Friday links, 5/31/13

Cute shoes I got from Roaman’s a while back. Unfortunately, they weren’t comfortable and I had to return them. But at least cute shoes came in my size, so there’s hope!

Wow, it’s almost June already. How did that happen?

Anyway, here’s what I’ve been reading this week. Feel free to share anything you’ve read or written!

Fat Acceptance
-Check out this call for testimony in support of an act against weight/height discrimination in Massachusetts.
–Sized up: why fat is a queer and feminist issue. YES.
–No more stitch-ups! Media literacy for fat activists.
-I really like this model of activism: focusing on the fabulousness.
-A fat dance company in Portland, OR is seeking dancers.
-It made me so happy to see this post about teaching kids to think critically about the “obesity epidemic” on National Geographic’s education blog.
-Miss Conduct has great advice on handling misplaced compliments about weight loss.

Fa(t)shion
–Reflections on plus size dress forms from a fashion student.
-New Yorkers, check out the Big Fat Flea, which is coming up on June 9th. They keep posting pictures of awesome clothing on their Facebook page, and I’m jealous!
-If you’re thinking about buying one of Gabifresh’s neon fatkinis, read this warning from two women who unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions while wearing them.
-This Harajuku-inspired shoot with unicorns and rainbows is amazing.
-Sadly, Natalie will no longer be making fat necklaces after June 4th. Make sure to snap one up before they’re gone! Luckily, though, you can still get the design on a t-shirt or sweatshirt.
–Mmmm, hat porn.

Climate and Sustainability
–Huzzah! Bill McKibben has won the $100,000 Sophie Prize.
–Signs of hope in the fight against climate change.
–Keystone: what we know.
–Harnessing citizen power to fund a U.S. solar revolution.
-This American Life has a great segment on climate activism.
-This ode to a New Jersey town that was hit by Hurricane Sandy is powerful and sad: “Place is not meant to be eulogized. I don’t want to think that my place may have to be.”

Everything Else
– My friend Kit has a great piece about the problems with the concept of “it gets better.” 
-I love this profound and hilarious poetry written by arranging book spines.
–How not to be a dick to your deaf friend, or your friend with depression.
–On working for free.
–What do dress codes say about girls’ bodies?
–11 things not to say to a woman who doesn’t want kids.
–Women are not their worst own beauty critics. I hate that meme, and I’m so glad to see someone taking it down.
-Marianne takes on the problems with trying to scientifically quantify beauty.

I love this way of naming things:

And this…this is just ridiculously adorable. Enjoy!

Quote of the day, part 2

There are just too many good comments on that Shakesville post. Here’s another one I really like (bold added by me):

“I also work in public health, which can occasionally be hazardous to my mental health as a ‘super-size’ person. I also see colleagues regularly equating fatness with personal failing despite systems-level thinking and intervention being fundamental to our field. Although, I will say that this framing of fatness as a systems issue also problematic for me, and I have a lot of trouble walking this line. My body is not a personal failure AND it’s not a systems failure either — it’s my body.”

– Commenter concatenate

Quote of the day

“I just got back from WisCon (feminist sci-fi convention which is AWESOME). One of the panels I attended was “When ‘Love Your Body’ Isn’t Enough,” and it was a discussion of the body-acceptance movement and what it means. One of the panelists was The Rotund (some may be familiar with her blog), and she said something that really struck a chord in me. She said, “I don’t need to love my body. I need Levi Strauss to love my body.” So that she could buy jeans that fit.

And that struck me as so true. 90% of the issues I have with existing as a fat person in the world isn’t internal: it’s the disgusted looks I get on the subway, it’s the snickering teenagers on the escalator behind me, it’s the verbal abuse hurled at me when I walk down the street, it’s the trouble I have finding clothes and shoes that fit, it’s the ridicule I get when I ride my bike in public, it’s the dismissal and derision I get from medical professionals.”

– Commenter Clawfoot on the Shakesville post Fatstronauts 101: Permission to Live (which is a great post, by the way, and you should read it).

Beyond recycling: ten things you can do to fight climate change

From 350.org’s Facebook page

I recently read Joe Solomon’s piece In Defense of a Fearless Summer, in which he calls for a summer of action:

I believe by couching this Summer as a “Fearless Summer”, we can speak to the truth-telling neighbor in a fracked community who is being bullied to keep quiet, to the climate activist grandmother who stays up late at night afraid for the future of her grandchildren, and to the fresh-faced college student who is ready to take a bolder stand. As well as to the thousands upon thousands of progressives who still haven’t entered this fight–afraid that it’s a lost cause, or of what lies beyond recycling. We must all face our fears together.

When I posted it on Facebook, one of my friends raised a good point: what does lie beyond recycling? She pointed out that reducing her carbon footprint by composting, reducing her public transit use, etc. was not currently feasible for her.

This is a really common misconception, based on the environmental messaging we’ve been getting since childhood: that the way to save the planet is through individual actions like recycling, using less water, buying more energy-efficient lightbulbs.

Don’t get me wrong–these things are still a good idea. But they alone are not going to prevent global temperatures from rising to an unlivable level.

What can? Political action. Action aimed at changing our very broken economic system, and building a new, sustainable one.

Here are a few places to start. Not all of them apply to everyone, but maybe you’ll find one or two or three things you can do. And, as overwhelming as it all may feel–and believe me, I get as overwhelmed and scared as anyone–any action is better than nothing.

