Fat liberationist Your Fat Friend’s social media campaign, #FatSideStories, takes over Twitter.

A recent social media campaign started by our favorite anonymous fat liberationist, Your Fat Friend, took over Twitter this week by signal boosting a campaign begun by @Artists_Ali and @Femmina of Bad Fat Broads. It just so happens that it was in perfect timing with #BodyPositiveWeek here at WYV!

It all started with a simple call for fat dating stories:

Big thanks to @Artists_Ali and @femmina for kick starting this one!

— Your Fat Friend (she/her/hers) (@yrfatfriend) August 9, 2016

Tweet by tweet, participants shared stories about dating, which can be horrible for white,”average” or slender-bodied folks, but gets even worse the more marginalized you are.

Having guys play on you in front of their friends but find you on Facebook after graduation to say they always liked you. #fatsidestories

— ???????? ??? ?????? ✨ (@TeriAmour) August 9, 2016

Once you are out of school, they start coming out of the wood works. Often, the ones who are trying to hit you up are the same guys that burn you in the first place!

"How does she have multiple partners when I don't even have one" – thin people #FatSideStories

— art & esoterica ???️‍? (@femmina) August 9, 2016

Judgment triples for fat polyamorous folk as thin, able-bodied, monogamous people become angry and competitive.

his boys stand behind him and giggle while he comes up to you and says "my friend wants your number" and then they all laugh #fatsidestories

— ariel two belts & chins (@kiddotrue) August 9, 2016

Sound familiar at all?

https://twitter.com/ohkayewhatever/status/763175374335438848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Then it started to get really REAL.

https://twitter.com/myheart_isopen/status/764113638714060800

Fat-related PTSD is a real thing and it can effect all intimate relationships that the person suffering from it has.

https://twitter.com/Artists_Ali/status/763336572800495616

Sadly, parents are often the first bullies that fat children (or children in general) experience. We have to do better.

https://twitter.com/applewriter/status/763097631262437376

Fat people are taught that they are unlovable and unfuckable. Because of this, many of us find ourselves in abusive relationships. Quite a few fat folks have been the victim of sexual abuse because society teaches that we are not valuable or equal to other bodies. It’s a vicious cycle that must be ended.

#fatsidestories being told "You're not fat, you're beautiful" because fat is SO synonymous with being ugly you can't possibly be both

— lottie l’amour ? (@Lottie_Lamour) August 10, 2016

Even the best meaning friends and family will sometimes say this. It’s their job to hear your experience, not project their values onto your identity.

Fat girls have the best personalities because they grew up ugly #fatsidestories pic.twitter.com/fejsHLwG0x

— Fat Girl For life? (@fatgrrrlforlife) August 9, 2016

Oh hey, look what happens to an Olympic athlete who's even just a little chubby. #FatSideStorieshttps://t.co/6JmUWxeFC9

— Your Fat Friend (she/her/hers) (@yrfatfriend) August 10, 2016

Even Olympic athletes are victim to fatphobia.

See a therapist for mental health issues… "Have you considered losing weight?" #FatSideStories

— ariel two belts & chins (@kiddotrue) August 10, 2016

 

https://twitter.com/Artists_Ali/status/763146631214686208

What can you do as an ally? The easiest thing you can do is listen to your fat loved one. If they are experiencing something, do not question it. Just because you have not lived their experience does not mean that these awful things are not being said and done as a result of being perceived to have less value than their thin counterparts.

Listen, witness, and correct toxic behaviors around you.

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