November 2022 NAAFA Newsletter |
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Meet Tegan Lechler, NAAFA Advocacy Chair |
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Hello NAAFA community,
I am so excited to introduce myself to you as NAAFA's Advocacy Chair. This has been my first year on the Board and I've had an incredible time getting to know people in fat community from all over the world and working to further our legislative campaigns. I'm the only Gen-Z person on our team and I've been overwhelmed by the warm welcome the community has offered to me along with all the wisdom that's been passed down. Including Gen-Z voices in advocacy work is so important for keeping movements relevant and intersectional and this philosophy has been warmly embraced by the NAAFA team.
I currently live in New York City, though I'm from a small, rural town in Minnesota. I attended the University of Minnesota where I studied Political Science and Public Policy and fell completely in love with Minneapolis and St Paul - I still think they're two of the best cities in the country! My career started in electoral politics. I worked on Ilhan Omar's historic campaign for the House of Representatives and supporting community voice through constituent outreach for Senator Amy Klobuchar's team. I quickly realized that electoral politics isn't where my heart lies and started working as a legislative organizer for Minnesota's largest LGBT advocacy organization, which successfully passed a statewide ban on conversion therapy for minors. After this campaign, I began working at a family homeless shelter in Minneapolis where I oversaw our children and family programming. I also worked in the homeless encampments throughout the city helping folks vote in the 2020 election and be vaccinated against COVID-19. This is still one of the best jobs I've ever had and led me to starting a twin cities mutual aid network that supported families in their transition from shelter to permanent housing.
I currently manage a guaranteed income program in New York City for moms experiencing poverty and am also working to open a community center in Florida for LGBT youth. I can't think of a place I'd rather lend my organizing and legislative experience than NAAFA and I am so excited about all the exciting advocacy work we have planned. Mark my words, we are going to pass national legislation protecting fat people. Of course, I fully recognize that legislation is not liberation, but it's an important and attainable goal that will positively impact the lives of people in our community. To me, anything that helps even just one person is worth the effort.
Stay tuned for all the exciting things we have planned here at NAAFA! We're just getting started and can't wait to show you all the tricks up our sleeves.
Sincerely,
Tegan Lecheler
Advocacy Chair
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Introducing NAAFA's New Death Planning Resources Hub
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Content warning: discussion of death and handling of human remains; links include references to specific weight and size numbers
Why Talk About Fat Death Planning?
Death is an inevitability we all face. As fat people, there are certain considerations that must be made when planning for death care. Knowledge about your options and making plans in advance can make the process easier for you and your loved ones.
This week we are launching NAAFA's new Death Planning Resources Hub, a special page on our website dedicated to helping fat people and our loved ones prepare in advance for the specific needs of fat bodies. Information about care of one's remains is available now. We are in the process of compiling additional resources about life insurance options, legacy planning, end-of-life care, and more.
Board Member Trevor Kezon suggested this project, which was initially developed in the Future of NAAFA Committee and is currently being worked on by the NAAFA Board. The information presented is not comprehensive but is intended to help you and/or your loved ones begin thinking about the specific needs of fat people at the end of our lives.
Why Does Weight Matter?
Although we often emphasize in fat liberation that weight is not the most important thing about a person, when it comes to preparing your body after death, measurements matter. One of the most important pieces of information -- and one of the hardest details for some people to share -- is how much the deceased weighs. The proportions of your body may also need to be considered even when weight is not a factor in the options available.
Every body can be handled by the mortuary industry, but heavier or larger bodies sometimes require special procedures. This can be especially challenging for people who live where mortuary services are limited (e.g. a small town with only one funeral home). Identifying who will handle your body after death allows you or your loved ones to ask questions in advance about what accommodations need to be made.
"I know it's not easy for everyone to have the conversation about size or weight, especially if it's been traumatic or difficult in the past, but being willing to talk about your loved one's size can alleviate so much stress for all involved when planning a funeral. Consider being up front about being fat, in your death plan while you're still alive . . . Both sides, the family and the funeral home, need to be able to have a respectful, honest, transparent discussion about the dead person's size and what that's going to mean about the burial or cremation."
- Caitlin Dougherty,
Ask a Mortician
Contribute to this resource
We welcome your questions and suggestions regarding this information and the other death-related resources we are compiling. Please use this form to share your thoughts on this subject. Please note: unfortunately, we are unable to address the individual needs of you or your loved ones when it comes to death planning. The goal of this form is to enrich the information NAAFA will provide to the community with this project. |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl1CD_MDlAg
November is Indigenous Heritage Month in the U.S. This video is an Indigenous People's Day song created by artists Fyütch and Radmilla Cody to help kids and adults learn more about Indigenous Liberation Movements like Protect The Peaks and more. The song celebrates Native American Heritage and teaches why the artists don't celebrate Christopher Columbus day. NAAFA encourages everyone in our community to support other social justice movements and folx in fat community who also represent other marginalized identities that are disproportionately impacted by anti-fatness. |
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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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#GivingTuesday Is November 29th |
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"Everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts. Join the GivingTuesday movement and reimagine a world built upon shared humanity and radical generosity."
