Obese

You may have strong feelings about this word.

You may be of the belief that being overweight, especially obese, especially morbidly obese is one of the worst things that could happen to someone.

Or rather you may believe it is one of the worst things someone could do to themselves.

Alternatively, you may see obesity as a neutral state. You may celebrate whatever size you or anyone else presents in.

My poetry is simpler than those arguments.

My poetry asks only that you pause and be kind.

If you have strong feelings about how you need to save the world from obesity or how you need to continually comment on body size, my poetry asks you to consider keeping your comments to yourself.

For myself, I find living as an obese woman in this straight-size idealized world to be painful.

No amount of eating vegetables, shaking my booty at Aquarobics or going on long hikes can validate me. Not that I’m looking for validation. Logically. Emotionally I catch myself often searching for it.

I would like to lose some weight.

That puts me on the wrong side according to some.

I do not desire to be ultra-thin.

That puts me on the wrong side according to others.

I sometimes talk on this site about my relationship with food and my body. You may agree or disagree. I’m learning to be careful with my words around others be it in the gym, in the shops or out for coffee.

What my poem today asks is simply that you pause and consider who is in listening range when you are tempted to comment on your body or the body of others.

Words can hurt.

Let us not push others to hide, suffocate or sink.

Thanks for listening,

Love

Sandra