Commenting is Easy
I've always said that blogging about fat and commenting on fat blogs is a form of activism, and I stand by that statement. But offline activism is an important component of the movement and, frankly, we're collectively failing at it.
For years and years NAAFA was held up as The National Organization™ for fat people but a few years ago, the fatosphere effectively called NAAFA out for its baggage-laden past and present-day inaction, effectively neutralizing nearly all of its power (such as it was) in the fatosphere and, arguably, outside of NAAFA itself. ISAA has been invisible in recent years. The Coalition of Fat Rights Activists is just getting started, and it may be months before its efforts bear fruit.
But when things like the silly Alabama law break in the news, I don't turn to the site of any organization; I turn to the BFB Forums and other fat blogs. That's a good first step, but from what I saw there was very little asked about what we can do to change things - versus complaining about how things were awful. I agree! It does suck! Now what?
This is where the power of having an organization or organizations on our side comes in. Ideally, this is something that is pounced on by said organization and an action with a clear goal is defined. Individual letters and phone calls do count, but when one can write and say that an x,000 strong organization is backing that same notion... that's more powerful.
But for now we've got a few small and/or weak organizations that are ineffective in getting people excited about fat rights, and at least one that's in startup mode. I'm frankly unsure if old organizations will be tackling issues like this. Maybe. But who knows?
That said, when I use the term "activism" I'm thinking about organized campaigns to bring about change at a legal or social level. Combatting Alabama's law with facts about the flawed BMI, for instance, in a proper setting such as a city council meeting. But maybe I'm being too limiting.
About a month ago, Marilyn Wann sent an email out regarding her 1,000 Fat Cranes project. It was picked up by several blogs, but I didn't post it here. Initially I dismissed it because, well, it's sending paper cranes to Japan. I didn't think much of it, to be honest. Marilyn's email stated:
The 1,000 Fat Cranes project is a response to a new government policy in Japan that involves measuring people's waists and fining their employers if the tape reads more than about 34 inches. (Here's the New York Times report on this story.)
But in retrospect I was being too harsh. I understand why people may dismiss it or feel it's not doing much because the initial read is, "What? Paper cranes? How will that change anything?" But give Marilyn credit, as I now do: it's an offline action, it's something participatory, and it's better than the absolute nothingness NAAFA's been doing (at least in my preferred style of activism.) It's a symbolic action, one whose goal really is to show that we've got the numbers to back up our arguments.
And if you choose not to participate, well, I understand. I won't hold it against you. Not every offline action will be to everyone's liking. But let's take a moment to acknowledge and thank the people who are doing things offline, for they are working on filling a very very large void in our movement.
Help with Hurricane Gustav | Boing Boing's Continuing Fat Hatred... ugh.
Posted by paul on September 3, 2008
I comment very occasionally on the FA blogs. I just don't see the point, since so much of it is preaching to the choir. I understand the value of a safe space and a shared outrage, but unfortunately activism is more about getting your message in the faces of those who don't care quite so much. (In our case we have to get our message in front of the people who are outraged at everything other than fat issues.)
The reason I like the idea of the fat cranes is that it is a story and it tells a story. Whereas "Hundreds Comment on Blog Article" will never come across my Google News reader, I can actually see, "A Thousand Fat Cranes to Challenge Japanese Obesity Law" as an article title. While the cranes are a bit of gimmick, I see this sort of creative protest as newsworthy and therefore able to reach people we couldn't reach before.
Of course what would really get the media buzzing: 100 shirtless fat men and women, perhaps with slogans on their bellies, marching through a major city (San Francisco?), each with a fishing pole with a doughnut hanging off the line. I guess I'm looking to own stereotypes in the same way Gay Pride has owned its stereotypes.
But until that day, cranes are pretty cool.
I'd like to note that the original post had language that could be construed as sexist, and I've changed the word as a result.
Don't forget those of us who are essentially isolated in our FA beliefs, outside of the Fatosphere.
Now if I'd never moved to the UK? I could be joining you and the other Chicago-area people in trying to actually DO something to make a difference. But being all the way over in the UK, where I not only don't know many people, but FA is all but unheard of? Blogging is about the only thing I can do. (And I'm certain I'm not alone in my situation, either.)