- givingtuesday.org
Each year on Giving Tuesday, millions of people help fund the causes they care about most. Last year, supporters gave an estimated $2.7 billion in just one day!
This #GivingTuesday, help NAAFA kick off our goal to raise $10,000 by the end of the year. 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 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!
NAAFA's mission to change perceptions of fat and end size discrimination through education, advocacy, and support has not changed in 53 years. What has changed is that NAAFA has committed to a more inclusive and intersectional approach to ensure that our work benefits
all fat people. Your contribution allows us to reach more fat people across a broader range of identities and life experiences.
Donations of all sizes are welcomed and go toward helping us fulfill our organization's goals to change perceptions of fat and end size discrimination through advocacy, education, and support. For more information on the #EqualityAtEverySize campaign, go to naafa.org/eaes
Giving is easy! Go to naafa.org/give where you can choose to donate through our main giving form or through PayPal. You will also be able to give via Facebook or Instagram. 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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The Unlearning Series: Rewriting the Fat Body
led by Vanessa Chica Ferreira |
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Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 2pm PT/3pm MT/4pm CT/5pm ET
Content warning: This series will include topics that some may be 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 Goes to the Doctor".
The Unlearning Series: Rewriting the Fat Body is for fat people and fat-positive folx of all sizes. Register at naafa.org/virtualevents by midnight 12/10/22 to receive the webinar link.
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 12/7/22 for us to arrange for ASL Interpreting by Pro Bono ASL.
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+) Next gathering is 11/25, 5:30 - 7:30 PST
Each month has a theme. The theme for November is #TheOcean. 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 #TheOcean
3. Themed game - Ocean-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 - Indigenous Americans
compiled by Darliene Howell |
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As part of our monthly NAAFA Chronicles feature, enjoy NAAFA's 82nd newsletter from June 1987.
Content warning: Reviews of a documentary mention the "O" word and WLS, as well as discussion of guidelines put out by an organization for evaluating commercial IWL promotions
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 featured in the Media & Research Roundup may refer to or use stigmatizing language.
October 20, 2022: After Kanye West made incorrect and fatphobic comments about Lizzo's weight;
Newsweek asked for response from the fat community, including Tigress Osborn, about why we cannot simply ignore statements like these.
https://www.newsweek.com/lizzo-defended-fat-acceptance-activists-after-kanye-wests-remarks-1752930
October 21, 2002: Was being fat a risk factor for severe COVID-19 or was the true risk poor medical treatment of fat people? A panel discusses the history of fatness as well as how American society feels about it.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/episodes/on-the-media-f-word
October 22, 2022: Taylor Swift is being accused of using a fatphobic image in her new music video. While it is clear that using a scale with a readout of "FAT" is about her eating disorder struggles, some feel that having a thin woman on a scale that says "FAT" is unnecessary and insensitive.
https://www.dailydot.com/irl/taylor-swift-anti-hero-fatphobic/
October 22, 2022:
The Hill writes about airline passenger seating in conjunction with the FAA's request for public comments on setting a minimum standard for seating (as covered in the October 2022 NAAFA Newsletter). The date for comments expired November 1, 2022.
https://thehill.com/homenews/3695959-the-faa-wants-your-opinion-on-the-size-of-airplane-seats-but-the-deadline-is-fast-approaching
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2022-1001-0001
October 23, 2022: Something magical happened over Labor Day weekend in Ohio. Two friends put together a summer camp experience for fat women, called Camp Roundup. Enjoy the story and the many photos.
https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2022/10/23/1129829865/camp-roundup-celebrates-body-positivity
October 24, 2022: Two groups of weight loss surgeons are hoping that insurance companies will approve more surgeries under the new guidelines they've developed. Not surprisingly, the new guidelines make the controversial surgery available to many more people.
https://news.yahoo.com/guidelines-expand-eligibility-weight-loss-103008265.html
November 3, 2022:
Everyday Health provides nine tips for how to handle situations where you feel your body is being judged by someone else.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/tips-for-coping-when-someones-words-insult-your-body
November 10, 2022:
New York Times Magazine follows Sharon Maxwell's recovery journey as a person with atypical anorexia. Atypical anorexia, which can take years to be diagnosed, is the same as anorexia except the person has a larger body.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/magazine/anorexia-obesity-eating-disorder.html
November 10, 2022: Without any supporting evidence that it improves an athlete's performance, many colleges and universities are tracking the body fat percentages of its female athletes and pushing for ever lower numbers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/sports/college-athletes-body-fat-women.html |
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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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