December 2022 NAAFA Newsletter |
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Cheers to Another Amazing NAAFA Year!
Tigress Osborn, NAAFA Board Chair |
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Hello! It's hard to believe that we've come to the end of another calendar year and another NAAFA year.
At this time a year ago, we had six board members, and we'd just wrapped up an intense board search and selection process to bring on six more. Our new members started in January, and it's been a whirlwind since then. We end the year with a board of ten continuing into the new year: Christina Chase, Dawn Clark, Amanda Cooper, Marcy Cruz, Tamra Dozier-Garland, Elaine Lee, Darliene Howell, Trevor Kezon, Tegan Lecheler, and of course, me. We thank Peggy Howell and Amithyst Fist for their service to the NAAFA Board and for their many years of fat liberation labor and love.
Our board isn't the only thing about NAAFA that's grown since this time last year. We expanded our virtual programming, increased our social media reach, raised more money for the movement for fat rights, and redoubled our efforts to pass #EqualityAtEverySize legislation. We reached thousands of new people through our social media outreach and through being featured in major national media stories. This year brought so many opportunities for learning and engaging with fat community, through challenge and through celebration. We're ending the year stronger than we started, and we're excited about the future.
Check out the video message below for more details on this year's highlights and stay tuned for some exciting announcements in early 2023!
Help us raise $10,000 by the end of 2022 for #EqualityAtEverySize! Visit naafa.org/give today to support our mission to change perceptions of fat and end size discrimination through education, advocacy, and support.
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Fundraiser For #EqualityAtEverySize
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Thank you all for your generosity! Giving Tuesday kicked off our End-of-Year fundraising. Between FB, IG and donations through our website, we have raised $3,745 of our goal of $10,000 by December 31, 2022.
But we aren't stopping here. Our focus is supporting our #EqualityAtEverySize campaign, which will help pass new anti-discrimination legislation in at least three states and one major city in 2023!
NAAFA is currently coordinating efforts in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and New York City to pass pending bills that will add more legal protections against size discrimination. This will benefit millions of people. We plan to support expansion of these rights in other US locations in 2023 and beyond. We do this on a very limited budget and with all-volunteer leadership. $10,000 will allow us to invest in new technology and training, which will help us reach thousands more people of all sizes to engage them in the important work of ending size discrimination.
As we work towards #EqualityAtEverySize through improving laws, we will also continue our daily work to support fat community through a variety of programming. By helping us meet our $10,000 year end goal, you allow us to invest more deeply in our legislative outreach while also continuing to offer free virtual events like the NAAFA Webinar Series, Ahead of the Curve, Fat Fridays Virtual Social Club, and more! For more information on the #EqualityAtEverySize campaign, go to naafa.org/eaes
Giving is easy! Visit the fundraiser on our social media pages @naafaofficial or go to naafa.org/give. You can give a one-time donation or become one of our monthly recurring donors. Whether your donation is $5 or $500 or $5,000, your generosity is appreciated! |
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Anti-fatness is an Intersectional Social Justice Issue
https://youtu.be/OJZ8qPww3XU
This clip is part of a presentation by NAAFA Chair, Tigress Osborn, where she explains how anti-fatness is an intersectional social justice issue. The clip is from Tipping the Scales of Justice: The Role Legal Professionals Play in Ensuring Equality at Every Size, a September 2022 expert panel discussion of anti-fatness as a form of systemic oppression. To view the full presentation, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tffqIL9rw1E&t=2s
To stay up to date about other NAAFA events, join our mailing list at www.naafa.org/signupform
To see past webinars, subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/naafaofficial |
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Health At Every Size and HAES are registered trademarks of the Association for Size Diversity and Health, and are used with permission.
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The Unlearning Series: Rewriting the Fat Body
led by Vanessa Chica Ferreira |
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 Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 2pm PT/3pm MT/4pm CT/5pm ET
Content warning: This series will include topics that some may feel vulnerable to, including exploring negative feelings (our own and others).
Description of Event:
The "Unlearning Series" is a generative writing workshop, open to participants of all ages, sizes, and abilities. Participants will be led through writing prompts and activities to encourage inner and outer reflection on topics related to fat bodies. December's topic will be "A Fat Body Has Sex". These sessions are not recorded, so you will need to be present to participate.
The Unlearning Series: Rewriting the Fat Body is for fat people and fat-positive folx of all sizes.
This webinar is presented via Zoom, in English, and with English auto-captions by Otter.ai. If you will need ASL interpreting, please register no later than 1/2/23 for us to arrange for ASL Interpreting by Pro Bono ASL.