I DO agree with you, though. Blogging is good; it's necessary, even. But FA does need to expand beyond just blogging. And I think most of us just don't know WHAT to do, even if we happen to live in an area where we know there are other like-minded people about.
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Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece.
Ralph Charell
Nuckingfutz, you're certainly not alone. I'm usually based in the UK (Leeds to be precise) and I know there are a fair number of other BFB and Fatosphere people scattered around the British Isles, though 'scattered' is very much the operative word and the challenge is somehow getting together and organising in a country where as you rightly point out, SA has yet to even register as a blip on the MSM radar and there is no NAAFA, no NOLOSE, no organisations at all, noteworthy or otherwise - even as the powers that be seem determined on taking their war on fat people to the next level.
Blogging / commenting is all well and good and has accomplished much in terms of the refinement of ideas even as the nature of the discussions have created potentially divisive conflicts and tangential debates, some productive, some (in my opinion) less so. And yet, as others have pointed out, the nature of the discussions seems to be very cyclical and the lack of progress in terms of countering this one-sided war and actually improving the real-life situation of fat people remains immensely frustrating. I've written letters and sent e-mails to everyone from the BBC to the director of Weight Concern with little visible impact, and I fear it will take far more dramatic action, particularly on this side of the Atlantic, before anyone takes the slightest bit of notice of our message or gives it more than just a casual dismissal.
"if you think fat people have no self-discipline, consider the fact that they haven’t killed you yet." - Miss Conduct, Boston Globe
I am also in the UK, and I agree that blogging is a good start, the cyclicalness ( is that a word?!) of the arguments is true of most other debates where people cling to certain ideas. It's also due to our own clinging to ideas, namely fitting in with what we are also fundamently disagreeing with, rather than going further and seeing where it leads, we limit ourselves, when you extend as far as you can, and won't go further, you end up going back and forth, repeatedly. If you what to progress, you have to look at the central core of your beliefs.
A lot of people in FA proudly proclaim moderation and the truth is shades of grey, but being middle of the road can allow just as much extremism to flourish as being more,shall we say; radical.
And as for improving the lives of fat people, we first have to actually give more of a damn about them than winning round the 'cool kids', i.e. those who are seen to be under the 'progressive' umbrella, politically. We think constantly about their needs rather than the needs of non FA fatties. I suggested a long time back that we consider spreading the meme, that it is no longer acceptable to be a self hating fatty, regardless of whether people believe in diets or not, we call out, not in an angry way, but just tell fat people calmly and cooly that they need to knock the 'hurt me, I bad' crap off. IOW, sign up to being a self respecting fatty, regardless if you are FA or not.
We could have brief charter, maybe a separate website for instance, we could do it together and share the load, I'd be happy to help check in for troll patrol etc. Slim people could be supporters of SRF's, and sign up too maybe even leave comments about how they are sick of self hating behaviour from their fat friends and loved ones and how it makes them feel, etc.
I don't wish to be exclusive, but I think FA should spread through our refusal to take it anymore not begging the people who've sold us out to think twice. We can't control their thoughts, but we have a shot at our own, and through this, everyone else will have to respond to us, rather than the other way around.
Thanks for changing the language, Paul.
And yes, it's absolutely important to acknowledge the work being done offline. Blogging, at least for me, is very much about empowering individuals to think differently about themselves and society's response to fat people, which can ultimately have a ripple effect, so I do count it as activism. (I think "preaching to the choir" is useful because the "choir" always includes some brand-new members who are hearing all this for the first time and just learning to add their voices.) But getting the attention of society at large and making it known that there are loads of us out here who won't stand for this crap is an entirely different project. Personally, I'm a lot better suited to promoting individual empowerment than participating in organized action, but that only makes me more grateful to those who do have the talents and commitment to make noise on a larger scale.
I reread my comment and I didn't mean to be so dismissive to the online world. SP, BFB, JFS, etc are a big part of why I'm semi-comfortable with who I am right now. And I absolutely owe all of you a debt of gratitude.
It just strikes me that online will generally only appeal to those suffering from direct abuse/a history of abuse. The strategy we need is twofold:
-we must provide a safe haven for people suffering from body image issues and a place where details and arguments are worked out. The fatosphere is working pretty well for this.
