Quick hit: Racism and victory daps

The next time someone tells you that fatphobia differs from racism in being a “socially acceptable prejudice,” kick them over to this post. It’s a hilariously written but chilling roundup of histrionic reactions to the celebratory dap — sorry, GANG SIGN — between Michelle and Barack Obama last week, courtesy of Drive-By Assholes on [...]

Non-headless non-fatty

As Jessica at Feministing notes, the Wall Street Journal, that bastion of…something, has launched a new “women’s” section online. Three guesses what kind of topic is considered Suitable for the Ladies. Okay, to be fair, there are some career and politics-oriented articles, but there are also the obligatory articles on shopping, exercising, and dieting. The [...]

Massachusetts Hearing Round-Up

A few links to coverage of yesterday’s hearing, for your reading pleasure…
Susan Stinson’s description of events and her testimony
Marina Wolf Ahmad in comments
Boston Now, including video of some testimony
A pessimistic but otherwise pretty good article from the Attleboro Sun Chronicle
Boston Herald
Salem News, including this gem of a quote from the opposition:

But Rep. [...]

Hearing on Massachusetts Height/Weight Discrimination Bill Today

Susan Stinson will be there. Anyone else who’s going, please report back on how it went. And everybody keep your fingers crossed!

Scottish Social Services Set to Take Fat Children from Parents

So I wake up this morning to an e-mail from long-time Shapeling Buffpuff, with a link to this story. Scottish Social Services have threatened to remove six children, ages 21 months to 12, from their parents’ home, unless the kids lose weight within three months. To “safeguard their welfare.”
‘Cause, you know, nothing says “safeguarding welfare” [...]

Giving a shit

There’s been a lot of response to Tara’s extraordinary post about race in fat activism on Fatshionista.com. Lord knows I am in no mood to court drama right now, but it comes looking for me anyway, so let me take this opportunity to state my position on an important post and an important issue.
One very [...]

Hearing on Massachusetts Height/Weight Discrimination Bill, Mar. 25

I’m just gonna do a whole lot of quoting Marilyn Wann here:
It’s time to make history and get some fat civil rights in Massachusetts. (Actually, civil rights for people of all sizes.)
So I invite you to come testify in Boston, and to spread the word to other people who might come testify.
Here’s the important [...]

If You Like This Sort of Thing…

I’ve got another post about Hillary up at Shakesville.
I Am Not Ashamed. 

I Lied

I said I wasn’t going to blog today, but I decided that only meant fat blogging. If you want to read another rant about people dismissing the importance of the first woman presidential candidate — with the bonus shocker of me arguing that Lorrie Moore has her head several miles up her ass — you [...]

In which I Talk about Something other than Fat

I don’t usually write much about politics, because there are so many bloggers out there doing it better than I could — including every last one of my co-Shakers. But after last night, I need to talk about Hillary. So I’ll just start by quoting people who do it better than me.
In a post that [...]