Fat Activism Survey: Results, Part I
First, another round of thanks to everyone for participating in the Fat Activism Survey. There was a great turnout from BFBers and non-BFBers alike, and a lot of what was said was great to read - just great. A total of 244 people took the survey.
Since the survey was so large, I'm going to break it up into smaller posts versus having one monolithic one (which would take eight hours to write.) And, full results will be released later on. Without further ado....
Which fat acceptance organization(s) are you a member of?
- None: 85.2%
- NAAFA: 6.2%
- NOLOSE: 4.9%
- ISAA: 2.5%
- Others: 6.5%
Amongst the others: Fatshionista, BFB (aw, shucks!), Don't Tell Me What Size I Must B, and FATPDX. I must also note that originally there was no "None" option for the survey; the "None" count is corrected for this error.
The results here are perhaps a little surprising, maybe, but are a clarion call: people who took the survey aren't involved in fat rights organizations - pretty much at all. Why? Good thing the next question asked.
In lieu of posting all responses, I'm going to post several which I feel are representative of the response to the first question.
- I'm not currently a member of any of these organizations. NAAFA just seems creepy (the whole dating/feeder thing), I didn't realize ISAA was a membership organization and I've never heard of NOLOSE.
- ISAA hasn't particularly impressed me. NAAFA is a whole other bucket of problems. Their "activism" is a joke - pool parties, balls, fashion shows and the occasional chapter meeting are a lamentable excuse for a thriving fat activist movement. Additionally, their website is terrible, hasn't been updated in forever, and is completely un-navigable. I'd join an organization - whether it had fees or not - if they had a polished, user-friendly and regularly updated website, if they addressed fat in a range of areas of life, and if they actually *did* things other than social events. Pool parties are great, but I want to make a difference for all fat people - not just those who can spend upwards of a thousand dollars at a week-long retreat.
- NAAFA -- Just unsure. I don't see them out there or doing much, and I admit I am a little bothered by the hook-up purpose of much of the activities. In general, they don't seem to be effective.
- I'm not "out" enough yet.
- I don't see a need to be a member. I'm already aware of the issues by reading blogs.
- I've been a member of NOLOSE since its beginnings: it's full of smart, creative folks who aren't afraid to explore taboos or to push to articulate how fat oppression is connected to other systems of oppression like sexism, racism and classism. I've had mixed experiences with NAAFA, but I'm so glad that it's there, as a national voice in support of fat liberation. I love the FLARE initiative, and the recent drop in the cost of membership made it accessible to me. I've been a featured speaker at the national conference -- many years ago now -- am, in general, impressed with NAAFA most recent PR efforts.
- Honestly, although I am obviously fat, I'm not ready to embrace it as part of a public identity and persona. I'm not willing to discuss it (my opinions, feelings, etc.) with people in general.
- I'm not a member of NAAFA because it is to USA-focused, and ISAA seems quite ineffectual to me. Most of my activism is not about being part of a big group, but more about small, individual, ad-hoc stuff.
- NAAFA is the biggest fat advancement organization in the USA,as far as I know. Even though it seems to me that they're not doing a lot on certain issues, I keep hoping that they will get past their divisiveness and perhaps get a grant from someone or some organization. Wishful thinking, I suppose.
- I don't know anything about ISAA or NOLOSE, but NAAFA's -- image -- (for lack of a better word) is not what I am looking for. Aside from the apparent inactivity (to judge by the not-well-maintained website), there is so much attention placed on some types of "social" events and stuff like that that it makes me uncomfortable. It's not my scene...
- Cost.
I think there are a few distinct problems here. First, the organizations that do exist aren't visible enough to this group of people - many of them hadn't heard of ISAA, for instance. NAAFA was generally recognized; interestingly, those who recognized NAAFA tended to have a negative opinion towards them. Whether these perceptions of current fat rights organizations are accurate or not, they're certainly out there. There's a huge image problem we're collectively facing.
Another big reason for not being involved, cited by a lot of folks, was cost. As we'll see in an upcoming batch of results, people get nervous when money comes into the picture.
The final factor tended to be local chapters, and feeling connected to a larger organization. People from the UK and Australia, in particular, felt left out in the cold by the current lineup of organizations.
That's all for part one. Stay tuned for more results over the coming week - and thanks again for participating!
Pretty Pear's Colleen Featured in NPR Segment | Fat Activism Survey: Results, Part II
Posted by paul on July 10, 2007
Excellent stuff. Thanks for writing all this up, Paul. I'll keep an eye out for future installments!
This is excellent to see, Paul. I appreciate all the work you are doing on this, because I think its really important to see that a whole lot of people aren't satisfied with what's currently out there.
Dang, I answered "none" but I'm obviously a member of BFB and also Fatshionista. I didn't think of those.
Glad I'm not the only one who seems to see NAAFA almost as being part of the problem. It's not as though the social side isn't covered by other operators - there are literally hundreds of specialist dating sites for the whole hook-up thing, and BBW nights in many cities which provide a safe social space for fat folk to dance and mingle with like-minded souls.
And of course it's important that big people and those who want to be with them meet and form relationships, and the continued portrayal of fat people as unlovable and asexual (and those who prefer a fat partner as perverted deviants) by mainstream culture is a major element of the oppression we all face.
But similarly it seems that NAAFA and others have recently lost sight of the critical battles that need to be fought right now - people are being fired and having their kids stolen from them by Social Services, for Christssake - because what should be our version of the NAACP or Stonewall is too busy throwing pool parties in Vegas for 'paysite girls'.
Besides, like it or not, NAAFA will forever be tainted by the past association with the feederism agenda - any media researcher with access to Google will quickly come across it, and in the hands of someone suitably influential and malicious it could well destroy any hopes we have of being treated as a credible political movement.
Nope, something new, dynamic and angry is needed, something which gets its name on the evening news and interviews in the papers alongside the obesity headlines. Something with a credible presence in every country where fat people find themselves under attack (I'll come clean here and point out that I was one of the respondents who bemoaned the lack of a UK counter to the numerous obesity 'awareness' organisations that have sprung up here in the last couple of years...)
I think it's time for NAAFA to realign itself as the social organisation it clearly wants to be and pass on the mantle to a fresh group that can be tasked as our representative in this rapidly changing world.
I believe NAAFA is very different today than it was five years ago. Conrad Blickensdorfer is no longer associated with the group, and you've got some very sharp, very experienced people on the Board like Marilyn Wann, Lisa Tealer and Carole Cullum. The past associations really are that; if you check their website you'll find their policy on feederism prominently posted.
Jennifer Portnick
Personal Trainer (who is fat)
San Francisco, CA