-we must evangelize and find allies outside of the FA movement. While FA blogs certainly contain the evidence for our goals and projects such as "I was a fat kid" certainly are proof that something must be done, the next step is to get out there and make others listen. I guess I'm frustrated. I have some very progressive friends, and yet our movement hasn't reached movement status with them.
We are too accustomed to NOT doing anything. When the CDC once again bemoaned fat people, I suggested we each mail Julie Gerberding an envelope of All Bran. I wasn't joking. The woman needs more bran in her diet. She isn't a happy woman, and she wants to make everyone else miserable too. We should wait for a newsworthy opportunity, but we ought to do something the next time the CDC launches a nonstory about "FAT is bad."
Debra,
I agree with you, that now that we have hundreds of people reading these blogs, the next step is advocacy. And the goal of advocacy isn't necessarily to change the minds of the policymakers directly. It is, rather, to let others know that there is outrage. It's to reach the one in 100 supporters you may have and let them know that you exist.
It's about doing two things that most people, especially fat people, are uncomfortable doing. Documenting everything with video and pictures and self promotion.
I saw Van Jones speak at the Craigslist Foundation a couple of years ago. His speech may be the greatest thing I've ever heard on the issue. While he is talking about non-profits, I think most of the points he makes are valid for advocacy:
http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3167.html
We're in kind of a difficult situation, in that fat people appear to be a majority, but a majority of that majority is not with us. They're too invested in the Fantasy of Being Thin (or as Carol Munter and Jane Hirschman called it earlier, "Change Your Shape and Change Your Life") to do so. Corporations and diet mavens have done a masterful job of persuading fat people for the last century that if they can only get it together to give up all their favorite foods and hobbies and outside concerns for the rest of their lives and make it their life's work to get and stay thin, everything else about their lives will automatically change for the better, everything will just fall into place. You'll have a great career, perfect relationships, perfect physical and mental health, plenty of money, have everything you could ever want, be everything you ever wished you were.
Never mind that if permanent weight loss was really that easy, and the rewards that dramatic and clear-cut, fat people would be as rare as a pebble from Saturn. And never mind that if you have to make staying thin your life's work, there's an awful lot of life you never get to experience, and I'm not talking about deep-fried Twinkies, either. Fat people are, almost to a person, persuaded that the only thing keeping them from Good Personhood is a slimmer body, and it's awfully difficult to go up against the billions of dollars spend on spreading that message. In order for there to be, say, Fat Pride parades in all our major cities, there have to be enough people who would participate in such a parade in order for it not to look pathetic and ridiculous. Two or three people marching (let alone one) ain't gonna do it.
That's where the fat blogs come in. Our job is to put out the message that fat people are worth loving, hiring, and everything else just the way they are, that they don't have to accept the idea that they are shit because they wanted to spend time with their kids or practicing an instrument or reading a book or watching TV or whatever they like to do sitting down instead of going to the gym for 3 hours, or because they are too wiped out after 12 hours of working and commuting on their feet to chop veggies, or just because yes, damn it, they ate that deep-fried Twinkie and LIKED IT. (I wouldn't go near one myself, but that's just because I don't like Twinkies, not because I'm Trying To Be Good.) That's a frigging radical message.
But hell yeah, I'd do more activist work offline, if it wasn't just me doing it, and if I didn't have to do all the organizing myself. (I sent you an email asking when the next COFRA meeting was, and seriously, I want to be there.)
And how! I think most of us need a giant kick in the ass when it comes to IRL fat action. That's in part why I've decided to try and build up some fat community where I'm living. I certainly don't have time for it, but I am desperate for it. For the community, for people to get me riled up IRL, to keep me accountable when I say I plan to speak out. I feel shameful about my lack of activism follow-through much of the time, but at the same time I have much more of an activist fire under my ass than many people.