Speaker bio:
Vanessa Chica Ferreira (she/her) is an NYC educator, poet, playwright, fat activist/model, co-editor, and producer for RoblesWritesProductions Inc., and founder of theWORDbox. She co-wrote and performed in a 3 woman play titled "Live Big Girl" which debuted at The National Black Theatre. Her work can be found in The BX Files "Contemporary Poetry from the Bronx" Anthology, "The Abuela Stories Project" The Acentos Review, and "Great Weather For Media" Anthology.
For more info visit www.vanessachica.com
Go to naafa.org/virtualevents to register for this workshop.
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Join Us at Fat Fridays Virtual Social Club! Event Is Free!
presented by NAAFA and hosted by Bree (@BreeIsHelpfulAF) |
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 The Fat Fridays Social Club is held via Zoom and is an affinity space only for folx who identify as fat. (Ages 16+) 12/23, 5:30 - 7:30 PDT
Each month has a theme. The theme for December is #TheMoon. Here's what you can expect:
1. Introductions - Name, pronouns, location (learn the First Peoples of your location at native-land.ca)
2. Themed discussion about #TheMoon
3. Themed game - Moon-themed Et Cetera! (Winner will choose next month's theme!)
4. Open social time
Themed dress is totally encouraged! (But not required.)
You must RSVP at naafa.org/virtualevents
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Anti-Racism Resources - Holiday Allyship in Action
compiled by Darliene Howell |
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As we approach the Season of Giving, support children of color in your community. Most of our recommendations in this resource focus on advocacy and anti-racism, but we also acknowledge that the impacts of racism extend to folks' material needs, and it's appropriate to offer support in those ways too. There are numerous ways to show your support, one being to lend a hand or donate to organizations that focus on children and youth of color. Put your commitment to being an ally into action!
Act locally:
- Give/donate to a food drive or community fridge
- Volunteer at a food distribution center or soup kitchen
- Volunteer at a school, however they need the help
- Look for local BIPOC organizations where you can donate
- Give to Toys for Tots or other toy drive.
- Gift ideas:
Dolls of color
Books by authors of color with characters of color
Athletic equipment
Chemistry set
Puzzles
Paint sets or craft sets
Musical instruments
Games - both board games and electronic games (batteries included)
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As part of our monthly NAAFA Chronicles feature, here's the 83rd NAAFA newsletter from July 1987.
Content warning: Language used may be triggering to some.
In the July 1987 issue you will find: NAAFA celebrates its 18th anniversary; a high school teen is denied being a majorette; updates from "Life in the Fat Lane"; a drive in California to ban "diet pill" ads; a column from Dr. Paul Ernsberger; uncovering exclusionary attitudes in the membership and more!
For more, check out the "Chronicles" page of the NAAFA website, https://naafa.org/chronicles. |
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Media and Research Roundup
by Bill and Terri Weitze
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Content warning: Some articles may use stigmatizing language.
November 21, 2022: A group of top researchers studying the O word (fatness) gathered at London’s Royal Society to work on a consensus regarding its cause. Reading the suggestions from different scientists is reminiscent of the fable about the blind men and the elephant. And not surprisingly, in the end, they only agreed on what it is not. It is not personal failure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/opinion/obesity-cause.html
November 30, 2022: Rev. Dr. E-K Daufin’s book
On Fat and Faith: Ending Weight Stigma in Yourself, Your Sanctuary and Society is now available through Amazon.com. NAAFA member Rev. Dr. E-K Daufin "will sooth your soul with practical spiritualized Health At Every Size; anti-patriarchy, Fat-positive practices; and social justice, intersectional Fat Liberation activism."
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNGRZFLR
December 7, 2022: Kirstie Alley, who recently passed away, seems to have been defined by her weight. Caught in the loop of yo-yo dieting, she somehow managed to maintain a glamorous image no matter what the scale said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/opinion/kirstie-alley-fat-glamorous-radical.html
December 13, 2022: Virginia Sole-Smith explains why finding plus-size clothing for children is even harder than for plus-size adults.
https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/why-dont-brands-care-about-plus-size-kids |
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Founded in 1969, NAAFA, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.
On the web: https://naafa.org
Comments: pr@naafa.org
Newsletter Content Editors: Darliene Howell and Tigress Osborn
Newsletter Layout Editor: Bill Weitze
Any products or services mentioned in articles in this newsletter are for information only and should not be considered endorsements by NAAFA.
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