Waller piano player, songwriter, performer Orson Wells radio personality, actor, writer director, Citizen Kane George Wendt actor Mae West Barry White soul singer Oscar Wilde Poet, novelist, playwright, unlucky in love Ann Wilson Brian Wilson singer, Beach Boys Carnie Wilson singer, Wilson Phillips Nancy Wilson Oprah Winfrey U.S. TV/movie actor and talk-show host The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Women of Brewster Place, The Color Purple Jonathon Winters Shelley Winters actor Trisha Yearwood country wester singer Yoko Zuna --------------------------------------------------------------------- A9) What is International No-Diet Day? Saturday, May 6, 1995 has been designated International No Diet Day 1995. It is a day to: * Declare a moratorium on diet/weight obsession, * Learn the facts about weight-loss dieting, health, and body size, * Celebrate the natural beauty and diversity of our sizes and shapes, * Affirm every*body*'s right to health, fitness, and emotional well-being, * Recognize how dieting perpetuates violence against women, * Honor the victims and survivors of eating disorders and weight-loss surgery, * Work to end fat oppression and size discrimination. International No Diet Day is sponsored by a network of size rights, anti-diet, feminist, and lesbian activists and organizations around the world. Educational and political action events are being planned in many local areas. Following is a list of coordinators for International No Diet Day 1995: Founder and Great Britain Coordinator Mary Evans Young Director, DietBreakers UK Church Cottage Barford St. Michael Banbury, Oxon OX15 OUA England Phone 0869-37070 Fax 0869-37177 Australia Coordinator Kathy Sandow Women At Large 12 Chancery Lane Hawthorndene, SA 5051 Australia Phone 278-6499 Canada Coordinator Linda Omichinsky HUGS International Inc. Box 102A, RR #3 Portage La Prairie, Manitoba Canada R1N 3A3 Phone 204-428-3432 Fax 204-428-5072 U.S. Coordinator Lee Martindale Rump Parliament Magazine P. O. Box 181716 Dallas, TX 75218 USA Phone 214-275-4449 Email 72113.2500@compuserve.com NAAFA Coordinator Sharon McDonald P. O. Box 188620 Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone 1-800-442-1214 Fax 916-558-6881 Resource Directory Miriam Berg P. O. Box 305 Mt. Marion, NY 12456 Phone/fax 914-679-1209 A packet with lots of useful information is available. To receive it, or for more information on International No Diet Day 1995, contact: Karen & Richard Stimson Networking Facilitators Largesse, the Network for Size Esteem P. O. Box 9404 New Haven, CT 06534-0404 Phone/fax 203-787-1624 Email 75773.717@compuserve.com or Compuserve 75773,717 --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION B: Information about this FAQ B1) Posting information This document is posted monthly to news.answers and alt.answers and posted bi-weekly to soc.support.fat-acceptance and alt.support.big-folks. Sasha Wood (Sasha.Wood@cs.cmu.edu) maintains this FAQ. --------------------------------------------------------------------- B2) Availability of the FAQ All FAQs posted to news.answers are archived at rtfm.mit.edu and its mirror sites. You can get any of these FAQs from rtfm.mit.edu via anonymous FTP or via the mail archive server. (To get information about the mail server, send email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the body of the message containing the word "help", without the quotes.) FAQs posted to news.answers are also available on the Web from: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/top.html http://www.cs.ruu.nl/cgi-bin/faqwais This particular FAQ is archived at rtfm.mit.edu and its mirror sites under the filenames: /pub/usenet/news.answers/fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance/ /pub/usenet/soc.answers/fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance /pub/usenet/alt.answers/fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance /pub/usenet/soc.support.fat-acceptance/Size_Acceptance_Frequently_Asked_Questions_(FAQ) /pub/usenet/alt.support.big-folks/Size_Acceptance_Frequently_Asked_Questions_(FAQ) It is available on the Web at: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance/faq.html http://www.cs.ruu.nl/wais/html/na-dir/fat-acceptance-faq/size-acceptance.html The file Size_Acceptance_Frequently_Asked_Questions_(FAQ) contains the last post to soc.support.fat-acceptance or alt.support.big-folks which has the same subject line as this FAQ. In general, this is the most recent copy of the FAQ. Occasionally, however, it is a random post that has the same subject line as this FAQ. If this is the case, please look in one of the other files. The files named size-acceptance and the file available via the WWW, contain the last version of the FAQ posted to news.answers. Since this FAQ is posted ton soc.support.fat-acceptance and alt.support.big-folks more often than it is posted to news.answers, sometimes the version available via these links is not the most recent one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- B3) Contributors These are the people who contribute significant chunks to the FAQ. Sasha Wood <Sasha.Wood@cs.cmu.edu> Bernadette Bosky <blb@panix.com> Also, lots and lots of other people (too many to credit) contributed information that appears herein, some via email and some on s.s.f-a or a.s.b-f. Thanks to them all. Suggestions for additions/improvements are always welcome.