However, I disagree with omnifrog that preaching to the choir is a necessarily bad thing. As a wise person once said, "Sometimes the choir needs practice." Preaching to the choir makes us stronger, makes us smarter, makes us more aware. We have been having some damn important conversations in the fatosphere. But damn if Paul isn't right that we need to help translate that into some IRL concrete action toward change. (and many people are)
I was at an event recently and asked my friend to introduce me to these fabulous looking fat girls. A woman I was sitting with, who I had been talking to about fat politics, asked me why I wanted to meet fat girls. To me it was so obvious that the question threw me off. But apparently it's odd and weird to want to meet other fat people. This is absolutely because we are not all together on the fat lib thing...creating fat community is just weird to people, apparently. I think that's in part why I decided to try for some fat community where I live. I need to have supportive fatties around me who are as outraged as I am, who I can reach out to and have fellowship with without complicit body hate.
So, yeah, before I get too long-winded. Yes, yes, and double-triple-yeah!
Oh, PS--Why no mention of Nolose?
Meowzer, again you are right. There are so many people invested in the cultural mythology that thin is easy and attainable and "natural" and normal.
Those same people buy the mythology that we eat radically differently now than we did thirty years ago. We do, in fact, eat differently, but not as the established voices would have us believe. Thirty years ago, we didn't think of a serving of meat as the size of the palm of one's hand. Likewise, a "serving" of spaghetti was the size of the plate it was served on; not a half cup with a small scoop of marinara sauce. We didn't eat hummus; we ate Velveeta. Sprouts? Who the Hell ate alfalfa sprouts? Thirty years ago, we didn't feel guilty if we'd only eaten four vegetables on a particular day. There is also a cultural mythology that we were soooo much more active. I don't know about you, but thirty years ago, after school, I was watching either the Brady Bunch reruns or Dark Shadows. Playing outdoors with my friends was sometimes "kick the can" or riding bikes, but more often it was "sit around and talk about other kids at school."
The mythology now is that people choose a life of sloth and culinary indulgence, and choose to live in bodies that are socially unacceptable, rather than to live in sacred "moderation."
Oddly, so many of the people who buy this mythology are, as you point out, fat. That's why we must be very careful not to exclude people who are trim in our movement. A fat pride parade doesn't work here. So many thin people see their fat relatives eating less than the rest of the family, or at least no more, at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They know that their sisters and brothers have not "chosen" to be social pariahs and are not, in fact, slothful. They see what they see, but they need reassurance that when their backs are turned they aren't being betrayed by a big lie. They need to know who the real liars are: the weight-loss industry, the people who have books to sell, the college department chairs who put department funding before academic integrity.
That's why we need to reclaim the scientists. We need to attack the CDC when it issues an obesity alert (like an orange alert for the department of homeland security) to increase its prominence and funding. We need to demand that scientists start over from neutral, NEUTRAL, and to delve into why, why, why the average weight has increased by ten pounds in thirty years, and why, why, why the bell curve has flattened, creating more people who are "morbidly obese," despite our extraordinary efforts to be "virtuous," up to and including the surgical mutilation of our intestines, for God's sake! On the other end of the bell curve are people who are dangerously thin -- some triggered into eating disorders by a society that elevates weight paranoia to a religion, some besieged by immune defense disorders that do not make it possible to eat most foods. WHY? Our scientists must start from somewhere other than "lifestyle is the key," as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation would dictate with its near monopoly on funding of obesity research. (Robert Wood Johnson -- founder of Johnson and Johnson, maker of the REALIZE laproscopic band.)
What has happened to mess with our collective weight in the past three decades? Is it environmental toxins? Fat-inducing hormones shot into the meat supply? New strains of viruses? A ridiculous concentration on sterilite surfaces? Or something else? Or a variety of reasons? Are these things affecting our genes, our endocrine systems, the composition of our gut flora, or something else? If fat is ASSOCIATED with certain disease, is it because of these outside factors. WE DON'T KNOW because the scientists can only get funding for "lifestyle" solutions that do not demonize business industry but include business and industry in the "solution" (a philosophy voiced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation spokesperson in a Newsweek artcle written by diet guru Dean Ornish).
If in the past three decades, the noses on people's faces rotated left by 10% on average, we'd be researching the Hell out of anything that might have caused it. If some people's noses had rotated upside down, right or left, and they couldn't go outside their houses for fear of drowning in the rain, we'd be asking WHY! We wouldn't be humiliating the people with nose rotation and further victimizing them.