Ten Small Steps You Can Take to Fight Climate Change

1.) Take the Climate Pledge of Resistance. If you’re not in a position to risk arrest, you can pledge to support those who are.

2.) Attend a local meeting of 350.org.

3.) If you can’t make the regular meetings, check out the calendar of your local 350 chapter and see if you can go to another event. For example, here in Massachusetts, we have weekly letter-writing parties, and there’s a dance performance benefit coming up. Get on your chapter’s mailing list to stay informed about future events.

4.) If your school, church, or town has a fossil fuel divestment campaign, sign their petition.

5.) Call out climate deniers in Congress via Twitter. If you don’t have Twitter, email works too.

6.) Contact the big environmental groups that haven’t divested from fossil fuels, and ask them why.

7.) Invest directly in solar energy through a site like Mosaic.

8.) Contribute to the campaign to build a climate justice hub in Boston, or see if there’s a similar campaign in your area.

9.) Donate to an organization that fights climate change, such as 350.org, the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Better Future Project, Tar Sands Blockade, or the Climate Reality Project.

10.) Spread the word and signal-boost. Talk about why climate justice matters to you. Pass along important articles like these. Bring friends to meetings and events. If you can’t make it to an event, or if you want to support a campaign but can’t afford to donate, pass along the information on your social networks.

Wednesday Fa(t)shion Inspirations, 5/29/13

Lil Grrl Creep

Chubby Cartwheels

Friday links, 5/24/13

Happy Friday! Here’s what I’ve been reading this week. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading and/or writing in the comments.

Fa(t)shion
-Lesley rounds up the best plus size swimsuits of 2013.
–Re/Dress has reopened. Huzzah! I’m drooling over the magnolia skater dress.
-Also pretty cool: Abbey Post, a new site for buying and selling plus size clothes.
-Shannon has some important criticism of Occupy Abercrombie & Fitch.
-Tracy of Domino Dollhouse rounds up some great plus size Etsy finds.
–The double-edged sword of boycotting disposable fashion.
–A bra that fits me: a critique of Chrysalis Lingerie’s (a line of bras for trans women) May 1st launch.

Fat Acceptance
–The HAES files: a dietician’s road to HAES.
–What happens when the pursuits of strong and skinny collide?
–I’m chronically ill and I still believe in body acceptance.
–Where are all the disabled people in body positivity campaigns? It’s worth noting that not all disabilities are visible, but this is still an important point.
-Kath has a beautiful piece about how she used to put life on hold until she lost weight, and no longer does.
-More Cabaret, Ragen Chastain’s plus size dance troupe, will be holding auditions next month.
–The “good kind” of fat.
–This tale of fat camaraderie is lovely and heart-warming.

Wednesday Fa(t)shion Inspirations, 5/22/13

Marvelous Merbutler

Corpulent

Fuck you, tornadoes.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by the Oklahoma tornado.

If you have the money to donate to the relief effort, there’s a list of places to donate here.

Also, this piece is beautiful. Just beautiful.

Edited to add: another option for donating is Atheists Giving Aid.

Watch City Steampunk Festival

Last weekend, I finally made it to the annual steampunk festival in Waltham. And I’m so glad I did. It was an alt-fatshionista’s dream.

Art, music, bellydancing, amazing costumes, tiny hats galore…and I even met the Doctor, who must have been taking a break from saving the world to attend the festival.

Here are a few pictures from the day, including some fa(t)shion highlights. For more, check out my Facebook photo album (which is public, so you can view it even if you’re not on FB).

I met this fabulous lady dressed in steampunk Lolita, and exchanged blog info with her. She has a Tumblr,  which you should check out if you enjoy the fusion of Lolita and other styles.

Friday links, 5/17/13

An awesome chalk drawing at the Harvard Square May Fair

Happy Friday! Here’s what I’ve been reading this week. Feel free to leave links to things you’ve read or written in the comments.

Fa(t)shion
-I love the official pictures of Gabi Fresh’s swimsuit line (and the post also contains fit info on the suits). I wish it went beyond size 24, but I’m still glad it exists.
–Cool new stuff from Fancy Lady Industries, including a gold glitter “fat” necklace!
-Stacey Bias explains what’s wrong with the “Fitching the Homeless” video that’s gone viral. A much better way to protest the comapny’s assholery: Occupy Abercrombie & Fitch.
–The fat chicks’ shopping guide for summer style, part 1.

Fat Acceptance
-Vegans, check out this new Facebook group: Vegans against fat-shaming.
–Not fat enough for fat activism?
-YES YES YES to all of this: Back off my fat body.
-Check out this call for submissions for a fab fatty zine!
-A great essay from the anthology Hot & Heavy: I came to femme through fat and black.

Climate/Sustainability
-I wish I could make everyone read this:  Why environmental “hypocrisy” is irrelevant and inevitable.
-In defense of a Fearless Summer.
-Awesome, and right here in MA: climate change activists blocked a freighter from delivering coal to a power plant.

Everything Else
–What you should know about the Philly student walkout.
-Both Rachele and Natalie have powerful pieces about their experience with mental illness–their own or others’.
-So glad to hear this: former NASA engineer awards Kiera Wilmot scholarship to space academy.
–Beyond bindis: why cultural appropriation matters.