In addition to putting the scientists in our sites, we need to put the legislators there. THEY need to know that the science of obesity is UNDECIDED, UNCLEAR, and until there are REAL answers, then legislation that further victimizes people who have put up with social pariah status is OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Care to know what I really think? (She descends from her soap box.)
I still think our weights have gone up dramatically over the past 30 years because of dieting or thinking about it! At least I believe that's what has attributed to mine.
And by the way my mother was constantly kicking all the children out of the house during the summer and I would go across the street to my friend's grandmother's house and watch "Dark Shadows" with my friend and drink real Cokes out of the bottle!!!! Good times.
Maybe as one of the only 5 kids who was fat I ended up being the "shy" one so when it comes to coming out of the fat closet it's more difficult for me. I've attempted to leave my FA mark in my own sphere of the WLS forum I joined prior to BFB. Naturally I am not always received very well but I try to do what I can without being tossed out as a troll of sorts even though I have been previously accused of being one there. I know I could do more and would but I suppose I'm used to hiding in the sidelines of life so the internet is the best tool for me to use now. And I do appreciate this site as it's really the only one that I've felt attached to since FA and has made me feel like a human when at times I did not. Maybe in my future I could be stronger and do more for FA but for now this is the best I can. But I can always type! moxie3
So what if they proved that fat people do eat more? What if they proved that they exercised less? Presumably, from what you say that would mean it would be okay to stigmatize the fat.
To touch on a slightly different issue, I don't think that people are embracing these stereotypes because they are true, but because they get something emotionally from believing in such stereotypes. As your use of moral language shows, they get to be virtuous while others are unvirtuous. They get status.
I feel quite torn on this issue, because while, on the one hand, I don't feel like xxxAWESOME-FAT-ACTIVIST-SUPERHEROxxx, I'm also struggling to incorporate HAES and fat acceptance into my day-job. I'm not sure whether that counts as "activism," but, all the same, it takes up nearly every spare moment of my time and energy. It's a struggle to even blog or comment occasionally, and I'm always hyperaware of this floating anxiety about 'not doing enough.' But really -- there's only so much I can do, especially before I even finish university and enter my chosen profession. Once I'm finished at school, I can at least do talks and write and counsel individuals from a fat-accepting perspective with a shred of professional credibility. But right now, I've got nada, and I've got to finish university.
I agree, however, that actions like Marilyn's paper cranes are a good alternative. I was excited about her idea right off the bat, because she was taking it off-line (as she has done millions of times in the past, in both big and small ways.) But really, a movement that is really going to change anything has to have both components: pep talks and fellowship for the choir and the newly-converted (not to make it sound like a religion, I'm just running with the theme introduced above), but also confronting prejudice and outright discrimination in the real world -- basically, fighting against the enemy. Just as a church supports its own members, but also does missionary and charitable work (no, I'm not religious, just squeezing the analogy for all it's worth.) I agree that, as yet, we're somewhat weak on the latter. And I agree that we should do more of it.
But I think stuff like Kate Harding's work is incredibly important. She's managed to do "individual empowerment," as she says, but on a surprisingly large scale. That kind of stuff makes a huge difference, even though it may not be what one thinks of as "activism," at first blush.
I am also one of those who is not sure I have the talent for classic forms of activism -- and that's why I sort of chose the professional trek, figuring I might be able to "infiltrate" from the inside and make changes to one of the professions responsible for the OMGBESITY rhetoric.
But I really do thank everyone who's done something offline for the fat acceptance movement. Maybe soon I'll be in a position to help out more.
Good Gosh, Mich, you have nothing to apologize for. You ARE activism incarnate. Every moment you spend getting your degree in dietetics is activism, because you are not giving in to the conventional wisdom shared by many of your colleagues. You are making an enormous difference already, and once you're in the professional fray, I just quiver at the possibilities! Fat haters and other bad guys beware!
Gosh, Levye, I am confident they will not prove the cultural mythology right. At least 97% of the time. There have been enough hints, enough alternative scientists to give me that confidence. Among other sources, I found Gina Kolata's book Rethinking Thin enormously energizing. It serves as a summary of those alternative, wise voices. And no, even in those three percent of cases where the fat is primarily caused by (or at least may be controlled by) "lifestyle" choices, it is NOT okay to stigmatize. "Lifestyle" is subject to many contributing forces that have NO moral bearing.
Also, there is no downside to encouraging scientists to rethink their starting assumptions and start at neutral. Now they start from the assumption that fat can be "cured" with the proper environmental supports to encourage specific dietary and exercise choices. Much research, therefore, is dedicated only to testing these various environmental supports. (What happens in X community if we put nutritional counseling in the public schools? Now let's add sidewalks and see what happens. Now let's add mandatory health classes with a weight control component. On and on, fruitlessly.) It couldn't hurt if they would just take three steps back and ask, "Whoa, WHY has this shift in weight happened, anyway? What if it isn't always a question of choices -- moral or amoral, related to diet or activity -- but something else?"
Your response, DebraS, tells me what is the difficulty of this approach: namely, it is defensive and accepts the idea that health is the summum bonum. They get you by getting you to give into their terms, and yes, health has been, and continues to be, a highly moralistic category. Having said this, if this is the particular type of activism, you want to do, fine, do it, but I don't think it's going to have the effect that many seem to believe it will have. This is the case because the reasons for the oppression of the fat are far deeper and more viscerally felt than we recognize. For example, are fat jokes motivated by the knowledge that fat is unhealthy? The desire to get scientists on our side seems to have more to say about who we value than it does about their usefulness. Why not get the artists on our side?
Leyve, you go after the fatsuits, I'll go after the white coats. Deal?
I think everyone just needs to do what they feel comfortable with. Not everyone is built to fight or be a crusader. It takes a lot of energy to constantly be buffetted by the unkind attitude of society. Some folks just don't have that in them or want to tolerate it. Also, you are talking some deeply ingrained societal belief symptoms that will take a lot of time to change, if ever ... I mean look at Palin -- no matter what strides women have made in the last 50 years -- many people still jump to the - you can't be a mother and have an important job argument reflexively.. The ingrained beliefs about truly obese people - not those amongst us who are "acceptably fat" in this society (up to about a size 18/20), but truly obese - classifed morbidly or super morbidly obese --- these are deepseated hatreds, prejudice and bigotry -- just as deepseated as class bigotry, racial bigotry, sex bigotry -- they don't go away easily or quickly, if ever
Hi!
Thanks tons for the comment, Paul!
The fat cranes project has gotten a bit of media (see SF Weekly last week), and I have a feeling will get more, whenever delivery of 1,000 cranes happens.
I totally welcome everyone's help folding fat cranes. The directions are on a myspace page called 1000fatcranes. Or, if you prefer, there are some photo directions on my facebook page (in my name; marilynwann).
I haven't thought of a delicious IRL comeback for the horrifying Alabama policy, but am mulling...
Power to the Paper! - Marilyn Wann
"But when things like the silly Alabama law break in the news, I don't turn to the site of any organization; I turn to the BFB Forums and other fat blogs. That's a good first step, but from what I saw there was very little asked about what we can do to change things - versus complaining about how things were awful. I agree! It does suck! Now what?"
Now what? Well, first of all we don't sit around waiting for "someone else" to tell us what we should do and how we should do it. We all have brains! We can be creative like Marylin Wan! We don't need to wait for someone else to do all the homework and figure out offline activist things that we can do. Heck, even speaking up about all of the obesity lies amongst friends and family is fat activism and 100% useful to the cause because we don't have to be doing big, massive things in order to make a difference ~ simply nibbling away at the foundation of FAT IS BAD will eventually bring it tumbling down! Whenever I open my mouth and speak out against the idiotic ideas that fat = bad health and that fat people are "bad" etc etc I feel like a big fat mouse that is joining all the other fat mice at chomping our way through the foundation of cultral bias and discrimination against fat people! I might never become internationally known for my fat activism but it's there and I'm not waiting around for other people to tell me what to do to bring about equality and respect for fat people!
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." ~Mother Teresa
I can simply tell people I had a grandmother who was 50 pounds "overweight" and lived by be 101. My other grandmother, who was thin all her life, was far less healthy and died in her 80s.
Hey Paul,
I was wondering if you had any thoughts about some of the recent posts (especially Tara's) at Fatshionista lately about the Cranes project? I didn't see anyone else talking about it here, and I was actually a little surprised to see such a glowing promotion of it here at BFB.
I admit I haven't seen them, so I can't comment on 'em. Got a link?
For anyone who missed them, the links are here and here.
I'm still formulating a response to this myself. If there's a reason I haven't responded, it's mainly because I can see the point on both sides of the argument (I'm such a Libra), and a "duhhh, everyone's right!" post about it feels exceptionally wimpy to me. Also, I know I've been a pseudonymous coward who hasn't done squat to advance "the movement" IRL (other than interject little things into conversations here and there to plant seeds), not even attaching my real name to it for fear of becoming totally unemployable, so in a way I feel like I'm someone who's not only blowing raspberries from the sidelines, but doing so with a paper bag on her head.
I have to do something about that. Not sure what yet.
This is pretty close to how I feel about the whole thing... only that I am not a Libra but a Gemini
Taking action about something that is going on in another country is always problematic - it is almost unavoidable to stumble over cultural differences or ones own imperfect understanding of cultural symbols is unavoidable. It is also hard to formulate criticism of another culture in a way that does not sound like "my culture is superior to yours and therefore I have a right to criticize you". That makes projects such as the crane project very difficult, and this is why I probably would not ever come up with a similar idea. On the other hand I admire Marilyn for taking action - I have seen too many times how people stood back in the name of "cultural tolerance", and unfortunately I observe this tendency in myself.
I don't know what 1000 paper cranes do stand for exactly in Japanes culture. From what I have read, they are not just a symbol connected with the hope for peace after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki but are said to grant a wish to the person who has folded them (the sources I found on the Internet said that people make them for weddings, etc). If this is true then I do at least think that the project is in no way disrespectful of the victims of nuclear warfare (something that has been a criticism in this context). As for using another culture's symbols without fully understanding them - while this certainly is problematic we all do it. Hell, Japanese tourists in Germany do it (and I am sure German tourists do the same in Japan). I felt very negatively about that in the past, but I am not sure that it is completely avoidable when people start to learn about a foreign culture. You have to start somewhere - and usually that means starting with cultural stereotypes and well-known (and maybe misunderstood) cultural symbols.
So I guess it comes down to a version of Paul's original post - it's all good and well to criticize the crane project, however, it would also be important to come up with an alternative. It is simply not enough to say that you don't agree with the respective policy of the Japanese government - disagreement on a blog read mostly by insiders is very unlikely to ever reach the ears and minds of Japanese officals. It would be great to have an ongoing cooperation with Japanese activists that one can support instead of taking action independently as outsiders - but if you don't know about any activists that's hard to do. (As far as I know there is to date not really an organized fat acceptance movement in my home country, Germany, and I don't think there is one in my current country of residence, the Netherlands. The same could be true for Japan - and that does not necessarily have anything to do with a lack in social criticism - there are many factors that contribute to something like that.)
Gaaahhh!!! Thank you Meowzer for articulating what I couldn't get my fingers around. This whole thing has got me going 'What?! When did that. . . ? Where did they. . .? I don't know about THAT! ' and generally reading with my jaw half open in disbelief, eyes screwed half shut with anger, and head beginning to pound from trying to sort opinion from half-baked theory from noodle fryingly subtle perceptions. Then trying to make sense of it all. I'm gonna have to dig deep and stew well on this one but I think I NEED to get something into a space.
My only concern; by the time I do it'll be last weeks discussion. My classic hurdle. Just call me 'Day late' or 'Dollar Short'
The one thing I did notice though out the discussions is references to the Hiroshima 1000 Cranes and how it's being bandied about as distasteful here and there. When I went to check out the Fat Crane site on Myspace I noticed 'Thousand Cranes BY Hiroshima' listed under favorite song and I had to wonder; Ummm, does anybody realize that Hiroshima is also the name of a Japanese Jazz Fusion band that was very popular in the early 80's and that one of their SONGS is titled 'Thousand Cranes'?
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you.
Then you win. - Mahatma Ghandi